The errors Kistenmacher made in that competition were not major – he did finish third overall – but his deficiencies in speed and overall technique were enough to cost him first place. This year, however, the two areas of Kistenmacher’s demise in 2007 became his strengths as he won the 2009 Iowa Best Bagger Contest on Friday, August 14.
“David is a testament of what this competition is all about,” said Jerry Fleagle, president of the Iowa Grocery Industry Association, which hosts the event annually at the Iowa State Fair. “Bagging groceries is a skill, and like every other skill, you must perfect it to excel in it. David was able to identify the minor weaknesses in his bagging tactics, rectify them and return to become a champion.”
Kistenmacher’s times in the final heats were two of the fastest recorded at the state competition in recent memory – 32.46 seconds with plastic bags and 35.96 with reusables. Yet improving on speed alone would not have allowed Kistenmacher to beat his opponents, which is what made his bag building technique so crucial.
In the two rounds of the final, the Fareway Stores employee from Cedar Rapids only lost one point for technique and style. This became a key difference between Kistenmacher’s third place showing from the summer of 2007 and his first place victory this year.
“It has been noted that the winner of this contest is not always the fastest,” Fleagle said. “David’s times were exceptional, but his technique and style were just as important to his success considering the other baggers’ times were just as competitive.”
Kistenmacher, a 27-year-old who grew up in Des Moines, was awarded a first place prize of $500 for winning the state competition. He will now represent Iowa at the 2010 National Grocers Association Best Bagger Contest in Las Vegas February 9-12, 2010, with a chance to win an additional $2,000. The 12-year grocery bagger will attempt to be the sixth person from Iowa to win a national title and the first since 2000. All five previous national winners were also Fareway employees.
Placing second and third behind Kistenmacher in the competition were Kyle Hovden and Tim Hannan, respectively. Hovden is employed at the Fareway Store in Boone while Hannan works at the Fareway on SE 22nd Street in Des Moines. The two earned cash prizes of $250 and $150 for taking second and third.
A fourth place prize of $100 was won by Hy-Vee employees Tyler Miller and Kelly Anderson. Miller, who works at the West Des Moines store on Valley West Drive, and Anderson, an employee at the East Euclid location in Des Moines, both scored identical point totals in the final to tie.
A total of 18 individuals took part in the annual event, which was celebrating its 22nd anniversary. Contestants bagged identical grocery orders consisting of approximately 40 commonly purchased items into three plastic grocery bags. They were scored and ranked primarily on speed and weight distribution between bags, but individual style and proper item arrangement were also taken into account.
Reusable bags were used this year in the Iowa Best Bagger Contest for the first time. They were incorporated into the final, which was expanded from one heat to two – one with plastic bags and one with reusables.
The event was sponsored by the Iowa Grocery Industry Association, National Grocers Association, Coca-Cola North America, Spectrum Bags/Midwest Packaging, Roberts Dairy, Dr. Pepper Snapple Group, Cookies Food Products and City Carton Recycling.
All the non-perishable food items used in the competition were donated to the Food Bank of Iowa in Des Moines.
