Last updated on March 25th, 2021 at 07:23 pm
The 2017 Buy Alabama’s Best Retail Campaign Launch Awards Luncheon recently was held at The Club in Birmingham. The group is made up of the Alabama Grocers Association, the Alabama Department of Agriculture & Industries and the Alabama Food Manufacturers and Producers Association.
The purpose of the Buy Alabama’s Best Campaign is to identify and increase awareness of Alabama food products and increase sales of those products. Alabama food product sales have a $2 billion impact in Alabama’s economy, tax base and along with the food service industries, employ one out of every four Alabamians.
During the months of March and September, a portion of the sales of participating Alabama food product companies along with retail sales of icons raised monies for the UAB Division of Pediatric Hematology and Oncology at Children’s of Alabama.
Beginning this year, however, Buy Alabama’s Best will be a quarterly event. This year, March, June, September and December are the designated months for retailers to show support for Alabama products.
During the luncheon, presentations were made by Don Wambles, director of AG Promotions with the Alabama Department of Agriculture & Industries; Ellie Taylor, president of the Alabama Grocers Association; Frank D’Amico III of BTC Wholesale Distributors and vice chairman of the Alabama Grocers Association; Keith Lusk of Golden Flake Snack Foods and VP of the Alabama Food Manufacturers and Producers Association; Sara Franklin of the Lollar Group; and Dr. Kimberly Whelan, associate professor of pediatrics at Children’s of Alabama. Alabama Food Manufacturers and Producers Association members as well as retailers and wholesalers from throughout the state of Alabama also were in attendance.
Wambles, Lusk and D’Amico presented Display Contest Award Certificates for 2016. These displays featured participating Alabama food products to help consumers identify which products are headquartered, produced or manufactured in the state of Alabama. Awards were given to Sav Mor Food Outlet of Calera and Foodland of Gardendale.
A check was presented Whelan in the amount of $54,977 for 2016. Since 2006, the Buy Alabama’s Best Campaign has raised $678,308 to fight pediatric cancer.
“This generous donation from local Alabama businesses associated with the Alabama Grocers Association will help us meet our mission of working to cure every child with cancer,” said Whelan. “Children’s of Alabama is working to find a cure each and every day.”
Following the presentation, a buffet featuring all Alabama food products was enjoyed by those in attendance.
