Employee Owned
For Immediate Release
Contact
Emily Coborn, Communications Manager, Coborn’s Inc., 320-203-6323, [email protected]
Coborn’s Baggers Compete for Coveted Best Bagger Title
Winner advances to state, national competition for chance to win $10,000
ST. CLOUD, MN (July 24, 2012) –
On July 24, Coborn’s baggers will compete in Coborn’s 23nd annual Best Bagger Contest. The winner will receive $100
cash and will advance to the Minnesota Grocers Association’s Best Bagger Contest at Mall of America in August, where
he or she will compete for a $500 first prize and a trip to Las Vegas in February 2012. Once in Las Vegas, the contestant
will compete in the National Grocers Association’s Best Bagger Contest, for a chance to take home a whopping $10,000.
“Convenience is one of Coborn’s pillars and bagging groceries well is one of the ways that we make shopping convenient
for our customers,” said Chief Operating Officer Bob Thueringer, who began his 45-year Coborn’s career bagging
groceries at the original Sauk Rapids, MN store. “We look forward to the Best Bagger Contest every year because it is a
fun way to celebrate the important role that baggers play in creating a pleasant shopping experience.”
The Best Bagger contestants will line tables piled with grocery items, and will be judged based on bag-building
technique, weight distribution, speed, style, attitude and appearance.
“The bagger is generally the last person our customer has contact with before they leave the store,” explained
Thueringer. “It’s their skill and smile that determine how our customers remember that day’s shopping experience. It is
how well the bagger performed his or her job that will determine, once the shopper is at home unpacking their
groceries, how satisfied they were while shopping with us.”
The Best Bagger Contest will be held at the Sauk Rapids Coborn’s Superstore located at 110 First Street South, Sauk
Rapids, MN 56379. The actual bagging contest will begin at 6:30 p.m.
Since 1989, five Coborn’s baggers have advanced to the National Grocers Association’s Best Bagger Contest.
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A little Best Bagger history
In 1987 the first National Grocers Association Best Bagger Contest was held in Dallas, Texas. It was called the
"Texas/Oklahoma Checkout-Shootout." There were only two contestants and the Master of Ceremonies was Terry
Bradshaw (former NFL Quarterback for the Pittsburgh Steelers). Since then, the National Grocers Association has been
bringing the country’s finest baggers together to determine who is the best of the best. The National Grocers
Association’s Best Bagger Championship was created to promote the grocery industry devotion to exceptional customer
service through superior bagging.
About Coborn’s Inc.
St. Cloud, MN-based Coborn’s, Inc. is an employee-owned grocery retailer with stores in Minnesota, North Dakota,
South Dakota, Iowa, Illinois and Wisconsin under the Coborn’s, Cash Wise Foods, Economart, Food Pride and Save-A-Lot
banners. Coborn’s, Inc. also owns CobornsDelivers, an online grocery ordering and home delivery service; and standalone convenience, liquor, video and pharmacy locations. To support its many retail locations, Coborn’s, Inc. operates its
own central bakery, dry cleaning facility and grocery distribution center. In 2011, Coborn’s, Inc. was recognized as
‘Independent Retailer of the Year’ by Grocery Headquarters magazine.