Publix employee Sabrina Martinez has won the Tennessee Grocers and Convenience Store Association state Best Bagger competition. Martinez bested other grocery baggers from around the Volunteer State at the annual Convention and Expo of the Tennessee Grocers and Convenience Store Association, which was held in Nashville on May 9.
As Tennessee’s Best Bagger, Martinez will represent the Volunteer State at the National Best Bagger competition in San Diego in February 2020, where the winner will receive $10,000. In addition to gaining “bagging rights” for a year, Martinez won a $1,750 scholarship from the Tennessee Grocers Education Foundation.
“I strive to be the best in everything I do,” said Martinez, who has worked at the Publix on Town Center Boulevard in Knoxville for just four months. “I’m going to try hard to bring that national title home to Tennessee.”
“We are so proud of Sabrina, and all the baggers who earned the right to represent their companies at this year’s competition,” said Rob Ikard, president of TGCSA. “She’s going to do great in San Diego.”
A native of Smyrna, Tennessee, Sabrina Martinez just completed her freshman year at the University of Tennessee in Knoxville.
The Tennessee Grocers and Convenience Store Association is the only food trade association that represents all segments of Tennessee’s food market. Membership is comprised of retail grocery store and convenience store operations as well as food industry wholesalers, manufacturers, distributors and suppliers. TGCSA has been serving the needs of its members since 1978.
The National Grocers Association National Best Bagger competition will be held at its show and expo scheduled for February 23-26, 2020 at the San Diego Convention Center in San Diego, California. The first Best Bagging contest was held in 1987 in Dallas, Texas. The “Texas–Oklahoma Checkout Shootout” featured two contestants and former NFL Quarterback Terry Bradshaw as the emcee. Since then, NGA has branded and grown the event to feature more than 25 state bagging contestants.
