IGA NAMES THREE 2008 U.S. RETAILERS OF THE YEAR

CHICAGO, IL - IGA today announced it has chosen three 2008 IGA U.S. Retailers of the Year from among its eight previously named finalists. The three retailers will be honored at the 2008 IGA Global Summit Awards Banquet held in Carefree, Ariz., March 29. During that ceremony one of three will be awarded the additional title of 2008 IGA U.S. International Retailer of the Year for having achieved within the U.S. the superior level of excellence in IGA retailing as judged by IGA’s global standards.

According to IGA USA CEO Mark Batenic, the revamped Awards of Excellence program criteria required a higher level scrutiny to determine this year’s winners. The process began last fall when IGA USA asked that its Licensed Distribution Companies submit for candidacy only those retailers who had achieved a Five Star rating under IGA’s Five Star Assessment program. Using a predetermined scoring process, IGA executives then narrowed the submissions to eight finalists. Batenic and IGA Senior Vice President Doug Fritsch then visited the retailers to perform an in-person store evaluation. In the final step, each of the eight finalists submitted a short essay explaining how his store demonstrates operational excellence in regard to service, branding, marketing and community commitment. The essays and store evaluations were reviewed by Batenic and Fritsch, who then chose the three 2008 IGA U.S. Retailers of the Year.

The 2008 U.S. Retailers of the Year include:

“Seeing first-hand how these three retailers operate and interact with their customers and employees left us with no doubt that they are among the finest retailers in the grocery industry today,” Batenic said. They have provided us with the highest measure of success for IGA Retailers across the U.S. and around the world, proving once again that IGA is re-energized and on the move.”