US: National Apple Month announces annual retail and military display contest winners

Today the National Apple Month program announced the winners of the fall 2010 National Apple Month retail and military display contest. The annual contest provided retailers and the apple industry with an opportunity to showcase apples and apple products along with partner products Marzetti Caramel Apple Dips, Smucker's Natural Peanut Butter and JIF Natural Peanut Butter. These well-established brands are perfect partners for the promotion since their products complement apples perfectly.
Vying for more than $4,000 in prizes in the display contest were retailers from across the country. From September through November, entrants built displays in their stores that prompted consumers to buy more apples, apple products, Marzetti Caramel Apple Dip, Smucker's Natural Peanut Butter and JIF Natural Peanut Butter. These displays helped boost sales and increase bottom-line profits.

Timothy Hassler from Ferguson and Hassler, Inc. in Quarryville, PA, submitted the winning entry for stores with 10 or more registers. The entry featured 12 different varieties and point of sale materials touting the health benefits of apples. To increase consumer awareness of National Apple Month, Timothy included a "Vote for your Favorite Apple contest" which encouraged consumers to purchase and try many of the different varieties.

Capturing the first place finish in the division of stores with nine and fewer registers for the second year in a row was G.F.F. Foods in Moore, OK submitted by David Dozier. G.F.F. Foods saw apples sales lift over the previous year due in part to the 20 different varieties he offered as well as the unique displays he built around a fire department theme with the clever slogan "Sound the alarm! Apples are hot stuff!"

For the military display contest, Anthony Chaki from Offutt Air Force Base in Nebraska won for the western region. He submitted an entry centered on an "As American as Apple Pie" theme while Larry Bentley from Jacksonville NAS in Florida won for the eastern region. His entry brought apples to the center of the produce section.

The top five-place winners in each division of the 2010 NAM retail display contest are:
Small stores
1st place: G.F.F. Foods in Moore, OK; entry coordinator, David Dozier,
2nd place: Ridgway BiLo in Ridgway, PA
3rd place: Windsor Big-M in Windsor, NY
4th place: Boonville Big-M #820 in Boonville, NY
5th place: Mikes BiLo in Reynoldsville, PA
Large stores
1st place: Ferguson and Hassler, Inc in Quarryville, PA
2nd place: Marshalltown Hy-Vee in Marshalltown, IA
3rd place: Windsor Heights Hy-Vee in Windsor Heights, IA
4th place: Hy-Vee in Urbandale, OK
5th place: Tops #565 Waterloo in Seneca Falls, NY
Judging of the National Apple Month annual display contest took place on Thursday, February 4th at the U.S. Apple Association headquarters in Vienna, VA. This year's panel of judges included (from left) Gordon M. Hochberg from The Produce News; Melissa Musiker, Director of Science Policy, Nutrition and Health at the Grocery Manufacturers Association; (USApple's Allison Parker); Ren?? |e A. Bullion, East Coast Development Director at the Produce for Better Health Foundation; and David G. Fikes, Director of Consumer and Community Affairs and Social Responsibility at the Food Marketing Institute (not pictured: Ray Gilmer, Vice President, Communications at the United Fresh Produce Association).