PMG’s produce merchandising contest winners for spring '23

Did you or someone you know win? What do the winning store merchandising displays look like? What tricks and tips can you incorporate into your own produce department?

This video explains all.

On this winner webinar, learn whose displays won for each category — berries, mangoes, melons, sweet corn, Vidalia onions — for PMG’s spring 2023 contest of the Produce Artist Awards Series.

And best of all, see who made the cut for the spring season’s Best Produce Manager and Best Produce Merchandiser/Specialist.

Two additions to this season’s contest

We have a new judge added to our lineup, and at the end of this winner webinar, a live drawing from all the contest participants produced the first winner of a $50 Amazon gift card. See who won that new prize!

Related: Who won PMG's fall 2022 Produce Artist Award Series contest — and why?

The winners also receive a bunch of prizes, like PMG winner hats, vegetable peelers, knives, aprons, water bottles, resealable bags and other schwag. And all participants have a chance of getting their display photos featured in stories for PMG and The Packer, in print and online, on social media and in the annual PMG Guide and PMG Organic Guide books. (We will always give you photo credit.)

Our newest judge has professional health, as well as retail, experience, adding a new perspective to the webinar:

• Emily Massi: Registered dietitian nutritionist and licensed dietitian nutritionist serving as healthy living merchandising manager for Giant Food, part of Ahold Delhaize USA; former clinical dietitian for a healthcare system. Listen to our chat with Massi on this “Tip of the Iceberg Podcast” episode.

And we welcomed the return of our other two veteran judges:

• Joe Watson: Vice president of retail, foodservice and wholesale for International Fresh Produce Association.; former director of produce for Rouses Markets; 2014 Produce Retailer of the Year.
• Armand Lobato: Foodservice promotion director of the Idaho Potato Commission; formerly a produce category manager, merchandiser and buyer; longtime columnist for The Packer and PMG.

What’s next

There’s still time to take photos of your summer produce displays for the next contest in PMG’s Produce Artist Award Series.

Shoot (current) pictures of your cherries, grapes, stone fruit and summer vegetables — and anything eye-catching for the overall categories. The contest entry deadline hasn’t yet been set, but you can still send photos to artists@producemarketguide.com. Include your name, job title, store and location.

And congrats to the recent winners!

Related: Giant Food’s merchandiser-dietitian: Emily Massi on “Tip of the Iceberg Podcast.”