Take your merchandising, training and sales to the next level
Ever feel like you just need a shot of adrenaline in your produce departments?
Display contests can create excitement, prompt shoppers to venture beyond their normal shopping lists, increase the long-term sales potential for items and categories, and create opportunities for produce department personnel to develop and showcase their skills.
We at PMG are big fans of theater in the produce department and what it does for sales, so we’ve compiled this resource to show the power of display contests for produce and provide a little inspiration for anyone looking to take their merchandising to the next level. Enjoy!
From the Experts
Some of the top operators in the business are also fans of display contests.
Check out and click on each of the graphics below to see what several well-respected produce retail leaders have said about this topic, with links to stories about some of their successes.
Display contest best practices
For produce executives and produce managers
Leveraging sales and display contests for maximum benefit requires planning and engagement with both internal and external stakeholders. Here’s what industry leaders recommended as best practices for leaders creating display contests and produce managers and their teams participating in them.
PMG's Produce Artist Award Series
A showcase of seasonal merchandising
We’re fast approaching one year since the debut of our Produce Artist Award Series, a seasonal recognition platform for produce merchandisers and produce managers.
We share entries on our social media accounts throughout each contest and also recognize top entries with a quarterly results webinar that showcases lots of great display photos and expert insight from longtime industry leaders. See below for the educational and entertaining webinars from our last two seasons.
Fall 2020 Results Webinar
Summer 2020 Results Webinar
Opportunities abound
Interested? Pick a contest – or design your own
We’ve seen many great contest displays lately, from those led by the big mandarin brands to emerging items looking to generate extra interest. Click the links to see the creativity happening between different retail banners, their suppliers and various associations across the U.S.
Produce Artist Award Series Showcase — Super Citrus Displays Citrus is one of the categories where brands matter most, and in the course of the winter season of our Produce Artist Award Series, we've seen lots of contest-worthy displays that embrace those brands.
HAC stores on board for Idaho Potato Lovers Month Price Mabry, director of produce and floral for Oklahoma City-based HAC, has seen great engagement among the company’s produce managers in the annual Idaho Potato Lovers Month display contest.
Retailers get creative for Sunrays grapes contest 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.
UNFI hits sweet spot with Sumo display contest United Natural Foods Inc. had strong engagement in its recent sales and display contest featuring Sumo mandarins, a specialty citrus variety only available from January to April.
Watermelon board showcases display contest award winners The National Watermelon Board received 220 entries from retail chains, independent retailers and commissaries for its annual display contest.
PMG is wrapping up its winter contest this week, but keep an eye out for the next season coming soon, and send your best seasonal work from this year to ProduceArtistAwards@ProduceMarketGuide.com.