We took our awards ceremony online, for now

The Packer and PMG teamed up for a virtual presentation of two awards on the heels of the canceled Produce Marketing Association Fresh Summit in New Orleans.

It won’t be like this every year, but celebrating our stellar produce leaders will happen regardless of logistics.

Amy Sowder, retail editor of PMG and The Packer, gave PMG’s 2021 Produce Retailer of the Year award and Tom Karst, editor of The Packer, presented The Packer’s 2021 Produce Marketer for All Seasons award.

With colleagues and family watching, the winners accepted their honors Nov. 1 on a recorded video call.

Retailer award

The Produce Retailer of the Year award has been presented for more than two decades to some of the industry's most outstanding produce executives, people who both cultivate great company cultures and achieve significant, measurable results.

The award recipient each year is featured on the cover of PMG magazine and usually recognized in a ceremony at PMA Fresh Summit.

Jeff Cady, director of produce and floral for Tops Friendly Markets, was PMG's 2020 Produce Retailer of the Year, and the 2019 award went to Jewel-Osco's produce sales and merchandising manager Scott Bennett.

PMG’s 2021 Produce Retailer of the Year is Chris Keetch, director of produce and floral for Pennsylvania-based The Giant Co., part of the Ahold Delhaize group.

Keetch thanked both his produce team and suppliers, as well as PMG, for the award.

“I think I have the best team in the industry,” he said. “There's a lot of trust. The company trusts in me to maintain the best produce department we can.”

Sowder touched on some of Keetch’s measurable accomplishments, plus the humanity he brings to the work culture of the produce team at Giant supermarkets.

Keetch and his team earned an all-time high sales record the week of July 4, and also nabbed a 71% produce satisfaction score at the company. Under Keetch’s leadership, the produce team launched and maintained several initiatives: sustainability; digital and e-commerce; local; organics; convenience; plant-based; tropicals; training and development; and the Discover Program.

Keetch had to maintain his cohesive, fully invested team during a time when people were remaining socially distant for the good of public health during the COVID-19 pandemic.

He tried to make his weekly staff meetings conducted on video chat more friendly with regular quotes.

“Anything you can do to make this impersonal time more personal is great,” Sowder said.

But besides the team, it’s all about the suppliers. Those connections helped keep Giant supermarkets in full supply during a tough time.

“The strong relationships we keep with our supplier base, — well over 100, probably 200-plus — keep our supply chain full, when I know a lot of retailers could not maintain that,” Keetch said. “And I think it's built on that relationship, that trust that we're going to do what we say we're going to do. We're going to execute it. We're going to go full-force ahead with pushing the plan, pushing the agenda, pushing the strategy.”

Recognizing the essential nature of both the supplier and buyer is key, he said.

“It’s a two-way street. My team has a great relationship with suppliers, and it's symbiotic. We wouldn't be here without them. And a lot of them probably wouldn't be here without us. I think we understand that on both sides of the desk,” Keetch said.

Marketer award

Karst presented The Packer’s 2021 Produce Marketer for All Seasons award to Frank Muir, recently retired president and CEO of the Idaho Potato Commission.

The Produce Marketer of the Year and Marketer for All Seasons awards, which date back to 1972, represent leaders from various segments of the industry whose work has furthered the fresh produce sector’s interests in marketing fruits and vegetables. 

Last year, Alvaro Luque, president and CEO of Avocados From Mexico was recognized for his strategic vision and forward-thinking approach to marketing avocados.

 Karst said Muir has been described by one industry peer as a leader that “truly bleeds Idaho potatoes” since he came to the commission in 2003. 

Speaking at the virtual event, Travis Blacker, industry relations director for the Idaho Potato Commission, praised Muir for his contributions.

“I couldn’t think of anybody else in the potato industry that would deserve this more than you, Blacker said. “It’s been amazing what you’ve been able to accomplish while at the IPC, and we really appreciate all your all your efforts.”

Among his work over the years to promote and protect Idaho potatoes, Karst recognized Muir for:

• Effective health messaging battling the unwarranted negative press on potatoes;
• Working with the American Heart Association to get permission to put the Heart Check Mark on Idaho potato bags;
• Memorable commercials promoting the Idaho potato using celebrities like Heather Cox and Denise Austin, and now the “missing Big Idaho Potato Truck” commercials;
• Famous Idaho Potato Bowl, an annual bowl game that gives significant return on investment to the Idaho Potato Commission and nets millions of dollars in advertising for Idaho potatoes;
• Countless retail bin promotions and merchandising efforts tied to Potato Lovers Month;
• Big Idaho Potato Truck, running now for 10 years, which has been a huge success and free advertising wherever it travels; 
• The Idaho Potato Commission’s big social media presence; and 
• Increasing exports for fresh Idaho potatoes all over the world.

Muir thanked The Packer for the recognition.

“It really has been an honor to be part of the produce industry to this past 18 years,” Muir said. “These last 18 years have given me a really a unique and special opportunity to work more closely with the folks who actually grow the food, and that was one of the reasons I came to Idaho to accept this position.”

Muir said he was proud of the accomplishments that that have happened at the IPC during his time there, from boosting farm revenues to fighting back against low-carb diets and reestablishing the healthy reputation potatoes again, expanding exports and much more.

“Finally, I want to recognize my team, the IPC staff, and commissioners in our advertising and promotion agencies of the Idaho Potato Commission, as well as growers, processors, and shippers of Idaho, who have supported some of these crazy new ideas to ensure that whenever somebody hears the word Idaho, the next word that comes out into their mind and out of their mouth is potatoes.”