ConAgra Foods, Inc. will sponsor the 24th annual National Grocers Association (N.G.A.) Best Bagger Championship, to be held Feb. 11, 2010, at the Paris Las Vegas Hotel in Las Vegas. A few new twists will be added to the upcoming national bag-off, including a new N.G.A. logo that will be displayed on new, reusable bags contestants will use for the first time in place of paper and plastic bags to fill with groceries as they race against time and display their bagging techniques.

With ConAgra’s sponsorship, NGA has increased the prize money for best bagger contestants, who will be judged on speed, bag-building technique, weight distribution between bags, style, attitude and appearance. This year, the winning bagger will receive a grand prize of $10,000, the second-place contestant will earn $5,000, and the third- through fifth-place winners will get $1,000 each.

Frank DiPasquale, N.G.A.’s EVP, said the new partnership with Omaha, Neb.-based ConAgra would enable the trade association and its members an opportunity “to further promote a long-standing program that represents an important element in providing outstanding customer service in an area where independent community-focused retailers excel.”

The Best Bagger contest has showcased the importance of supermarket customer service for 24 years by creating excitement and enthusiasm for bagging. “We think this is a perfect partnership for us, because millions of ConAgra Foods products are bagged at supermarkets across America each day, and many of our customers are N.G.A. members,” said Teresa Paulsen, VP of corporate communications for ConAgra. “Whether it’s Hunt’s, Chef Boyardee, Healthy Choice, Orville Redenbacher’s or one of our other famous brands, a ConAgra Foods product is likely to be in the bag, and we want to strengthen the connection between our company name and the food people love.”

N.G.A.’s Best Bagger contest is a yearlong, nationwide program in which the best-of-the-best grocery baggers from around the country compete for cash prizes and the title of America’s Best Bagger.