The Minnesota Department of Agriculture’s Minnesota Grown Program, along with Minnesota Grocers Association, has recently awarded Lueken’s Village Foods North in Bemidji as Retailer of the Year for the northwest region.

Photo Provided by: Lueken’s Store Director, Mike McNiel

Every year, the statewide Minnesota Grown Program partners with the MDA and Minnesota producers of specialty crops and livestock to present four awards to selected grocery stores within the state of Minnesota. These selected grocers are ones that help promote locally grown products and farms.

Each entry for this award from grocery stores consists of a food display must feature primarily fresh produce items. A photo must then be taken of the display and then submitted.

Both MDA and the Minnesota Grocers Association staff present the awards in-person at each awarded store location.

“Grocers are essential to the communities they serve and are incredibly proud of our innovative local partnerships – farm to fork,” said MGA President Jamie Pfuhl. “The success of the Minnesota Grown program is driven by the exceptional efforts of all in the food industry. We are proud to play a role in this collective effort that  showcases and celebrates innovative partnerships and brings wonderful local products to our customers.”

The judges’ scoring is based upon several factors, including the amount of Minnesota Grown products there are and how much the grocer carried. Judges also look at how the grocer used their ads, displays, social media, and other mediums to promote Minnesota Grown items to their customers.

The 2022-2023 contest opens on August 1st and runs through September 30th. Lueken’s Village Foods North plans on re-submitting another photo display in the hopes of getting another nomination next year.

By — Emma Hudziak