“The Iowa Best Bagger Contest spotlights talented Iowans and the grocery industry in a very positive way by promoting the ethics of hard work and community. All of the baggers did an outstanding job,” said Michelle Hurd, president of the Iowa Grocery Industry Association, which hosts the event annually at the Iowa State Fair. “Once again, it was a close contest. Harrison demonstrated great composure, speed and style.”
 
“Grocery baggers play an important role when it comes to creating a positive shopping experience for customers.”

Placing second in the Iowa Best Bagger competition was Aliciah Vasquez, who works at the Park Avenue Hy-Vee in Des Moines. She received $250. Daven Peterson, who works at the Fareway in Woodward, won $150 for finishing third. And Matt Moore, who works at the Prairie Trail Hy-Vee in Ankeny, placed fourth and took home $100.

​Dahm, 19, who lives in Denison, has been bagging groceries for three years. This year is his third year competing in the Iowa Best Bagger Contest. In 2022 he earned 2nd place and in 2021 he earned 4th place.
 
Dahm will represent Iowa at the 2024 National Grocers Association Best Bagger Contest in March. The reward for winning in Las Vegas includes a $10,000 prize. Once there, he will attempt to bring home a ninth national title for Iowa. Iowans have a proud tradition of winning at the national contest – Iowa holds more national titles than any other state.
 
A total of 16 individuals from around Iowa qualified to take part in the 2023 Iowa Best Bagger event, which celebrated its 36th year at the Iowa State Fair. Contestants bagged identical grocery orders consisting of approximately 35 commonly purchased items into three reusable grocery bags. They were scored and ranked primarily on weight distribution among bags, speed and proper item arrangement.
 
The top six finishers winnowed from three preliminary heats competed in the final round.
 
Members of the crowd had a chance to win one of many gift cards for answering grocery industry trivia questions.
 
Companies sponsoring the 2023 Iowa Best Bagger Contest include the Iowa Grocery Industry Association, Coca-Cola, Cylinder Express, Dupey Equipment, Frito-Lay, Iowa Food & Family Project and Iowa Lottery. Prize sponsors include Hiland Dairy, Keurig Dr Pepper, Cookies Food Products and PepsiCo.
 
All non-perishable food items used in the competition were donated to the Food Bank of Iowa.
The Iowa Grocery Industry Association is a nonprofit association that conducts programs in education and public affairs on behalf of its members, which are independent and chain grocery stores, convenience stores, food wholesalers servicing Iowa, food brokers and manufacturers. The Association's approximate 1,500 retail and supplier members are responsible for providing close to 100,000 jobs in Iowa.

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About the Iowa Grocery Industry Association
The Iowa Grocery Industry Association is a state trade association that represents the food industry, including chain and independent supermarkets, convenience stores, suppliers, wholesalers, brokers, manufacturers and distributors. Founded in 1899, the IGIA has long served as a resource to its members, the food industry and the general public through education, legislative, partnership and philanthropic programs. Headquartered in Urbandale, Iowa, the IGIA can be found online at www.iowagrocers.com.
 
National Best Bagger Champions from Iowa
2021: Ben Miller (Hy-Vee, Waukee, Iowa)
2019: Dwayne Campbell (Hy-Vee, Des Moines, Iowa)
2018: Trevor DeForest (Fareway, Maquoketa, Iowa)
2000: Mike Mechura (Fareway Stores, Boone, Iowa)
1997: Allen Weimerskirch (Fareway Stores, Creston, Iowa)
1996: Mike Dahm (Fareway Stores, New Hampton, Iowa)
1994: Jeff Stearns (Fareway Stores, Boone, Iowa)
1987: Paul Heffernan (Fareway Stores, Manchester, Iowa)
1986: Paul Heffernan (Fareway Stores, Manchester, Iowa)
 
 
Iowa Best Bagger Champions (Since 1995)
2022: Nolan McGregor (Fareway, Sergeant Bluff, Iowa)
2021: Ben Miller (Hy-Vee, Waukee, Iowa)
2019: Dwayne Campbell (Hy-Vee, Des Moines, Iowa)
2018: Dwayne Campbell (Hy-Vee, Des Moines, Iowa)
2017: Trevor DeForest (Fareway, Maquoketa, Iowa)
2016: James Armstrong (Hy-Vee, Ankeny, Iowa)
2015: Dallas Lehman (Hy-Vee, Johnston, Iowa)
2014: Tyler Miller (Hy-Vee, West Des Moines, Iowa)
2013: Matthew Munstermann (Hy-Vee, Altoona, Iowa)
2012: Tim Hannan (Fareway Stores, Des Moines)
2011: Jacob Laursen (Fareway Stores, Cresco, Iowa)
2010: Jeremy Mescher (Fareway Stores, Sheldon, Iowa)
2009: David Kistenmacher (Fareway Stores, Cedar Rapids, Iowa)
2008: Brian Beneke (Fareway Stores, Cresco, Iowa)
2007: Aric Reicks (Fareway Stores, Sioux City, Iowa)
2006: Brenda Wygle (Fareway Stores, New Hampton, Iowa)
2005: Dan Klinkenberg (Fareway Stores, Eagle Grove, Iowa)
2004: Tony Haisman (Fareway Stores, Waterloo, Iowa)
2003: Kevin McCormick (Fareway Stores, Ottumwa, Iowa)
2002: Jim Westphalen (Fareway Stores, Clinton, Iowa)
2001: Jeff Kessler (Hy-Vee, Iowa City, Iowa)
2000: Keith Voss (Fareway Stores, Vinton, Iowa)
1999: Mike Mechura (Fareway Stores, Boone, Iowa)
1998: Steve Tielbur (Fareway Stores, Boone, Iowa)
1997: Roger Wirtz (Fareway Stores, Cherokee, Iowa)
1996: Allen Weimerskirch (Fareway Stores, Creston, Iowa)
1995: Mike Dahm (Fareway Stores, New Hampton, Iowa)

​Be sure to add the Iowa Best Bagger Contest to your State Fair To-Do List
 
DES MOINES, Iowa – Make plans to cheer on your favorite grocery bagger during the Iowa Best Bagger Competition at the Iowa State Fair, Friday, August 11. Always a crowd pleaser, the fun, free event delivers plenty of excitement as baggers do their best to build balanced bags, avoid crushing loaves of bread and breaking eggs, and do it faster than the competition.
 
The annual Iowa Best Bagger Contest, hosted by the Iowa Grocery Industry Association, takes place annually at the Iowa State Fairgrounds in Des Moines. The competition will begin at 1 p.m. on the stage of the Susan Knapp Amphitheater, located on Grand Ave., east of the grandstand and midway just past the Animal Learning Center on the north side of the street.  

Waupaca WI – Bernatello’s Pizza, Inc., a leading manufacturer and supplier of frozen pizza, has announced the acquisition of Festive Foods, LLC out of Waupaca, WI. Owned and operated by Mike Holmgren since 2008, they were a trusted co-packer of frozen pizzas.
 
“The acquisition will allow us to continue our aggressive growth plan, adding capacity, along with new and exciting innovation. We’d like to thank Mike Holmgren and team for their efforts and perseverance in building a new facility after a devastating fire in June of 2022. We are very excited to welcome the Festive team to the Bernatello’s Family.” stated Chad Schultz, President of Bernatello’s.
 
Bernatello’s Pizza, Inc currently operates a plant in Kaukauna, WI and Maple Lake, MN, producing over 60 million pizzas annually under the brands of Brew Pub Lotzza Motzza, Bellatoria, Roma, Orv’s and Pizza Corner. Owned and operated by the Ramsay Family since 1982.
 
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NEWS RELEASE (Hull, IA) – Fareway Stores, Inc. plans to construct an approximately 10,600 square foot store at the southwest corner of Highway 18 and Division Street in Hull. Construction is planned to begin in late summer 2023, with a tentative opening in spring 2024.

​Iowa SBA Minority Small Business Champion of the Year
Taufeek Shah, CEO, Lola’s Fine Sauces, Inc.
 
Taufeek Shah was working in corporate finance back in 2015 when he brought his mother’s hot sauce in for a company food day and was told by his co-workers it was the best hot sauce they’d ever had. Shah’s mother,  Carmelita “Lola” Shah, entrusted her secret hot sauce recipe to him and Shah rented out a commercial kitchen to begin making Lola’s Fine Hot Sauce and selling it in local markets. Today, Lola’s Fine Hot Sauces, as well as other Lola’s branded products, can be found in over 10,000 retailers and restaurants throughout North America.

Prairie Farms Sweeps Cottage Cheese Category - Small Curd 2% Cottage Cheese voted ‘Best of Class’

​EDWARDSVILLE, Ill. (February 27, 2023) – The 21st biennial United States Championship Cheese Contest, a technical competition for cheese, butter, and yogurt makers, was held in Green Bay, Wisconsin last week. A team of technical judges from across the country met for three days to evaluate the best U.S. cheeses from dozens of manufacturers on a variety of technical merits, including flavor, body, texture, salt, color, finish, and packaging. After all the votes were counted, Prairie Farms received eight top cheese awards and swept the cottage cheese category.

NEWS RELEASE (Boone) – Fareway CEO Reynolds W. Cramer recently announced corporate promotions, including the following officer promotions:

Aaron Irlbeck
Senior Vice President – Campus Operations
 
Aaron Irlbeck joined Fareway in June of 1992. Aaron’s career with Fareway began as a part-time employee at the Carroll, Iowa location, followed by stops in Storm Lake, Iowa and Urbandale, Iowa, where he was promoted to assistant store manager. In 2005, Aaron was promoted to a buying position in Fareway’s corporate office in Boone, Iowa, and held various management roles within the buying department before being promoted to senior vice president in 2018. In 2019, he was promoted to senior vice president of digital commerce, leading eCommerce sales and the online shopping team.

Incentives will help SNAP households purchase more fruits and vegetables

Washington, D.C., Jan. 19, 2023 – The U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Food and Nutrition Service, or FNS, is improving access to fruits and vegetables by expanding the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program, also known as SNAP, healthy incentive initiatives. This year, FNS will select up to three states to receive funding and support to run an Electronic Healthy Incentives Pilot, or eHIP, for SNAP participants in their state.

Incentive programs encourage SNAP recipients to purchase healthy foods by providing a coupon, discount, gift card, bonus food items or extra funds when they buy specific foods, such as fruits and vegetables. These projects improve food and nutrition security by making it easier for SNAP households to access the healthy foods we all need for optimal health and well-being. 

Information provided by Iowa Department of Revenue
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GovConnectIowa is the State of Iowa’s user-friendly and self-service portal to register or renew certain business licenses and permits, file tax returns and reports, make payments, and more. With the second rollout of the multi-year effort to simplify processes for taxpayers, the Iowa Department of Revenue and partnering agencies will present changes to GovConnectIowa.