Louisiana retailer’s storm relief and vaccination efforts recognized during opening session of The NGA Show; nominations now open for 2024 recipient
Las Vegas, NV – The National Grocers Association (NGA), the trade association representing the independent grocery industry, honored New Orleans-area grocery retailer Ideal Market with this year’s Peter J. Larkin Community Service Award during yesterday’s opening session of the 2023 NGA Show, Sunday, Feb. 26, at Caesars Forum Convention Center in Las Vegas.
Ideal Market was recognized for its efforts to administer COVID-19 vaccinations as well as its community outreach in the aftermath of Hurricane Ida.
“Independent grocers are known for their strong commitment to the communities they serve, not only providing food and fresh produce, but consistently being there through good times and bad,” said Greg Ferrara, NGA president and CEO. “This strong connection was reinforced during the COVID-19 pandemic when Ideal Market was the first to provide free vaccines to the community. Then, during Hurricane Ida, they were the only grocery store chain in the area that kept their doors open, making sure the community was fed during challenging times. This award showcases the very best of our industry and it’s an honor to be here at The NGA Show to present this award to Ideal Market.”
The award, sponsored by Kimberly-Clark, was established in 2019 to recognize an independent retailer or wholesaler company for their unique and strong service to the community during the previous year.
“I’m honored to congratulate Ideal Market as the recipient of this year’s Peter Larkin Award for Community Service for providing crucial support to the members of its community,” said Denny Belcastro, Kimberly-Clark VP of industry affairs and customer development. “Kimberly-Clark is proud to support such an important award.”
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Additional Media Resources
Click here for a photo of the Ideal Market team receiving the award.
The NGA Show has been where independent grocers gather for more than 30 years, connecting supermarket retailers and wholesalers, food manufacturers, and service providers worldwide to share innovative solutions and best practices that support and strengthen the independent supermarket channel. The NGA Show is produced and managed by Clarion Events as part of the Food & Beverage Group in partnership with the National Grocers Association (NGA). For more information and to register, visit www.theNGAshow.com.
Clarion Events operates over 180 events in 50 countries from 15 offices in the UK, the US, South Africa, Brazil, Germany, Singapore, UAE, Indonesia, Hong Kong, and the Netherlands. Clarion can trace its roots back to 1947 and takes great pride in being one of the oldest independent event organizers in the UK. The firm has recently developed an international portfolio of brands. It is interested in several global vertical industries, including energy, security, defense, hospitality, electronics, technology, fashion, retail, gaming, and marketing. The teams at Clarion create uniquely effective and stimulating environments that can serve as a platform to build businesses, enhance customer relationships and accelerate product awareness. us.clarionevents.com.
The National Grocers Association (NGA) is the national trade association representing the retail and wholesale community grocers that comprise the independent sector of the food distribution industry. An independent retailer is a privately owned or controlled food retail company operating in a variety of formats. The independent grocery sector is accountable for about 1.2 percent of the nation’s overall economy and is responsible for generating more than $250 billion in sales, 1.1 million jobs, $39 billion in wages, and $36 billion in taxes. NGA members include retail and wholesale grocers located in every congressional district across the country, as well as state grocers’ associations, manufacturers, and service suppliers. For more information about NGA, visit www.nationalgrocers.org.
