Greer’s Market Store #19 in Hurley, Miss., took first place in the first-ever display and sales contest featuring Sunrays grapes from Tarrytown, N.Y.-based Jac. Vandenberg.
Winners were chosen based on Sunrays grape sales as a percentage of department sales; on merchandising; and on messaging around the Sunrays brand, according to a news release.
Food Giant Store #6103 in Tylertown, Miss., and Greer’s CashSaver Store #27 in Prichard, Ala., took second and third place, respectively, in the sales portion of the contest.
The Prichard store also received recognition for best display.
“The concept for my display was to really show off the wonderful programs Sunrays is involved in and to highlight those key components for the customers,” April Weeks, produce manager of Greer’s CashSaver Store #27, said in the release. “When a company cares, the customer cares. I wanted everything to be bright and vibrant to meet the beautifully colorful aesthetic that Sunrays brings to their packaging and product.
“I wanted the open window to a vineyard scene to be a focal point to portray the freshness of the grapes as if you’d just picked them from the vine yourself,” Weeks said. “And finally, I wanted the whimsy of the grape and sunshine mural over top to draw in my tiny customers, the children, who are by far the biggest fans in my department of Sunrays grapes.”
John Paap, brand marketing manager for Jac. Vandenberg, described the contest results as exceeding expectations.
“We could not have been happier with how well the first Sunrays display contest went,” Paap said in the release. “(Greer’s CashSaver Store #27), the display winner, really did an amazing job with the Sunrays brand messaging and creativity of their display,” Paap said in the release. “It was really enjoyable to see how much fun the stores had with this contest and how they communicated the Sunrays message to their customers. We were truly blown away.”
Honorable mentions in the contest went to Food Town Store #14, Greer’s Market Store #04 in Vancleave, Miss., Greer’s CashSaver Store #11 in Mobile, Ala., and Food Giant Store #6103 in Tylertown, Miss.
The contest ran Jan. 13-Feb. 6 and included various retailers under the Pearl River, La.-based Gulf Coast division of Associated Wholesale Grocers. The prizes for the contest included:
- For produce managers: $800 for first place in sales, $400 for second place, $200 for third place
- For divisional specialist: $400 for first-place display
- For produce director: $800 for first place in sales
