National Apple Month crowns display contest winners
National Apple Month crowns display contest winners
VIENNA, VA -- The National Apple Month program has announced the winners of the fall 2006 National Apple Month retail and military display contests, bringing the apple industry's fall generic apple promotion to a close.
The annual contest, which kick-starts the domestic apple industry's marketing season, provided retailers and the apple industry with increased sales and gave consumers easy access to great-tasting, healthy apples.
"The high-quality apples available nationwide from the 2006 harvest, combined with the creativity of produce managers in creating the displays, made this year's contest one of the best ever," NAM Director Kay Swartz Rentzel said in a Jan. 30 statement. "Returning partners T. Marzetti and the National Peanut Board added another level of excitement to the contest, and the incorporation of their products provided for increased sales for everyone during the promotional period."
Vying for more than $10,000 in prizes in the display contest were retailers and military commissaries from across the country. From September through November, entrants built displays in their stores that prompted consumers to buy more apples, apple products, Marzetti's products, peanuts and peanut products. These displays helped boost sales and increase bottom-line profits.
The displays treated consumers to healthy and delicious U.S. apples, processed apple products and tie-in products during the launch of the industry's 2006 marketing season. Many entries featured themes to educate and entice consumers to purchase apples, apple products, T. Marzetti and U.S. peanut products. Displays included the hot new game show theme "Deal or No Deal," as well as Apple Family Time, National Apple Month, Fall into Healthy Snacking and An Apple a Day Keeps the Doctor Away.
Contest entries were judged for the best health-oriented display, and then categorized based on store size. The 2006 title of Best Health Oriented Display and Merchandiser was awarded to Shady Maple in East Earl, PA. The entry coordinator was Lin Weaver, a new participant in the NAM display contest.
The display featured nutrition messages throughout the department that continually reminded the consumer why apples are a great addition to a healthy diet. The display included signs informing consumers that apples are high in pectin, which is good for digestion; high in antioxidants, which are good for the immune system; rich in vitamins and nutrients; and "good for your health." The display featured 14 different varieties of fresh apples, 20 cases of processed apple products, more than 25 cases of Marzetti's caramel apple dips and apple crisp kits, and over 900 pounds of peanuts and peanut products.
In addition to providing consumers with valuable nutritional information, the store experienced sales lifts of 5 percent in apple sales, more than 7 percent in Marzetti's apple dip sales, 2 percent in Marzetti's apple crisp kit sales and 3 percent in peanut, peanut butter and peanut product sales.
In addition to the Health Oriented award, overall prizes were given for the displays. The first-place winners in the 2006 NAM retail display contest were:
" Small Stores: Bashas No. 113 in Phoenix; entry coordinator Alan Wing.
" Large Stores: Cub Foods in Green Bay, WI; entry coordinator Steve Hebel.
" Military Commissaries: Ft. Riley Commissary in Ft. Riley, KS; entry coordinator Robin Vincent.
Entries were evaluated on the volume and variety of fresh apples displayed, the volume and variety of processed apple products and grocery tie-in products displayed, the use and volume of Marzetti's dips and crisp kits, the use and volume of peanuts and peanut products, display creativity and cross merchandising with other store departments.
"Everyone wins with National Apple Month, and that is why it continues to be such a successful program for the domestic apple industry," said Ms. Rentzel. "Apple marketers use the promotion to kick off the harvest season and boost early-season shipments. Retailers use it to increase consumer sales and awareness, yield additional profits for the produce department and creatively merchandise throughout the store. Our other team members, Marzetti and the National Peanut Board, proved to be excellent partners by providing additional opportunities for promoting and merchandising apples and apple products with their products."
The merchandising promotion continues to attract first-time participants, and this year was no exception as 15 first-time participants won prizes in the NAM display contest.
"Once again, the fall display and merchandising contest shows why NAM is a terrific tool for launching fall apple sales in a big way, both by increasing shelf space and varieties used in displays," Fred Hess, sales manager for Hess Bros. in Leola, PA, and chairman of the NAM committee, said in the statement.
One of the 2007 winners, Steve Hebel, entry coordinator at the Cub Foods in Green Bay, WI, featured 13 different varieties of apples, accounting for more than 338 cases of apples being sold in the three weeks the store displayed apples. Every year, Mr. Hebel creates a display to draw upon the excitement of the season with a tribute to the fall apple harvest. Using the theme Fall Into Healthy Snackin', the entire produce team at Cub incorporated a barrage of new-crop apples from Washington, Wisconsin and Michigan, fresh peanuts from the fields of Georgia, the entire line of T. Marzetti's caramel apple dips and apple crisp, as well as numerous other tie-in products in an effort to encourage healthy eating. The store offered consumers books and pamphlets with nutritional information, selection methods and delicious recipe ideas. Sampling played a big part in reaching consumers with tastings of peanuts, apple cider, applesauce and fresh apples with T. Marzetti apple dips. The store even held a bobbing for apples contest for kids.
At Foodland in Lebanon, PA, Keith Fetterolf found success in Deal or No Deal. In that eight-register store, the display was 18 feet long and 12 feet high, and the consumer response was great. The ads featured the Deal or No Deal theme on three-pound bagged apples, tote bags and loose apples. Additionally, T. Marzetti apple dips and apple crisp shippers were displayed along with pie crusts, peanuts and peanut butter.
"Our customers loved it," said Mr. Fetterolf. During the promotion, the store sold over 415 cases of apples, two 640-pound bins of eastern Gala apples, 28 cases of Marzetti's dips, three shipments of Marzetti's apple crisp and lots of peanuts.
Military commissaries again participated in the NAM display contest that yielded bushels of success for their patrons. During the height of the apple promotion, commissary patrons enjoyed top-quality apples, apple products, Marzetti's products and peanut products in creative retail displays.
At Fort Riley Commissary, entry coordinator Robin Vincent noted sales of more than 35 cases of apples, 20 cases of apple products, 13 cases of Marzetti's products and more than 60 pounds of peanuts and peanut products in the store.
As always, the true winners of the military display contest are patrons of the commissaries. According to military commissary officials, the winners' prizes will be used for patron "shopping sprees" in the winning commissaries.
The 2006 NAM display contest entries were judged by an independent panel of produce and retail experts: Joan Murphy, a regional correspondent for The Produce News; and Shannon Schaffer, U.S. Apple Association's manager of communications and membership.
The annual contest, which kick-starts the domestic apple industry's marketing season, provided retailers and the apple industry with increased sales and gave consumers easy access to great-tasting, healthy apples.
"The high-quality apples available nationwide from the 2006 harvest, combined with the creativity of produce managers in creating the displays, made this year's contest one of the best ever," NAM Director Kay Swartz Rentzel said in a Jan. 30 statement. "Returning partners T. Marzetti and the National Peanut Board added another level of excitement to the contest, and the incorporation of their products provided for increased sales for everyone during the promotional period."
Vying for more than $10,000 in prizes in the display contest were retailers and military commissaries from across the country. From September through November, entrants built displays in their stores that prompted consumers to buy more apples, apple products, Marzetti's products, peanuts and peanut products. These displays helped boost sales and increase bottom-line profits.
The displays treated consumers to healthy and delicious U.S. apples, processed apple products and tie-in products during the launch of the industry's 2006 marketing season. Many entries featured themes to educate and entice consumers to purchase apples, apple products, T. Marzetti and U.S. peanut products. Displays included the hot new game show theme "Deal or No Deal," as well as Apple Family Time, National Apple Month, Fall into Healthy Snacking and An Apple a Day Keeps the Doctor Away.
Contest entries were judged for the best health-oriented display, and then categorized based on store size. The 2006 title of Best Health Oriented Display and Merchandiser was awarded to Shady Maple in East Earl, PA. The entry coordinator was Lin Weaver, a new participant in the NAM display contest.
The display featured nutrition messages throughout the department that continually reminded the consumer why apples are a great addition to a healthy diet. The display included signs informing consumers that apples are high in pectin, which is good for digestion; high in antioxidants, which are good for the immune system; rich in vitamins and nutrients; and "good for your health." The display featured 14 different varieties of fresh apples, 20 cases of processed apple products, more than 25 cases of Marzetti's caramel apple dips and apple crisp kits, and over 900 pounds of peanuts and peanut products.
In addition to providing consumers with valuable nutritional information, the store experienced sales lifts of 5 percent in apple sales, more than 7 percent in Marzetti's apple dip sales, 2 percent in Marzetti's apple crisp kit sales and 3 percent in peanut, peanut butter and peanut product sales.
In addition to the Health Oriented award, overall prizes were given for the displays. The first-place winners in the 2006 NAM retail display contest were:
" Small Stores: Bashas No. 113 in Phoenix; entry coordinator Alan Wing.
" Large Stores: Cub Foods in Green Bay, WI; entry coordinator Steve Hebel.
" Military Commissaries: Ft. Riley Commissary in Ft. Riley, KS; entry coordinator Robin Vincent.
Entries were evaluated on the volume and variety of fresh apples displayed, the volume and variety of processed apple products and grocery tie-in products displayed, the use and volume of Marzetti's dips and crisp kits, the use and volume of peanuts and peanut products, display creativity and cross merchandising with other store departments.
"Everyone wins with National Apple Month, and that is why it continues to be such a successful program for the domestic apple industry," said Ms. Rentzel. "Apple marketers use the promotion to kick off the harvest season and boost early-season shipments. Retailers use it to increase consumer sales and awareness, yield additional profits for the produce department and creatively merchandise throughout the store. Our other team members, Marzetti and the National Peanut Board, proved to be excellent partners by providing additional opportunities for promoting and merchandising apples and apple products with their products."
The merchandising promotion continues to attract first-time participants, and this year was no exception as 15 first-time participants won prizes in the NAM display contest.
"Once again, the fall display and merchandising contest shows why NAM is a terrific tool for launching fall apple sales in a big way, both by increasing shelf space and varieties used in displays," Fred Hess, sales manager for Hess Bros. in Leola, PA, and chairman of the NAM committee, said in the statement.
One of the 2007 winners, Steve Hebel, entry coordinator at the Cub Foods in Green Bay, WI, featured 13 different varieties of apples, accounting for more than 338 cases of apples being sold in the three weeks the store displayed apples. Every year, Mr. Hebel creates a display to draw upon the excitement of the season with a tribute to the fall apple harvest. Using the theme Fall Into Healthy Snackin', the entire produce team at Cub incorporated a barrage of new-crop apples from Washington, Wisconsin and Michigan, fresh peanuts from the fields of Georgia, the entire line of T. Marzetti's caramel apple dips and apple crisp, as well as numerous other tie-in products in an effort to encourage healthy eating. The store offered consumers books and pamphlets with nutritional information, selection methods and delicious recipe ideas. Sampling played a big part in reaching consumers with tastings of peanuts, apple cider, applesauce and fresh apples with T. Marzetti apple dips. The store even held a bobbing for apples contest for kids.
At Foodland in Lebanon, PA, Keith Fetterolf found success in Deal or No Deal. In that eight-register store, the display was 18 feet long and 12 feet high, and the consumer response was great. The ads featured the Deal or No Deal theme on three-pound bagged apples, tote bags and loose apples. Additionally, T. Marzetti apple dips and apple crisp shippers were displayed along with pie crusts, peanuts and peanut butter.
"Our customers loved it," said Mr. Fetterolf. During the promotion, the store sold over 415 cases of apples, two 640-pound bins of eastern Gala apples, 28 cases of Marzetti's dips, three shipments of Marzetti's apple crisp and lots of peanuts.
Military commissaries again participated in the NAM display contest that yielded bushels of success for their patrons. During the height of the apple promotion, commissary patrons enjoyed top-quality apples, apple products, Marzetti's products and peanut products in creative retail displays.
At Fort Riley Commissary, entry coordinator Robin Vincent noted sales of more than 35 cases of apples, 20 cases of apple products, 13 cases of Marzetti's products and more than 60 pounds of peanuts and peanut products in the store.
As always, the true winners of the military display contest are patrons of the commissaries. According to military commissary officials, the winners' prizes will be used for patron "shopping sprees" in the winning commissaries.
The 2006 NAM display contest entries were judged by an independent panel of produce and retail experts: Joan Murphy, a regional correspondent for The Produce News; and Shannon Schaffer, U.S. Apple Association's manager of communications and membership.
