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12 POTATO GROWER | AUGUST 2023 Idaho Potato Lovers Display Contest Hits New Heights In Creativity With a 20 percent jump in entries received for this year's Idaho Potato Lovers Display Contest, more retailers than ever lifted up spud sales as they competed for $150,000-plus in cash and prizes. The 32nd annual retail display contest, sponsored by the Idaho Potato Commission, brings out the best in produce department creativity from coast to coast, says Ross Johnson, IPC vice president of retail and international. "We get display entries with everything from quirky potato characters to rustic farm scenes to elaborate hand-lettered posters," says Johnson. "These displays help drive higher sales too: IPC research has found that test stores with secondary displays of Idaho russets deliver a nearly 10 times growth advantage, while comparison stores with no secondary display achieve an average category growth of only 2.5 percent." Everyone who participated in the 2023 IPC contest also was entered in a random sweepstakes drawing for a six-day resort getaway for two at the oceanside Atlantis Paradise Island in The Bahamas. Retailers competed with other same-size stores in one of three categories: 1-5 cash registers, 6-9 cash registers, or 10+ cash registers. Within each store category, entrants were eligible to win these prizes: 1st place – $1,500 2nd place – $1,000 3rd place – $750 4th place – $500 5th place – $250 Honorable Mention – $100 (100 selected from remaining entries) The Category Manager Match Program awarded equivalent prizes to corporate category managers for stores that qualified for a 1st through 5th place prize or the sweepstakes trip to Atlantis. All entrants received a free Brentwood stainless steel 4-slice toaster oven that can toast, broil and bake. Winners include: 1-5 Cash Registers 1st place Bobby Inman B&T Food Fresh Millen, GA 6-9 Cash Registers 1st place Jose Garcia Sprouts Farmers Market Santee, CA 10+ Cash Registers 1st place Jason Schmick Fresh Thyme Market Apple Valley, MN Military Winners Military Sales Bands 1-3 1st place White Sands Military Sales Band 4 1st place Cannon AFB Military Sales Band 5 1st place Smokey Point Military Sales Bands 6-7 1st place Fort Polk Military Sales Bands 8-9 1st place Tinker AFB Military Sales Bands 10-14 1st place Travis AFB AROUND THE VINE B& T Fresh Foods Sprouts Farmers Market White Sands Travis AFB