The Minnesota Grocers Association hosted its sixth Annual Bipartisan Bag-Off Jan. 31 at the Minnesota State Capitol. This event highlighted the Minnesota food industry and the impact it has on serving consumers, providing careers and investing in its communities.
The bag-off featured representation from each of the four legislative caucuses and a member from the governor’s administration: House Minority Leader Lisa Demuth, Senate Minority Leader Mark Johnson, House Assistant Majority Leader Sydney Jordan, Senator Matt Klein and Minnesota Department of Agriculture Commissioner Thom Petersen.
Baggers are the people responsible for the last experience customers have in a store, and the contest provided a look at the importance of this role to industry. Additionally, the contest used the reusable bag, which demonstrates the industry’s commitment to consumer choice and the well-being of the communities we serve.
A panel of MGA members judged the five contestants based on speed, weight distribution between the bags, proper bagging technique, style, attitude and appearance. Department of Commerce Commissioner Grace Arnold served as the official bag weigher. Each contestant received a $500 donation to a food charity of their choice to be presented in their district.
In a tight competition, the Bipartisan Bag-Off winner was House Minority Leader Lisa Demuth. She was presented a trophy and $1,000 to donate to a food charity of her choice within her district.
The association also donated $2,500 on behalf of its 2022 Bag Hunger Campaign to Second Harvest Heartland, which was accepted by Allison O’Toole, CEO of Second Harvest Heartland. The MGA Bag Hunger Campaign has raised more than 43 million since 2008.
The MGA would like to thank the legislators, volunteers, MGA Board of Directors and MC Tom Hauser for their time.
For more than 125 years, the Minnesota Grocers Association is the only state trade association that represents the food industry of Minnesota from farm to fork. It has more than 300 retail, manufacturer and wholesale members supporting 1,300 locations statewide. Its member companies employ more than 150,000 union and non-union Minnesotans.
