The Idaho Potato Commission’s (IPC) annual Potato Lover’s Month Retail Display Contest is bigger and better than ever before. For the first time, the competition period has been extended from four to eight weeks to give retailers more time to build and showcase their creative displays.
Last year, more than 5,000 retailers entered the contest—a record for this popular merchandising event that is in its twenty-fourth year. With more and more participants, it creates a tremendous demand for Idaho potato shipments during those weeks. Launching the contest in January ensures that everyone will be able to receive their Idaho potato orders during the contest period.
February is typically a slow month for potato sales, and the contest provides retailers with an incentive to not only boost sales but also take home their share of the more than $150,000 in cash and prizes that are awarded. Additionally, everyone who enters the contest will receive a free Cuisinart Advantage cutlery set of precision-tapered, high-carbon stainless steel blades with a solid wood knife block.
With the consumer bacon craze showing no signs of abating, IPC is once again partnering with Hormel Real Bacon Bits to highlight the unbeatable combination of bacon and spuds.
To be eligible for a prize, the potato displays must meet a few criteria: each in-store display should incorporate clearly marked fresh Idaho potatoes (bag, bulk or both), Idaho dehydrated potato products and Hormel Real Bacon Bits, along with point-of-sale materials from IPC and Hormel Foods. Merchandising materials for the displays, clip art and recipes are available on the IPC’s website, www.IdahoPotato.com/Retail.
Retailers compete with other same-size stores in one of three categories: one to five cash registers, six to nine cash registers, or 10-plus cash registers. Entrants within each store category are eligible to win these prizes:
- First place: $1,500
- Second place: $1,000
Third place: $750
- Fourth place: $500
- Fifth place: $250
In addition, the Category Manager Match Program will award equivalent cash prizes to category managers at stores that qualify for a first- through fifth-place prize. One hundred displays selected from the remaining entries will win honorable mention prizes of $100.
All entries will be judged on use of Potato Lover’s Month signage, creativity of the display, how the display incorporates the partner products, and perceived salability of the display. Judging will be done by the Potato Lover’s Month Display Contest Review Committee.
All winners will be notified by June 1, 2015, and results will be posted on www.IdahoPotato.com/Retail.
Good luck to all participants. We know that shoppers will enjoy seeing their favorite spuds creatively displayed!