United Supermarkets' Market Street Wins Go Organic! for Earth Day Display Contest

MINNEAPOLIS -- A Market Street unit operated by Lubbock, Texas-based regional grocer United Supermarkets took the grand prize in the 2007 Go Organic! for Earth Day Display Contest, the campaign's organizers here said yesterday.

The winning display was created by Justin Low, the Living Well grocery manager at the Market Street in Lubbock, Texas. It was located in the front of the store and included a John Deere tractor, DVD player, and flat-screen television featuring an organic farming educational video and plant elements. Low won an iPod Shuffle and a $200 American Express gift card.

The four runners-up were Market Street in Wichita Falls, Texas; Market Street in McKinney, Texas; Giant Food in Hershey, Pa.; and Copps in Green Bay, Wis. Each runner-up won an iPod Shuffle.

Fourteen grocery banners were represented among the entries, according to Go Organic's retail manager, Scott Silverman. "We received many great entries, and it was quite a difficult task for our committee to only choose five from the group," he said. "The criteria we used for making our decision included platinum sponsor product representation, creativity, and the scale of the display."

Platinum sponsors with grocery products included R.W. Knudsen Family juices, Santa Cruz Organic juices and applesauce, Clif energy bars, Del Monte Organic canned vegetables and tomato products, Silk (aseptic) soymilk, and Horizon (aseptic) fluid milk. Many of the displays also featured products from other sponsors, such as Nature's Path cereals and MaraNatha nut butters.

Go Organic! for Earth Day is a promotional campaign that was formed in 2005 to coincide with Earth Day (April 22) to encourage people to try organic products, and to raise awareness about how organics are produced. The 2007 campaign had many new elements, including an online retailer resource center, e-newsletters for retailers and consumers, a partnership with Healthnotes Connect, and a spa vacation giveaway in partnership with The Crossings wellness spa and Northwest Airlines.

The campaign continues to grow in popularity, and has attracted major retail players such as Kroger, Supervalu, Food Lion, H.E. Butt Grocery Co. "While all the data is not yet in, all indications are that [the 2007] campaign far exceeded all goals and was a huge success," said Silverman.

In 2008 the organizers of Go Organic! plan to expand the campaign to include an additional contest and prize for overall campaign execution, noted Silverman. Retailers interested in participating in the 2008 campaign may contact him at (952) 426-7814 or [email protected]
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