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NGA Reveals 2025 Creative Choice Award Winners

Honors will be presented during The NGA Show this month
NGA Creative Choice Awards Main Image
NGA's annual Creative Choice Awards honors outstanding marketing and merchandising programs from independent grocery retailers across North America.

The National Grocers Association (NGA), the trade organization representing the independent supermarket industry, has unveiled the winners of its annual Creative Choice Awards, which honors outstanding marketing and merchandising programs from independent grocery retailers across North America. 

Winners will receive their awards at The NGA Show, slated for Feb. 23-25, 2025, at the Caesars Forum Convention Center, in Las Vegas. The awards presentation will be sponsored by Kellanova and Unilever during the opening general session on the morning of Feb. 25, which will also include panel discussions with the winners, moderated by Rick Brindle, a CPG industry veteran who recently took on an advisory role supporting the expansion and distribution of Wakefern Food Corp.’s Di Bruno Bros. portfolio of products.

[RELATED: The NGA Show Reveals William McRaven as Opening Keynoter]

Judged by a panel of industry experts and trade press members, the contest consists of various categories in which one winner and, in most categories, one honorable mention are chosen from among smaller and larger operators. The judges selected category winners based on creativity, clarity, innovation and effectiveness of each entry. Two special recognition award winners were also chosen. NGA received more than 300 award entries across all categories. 

New categories this year were Multicultural Marketing, which recognizes efforts to engage with diverse community members, and Top Pick for Talent, which honors efforts to make grocery a viable career option for those entering the workforce. Further, the fresh merchandising categories were divided into separate departments: meat and seafood; bakery, deli, prepared foods and foodservice; dairy; and produce/floral. Finally, two crossover categories encompass elements of both marketing and merchandising: Private Label/Store Brands and Shopper Experience. 

“The Creative Choice Awards continue to showcase the incredible innovation and ingenuity of independent grocers,” said Laura Strange, chief communications and engagement officer and SVP at Washington, D.C.-based NGA. “We continue to be impressed by the way independent grocers are finding new ways to engage with their customers both inside and outside the physical store.” 

Among the category winners, one Outstanding Marketer and one Outstanding Merchandiser will be picked by the independent supermarket community and their supporters via online voting, open through 11:59 p.m. PST on Sunday, Feb. 23. The Marketing and merchandising category winners will be revealed at The NGA Show. 

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The 2025 Creative Choice Awards recipients are as follows:

Digital Connections 

  • Smaller operator (1-15 stores): Broulim’s Fried Chicken 

    • Honorable Mention: Dorothy Lane Market The DLM Experience 

  • Larger operator (16-plus stores): Harps Food Stores The Meatloaf Lady 

    • Honorable mention: Freson Bros. Dinner Boxes and Catering

Traditional Media – TV, Radio and Print 

  • Smaller operator: Corner Market Food is Fun 

    • Honorable mention: Adams Fairacre Farms Hudson Valley Fresh Dairy Farmers  

  • Larger operator: Fareway Stores Field of Dreams 

    • Honorable mention: Freson Bros. Dinner Boxes and Catering 

Innovations in Integrated Media 

  • Smaller operator: Oliver Lemon’s Mega Meat Sale 

    • Honorable mention: Kennie’s Marketplace Loyalty Program 

  • Larger operator: Roche Bros. Backyard BBQ Summer Instant Win Game 

    • Honorable mention: Freson Bros. Cutie Pies

Community Engagement 

  • Smaller operator: Burns Family Neighborhood Markets Supermarket Smiles 

    • Honorable mention: Walt Churchill’s Market Seagate Food Bank 

  • Larger operator: ShopRite RU Ready for Game Day 

    • Honorable mention: Leevers Locovore Localpalooza

Grand Opening or Remodel 

  • Smaller operator: Edwards Food Giant Lakewood Village Grand Opening 

  • Larger operator: Macey's Market Little Cottonwood Grand Opening: Building Stores Around Community 

    • Honorable mention: ShopRite of Old Bridge Grand Re-Opening

Multicultural Marketing 

  • Smaller operator: Teloloapan Meat Market Fiestas Patrias 

    • Honorable mention: Arteaga’s Food Center Posadas 

  • Larger operator: ShopRite So Yummy: Celebrating Hispanic Heritage Month 

    • Honorable mention: Allegiance Retail Services/Foodtown Bringing Global Flavors Home for the Holidays

Shopper Experience 

  • Smaller operator: Dorothy Lane Market Annual Wedding Showcase 

    • Honorable mention: BriarPatch Food Co-op First Birthday for Second Store a Success 

  • Larger operator: Harps Food Stores The Meatloaf Lady 

    • Honorable mention: Freson Bros. Alberta Beef Round-up

Top Pick for Talent 

  • Smaller operator: Teloloapan Meat Market Mes de Mujer 

  • Larger operator: SpartanNash Careers for a Better Life 

    • Honorable mention: Coborn’s Why I Love Coborn’s

Local, Specialty or Emerging Products 

  • Smaller operator: Trig’s We Got Crab Claws 

    • Honorable mention: Bianchini’s Market Taste Local  

  • Larger operator: Freson Bros. Cutie Pies 

    • Honorable mention: Rosauers x Spiceology

Fresh: Meat/Seafood 

  • Smaller operator: Trig’s We Got Crab Claws 

    • Honorable mention: Oliver Lemon’s Mega Meat Sale 

  • Larger operator: Roche Bros. Perishables Brand Campaign 

    • Honorable mention: Coborn’s Great Summer Grill Out

Fresh: Bakery/Deli/Prepared Foods/Foodservice 

  • Smaller operator: Dorothy Lane Market The DLM Experience 

    • Honorable mention: Broulim's Fried Chicken  

  • Larger operator: Harps Food Stores The Meatloaf Lady 

    • Honorable mention: SpartanNash Deli Meal Solutions

Fresh: Dairy 

  • Smaller operator: Adams Fairacre Farms Hudson Valley Fresh Dairy Farmers 

  • Larger operator: Houchens Food Group Dairy Month

Fresh: Produce/Floral 

  • Smaller operator: Broulim’s Hatch Chile Roasting Festival  

    • Honorable mention: Adams Fairacre Farms Farmers Campaign  

  • Larger operator: Freson Bros. Flower Market Social Media Awareness Campaign 

    • Honorable mention: IGA US Highbush Blueberry Council Boost of Blue

Center Store/Frozen 

  • Smaller operator: Moose’s Market Merchandising Success 

    • Honorable mention: Price Chopper Frugal Frank Shows Savings  

  • Larger operator: Coborn’s More Monday/Wow Wednesday/Fuel Frenzy 

    • Honorable mention: Houchens Food Group Frozen Food Month 

Special Recognition 

  • Excellence in ESG Award, presented by Kellanova: Festival Foods Turkey Trot 

  • People Positive Award, presented by Unilever: Coborn’s Celebrating A Sense of Belonging

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