IFPA Retail Merchant Innovation Awards nomination deadline approaches soon 

The deadline for nominating someone for this year’s IFPA BB #:378962 Retail Merchant Innovation Award is July 11, 2025. 

The award honors five professionals in the role of vice president, director, or sales manager (or equivalent) in the retail sector who demonstrate “passion and purpose in developing innovative strategies to drive produce consumption.” 

The five honorees, coming from different store-count categories, will be recognized at the Retail Awards Reception at the Global Produce & Floral Show, October 16-18 in Anaheim, CA. 

The award sponsors are Blue Book Services and CMI Orchards, LLC BB #:134183. 

CMI President Bob Mast told the Blue Book that this is the first year CMI has sponsored the awards. 

“Retail is a passion at CMI,” he said. “I spent 20 years in retail. Frontline and store personnel help keep people fed and get our products through the system which shows their value. We wouldn’t exist without them.” 

Joe Watson, IFPA vice president of retail, foodservice, and wholesale membership, said the retail award reception where winners are honored is becoming a must-attend event, in part because of the awards. 

“The purpose is to allow them to tell their stories,” he said. 

Watson also said IFPA plans to bring the 2025 retail winners to the 2026 IFPA retail conference and involve them in the education program as experts in retail. 

“Blue Book is a proud sponsor of these retail awards,” said Blue Book CEO Kirk Soule. “Our tools and data have helped retailers evaluate suppliers and remain competitive for more than 100 years. We have even more proprietary data coming online to give retailers unprecedented visibility into the supply chain.” 

You can submit nominations for the 2025 Retail Merchant Innovation Awards Program through July 11 here. Retail Merchant Innovation Award 

IFPA Retail Merchant Innovation Award Past Winners 

2022 Winners 

Jim Gaylord – Wegmans Food Markets, Inc. 

Jeff Mallory – Hy-Vee, Inc. 

Barry Paul – Shaw’s Supermarkets 

Brian Penfield – Sendik’s Food Markets 

Vic Savanello – SpartanNash 

2023 Winners 

Randy Bohaty – B&R Stores, Inc. 

Mil Mijanovic – Albertsons Companies – Safeway NorCal Division 

Shawn Peery – Albertsons Companies 

Christina Stipe – Price Chopper & Market 32 

Erin Tice – Sprouts Farmers Market 

2024 Winners 

Price Mabry – Corner Market 

Joe Hansen – Wegmans Food Markets, Inc. 

Mike Emery – Hannaford Supermarket 

Ron Lovelace – Meijer, Inc. 

Meghan Diaz – Sprouts Farmers Market