Minnesota Ag Connection - Minnesota Grown Honors 'Retailer of the Year' Winners

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Minnesota Grown Honors 'Retailer of the Year' Winners
Minnesota Ag Connection - 04/28/2016

Winners of the fifth annual "Minnesota Grown Retailer of the Year" contest were announced today during the Minnesota Grocers Association luncheon. Awards were presented by Minnesota Commissioner of Agriculture Dave Frederickson and Jamie Pfuhl, President of the Minnesota Grocers Association.

Commissioner Frederickson praised the grocers' commitment to promoting Minnesota products, saying, "Local grocers are the key to making it easy for Minnesotans to buy locally grown and raised foods."

The 2015-2016 "Minnesota Grown Retailer of the Year" winners were recognized in four categories:

-- Single Store: Mackenthun's Fine Foods

-- Retail Group of 9 Stores or Less: Festival Foods

-- Retail Group of 10 or More Stores: Kowalski's Markets

-- People's Choice Display Award: Lunds and Byerlys, Woodbury

Winning entries were selected based on the number of Minnesota Grown products and the number of Minnesota farmers that the grocer carried. Judges considered how the grocers used ads, displays, and social media to promote Minnesota Grown items to their customers. Kowalski's Markets were also recognized for visiting a local school to talk about the importance of fresh, locally grown produce.

In addition to a commemorative plaque, winners received the exclusive rights to use the "Minnesota Grown Retailer of the Year" logo in their ads and displays for the next year.

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