Last updated on September 11th, 2012 at 03:35 pm
Aaron Gilbert of Bryan, Ohio, claimed Ohio’s Best Bagger title at the 2012 Ohio Best Bagger Contest on Wednesday. Grocery baggers from five Ohio companies participated in the contest held at Rays Supermarket in Lima. Rays Supermarket is owned by Chief Super Market Inc., a family-owned supermarket chain in Northwest Ohio.
Gilbert was one of three baggers representing the host company, and he beat 16 other competitors to win the title. The award comes with $1,000 cash and a trip to Las Vegas to compete in the National Best Bagger Contest next February.
“We are thrilled to showcase Ohio’s best baggers in this contest,” said Nate Filler, president and CEO of the Ohio Grocers Association (OGA). “As a former bagger, I truly appreciate that these employees are often the first and last faces seen by a customer. They play a key role in the success of the business.”
Contestants filled three reusable bags and were judged on speed, weight distribution between the bags and technique. The top five qualifiers advanced to a final round to determine the winner.
“The clincher is always the weight distribution between the bags,” Filler
said. “It’s hard to fill three bags of groceries and have their weights come out the same, but Aaron was unbelievably consistent.”
In addition to Gilbert, top scores went to Devan Akers from Kroger in Westerville; Angela Nice from Giant Eagle in Heath; Daniel Sikler from Giant Eagle in Stow; and Kain McKinney from Rays Supermarket in Lima. Each of the top five won cash prizes.
Founded in 1899, the OGA is a statewide trade association representing more than 400 member companies, including retail grocers, wholesalers, manufacturers and related suppliers to the food industry.
In the featured photo at top: Eric Hench, left, winner Aaron Gilbert and Stephanie Skylar, all of Chief Super Market Inc.
