The Foodland Ontario Retailer Awards Program is the produce industry's premier competition recognizing excellence in display, promotion of Ontario foods and support of Foodland Ontario.

Here’s How the Program Works.

You and your team build a display featuring fresh Ontario foods, and then our team will merchandise it with a tasteful selection of Foodland Ontario Point of Sale (POS) materials. Or if you wish to tap into your creativity, merchandise your own display. Enter by sending in photos with supporting information and you could be a winner!

Each year, several hundred entries vie for Platinum, Gold and Silver Awards. The prestigious Foodland Ontario Award of Excellence may also be awarded to up to four of the top Ontario retailers in recognition of consistent merchandising achievement over two consecutive years.

What’s in it for you?

• Improve your bottom line.
• Sell more and sell faster when you merchandise with POS material.
• Receive recognition from head office, industry peers and your customers.
• Gain personal satisfaction and pride.
• Encourage teamwork among your staff.
• Tap into your creativity.
• Attend a luncheon held in your honour.

Award Levels to Be Won

Foodland Ontario Award of Excellence
Presented to up to four Ontario retailers that have won the Platinum Award for two consecutive years with the highest average scores.

Platinum All Seasons Award
Recognizes 12 Ontario retailers for consistent merchandising excellence with Ontario grown commodities through all three seasonal groupings (spring, summer and fall/winter) with the highest average scores.

Gold Category Award
Awarded to 12 Ontario retailers for distinguished excellence in three specific categories: seasonal, creative and cross-merchandised.

• SEASONAL
  Presented for supporting the Ontario seasonal commodities of your choice.
• CREATIVE
  Presented for the most creative display of Ontario commodities using themes, display props, unique signage, etc.
• CROSS-MERCHANDISED
  Based on the number of non-produce items cross- merchandised with the Ontario commodity of choice, the compatibility of products, and appropriate signage.

Silver Award of Merit
Honours 36 top Ontario retailers for excellence in promoting Ontario produce in a display.

Qualities of a Winning Entry

See last year's winners!

Key Features:

• Display is creatively laid out and well stocked with a wide variety of Ontario apples.
• Diverse mix of Foodland Ontario POS material is present (base wrap, balloons, flag, danglers, posters, recipes).
• Display size is appropriate, relative to store size.
• Secondary display is merchandised with Foodland Ontario POS material.
• Incorporated a variety of related non-produce items to create a superior cross-merchandised display (sugar, dips, etc.).

Over the Top:

• Creatively decorated display offered customers a ‘Fresh from the Orchard Feel,’ and invited them to sample the fresh produce displayed.

Point-of-Sale Resources

Foodland Ontario can provide you with a variety of dynamic merchandising materials that will energize your retail space – from posters to commodity cards, balloons to logo cards, and base wrap to backer cards.   

Learn more

How Your Display Will Be Evaluated

Foodland Ontario POS
A key element of your display!
Point value: 20%

• Include a large assortment, quantity and placement of Foodland Ontario POS material.
• Utilize Foodland Ontario POS: posters, base wrap, commodity cards, logo cards, price-backer cards, price cards, balloons, stickers, recipes, flags and banners.
• Create your own signage using the Foodland Ontario logo.

Display Impact
Make your customers take notice
Point value: 76%

• Ensure your display maximizes floor space relative to store size.
• Did you go over and above the department planogram.
• Theme your display creatively: include clever use of props, add a distinctive theme and/or incorporate artistic food arrangements.
• Cross-merchandise with three or more complementary products from other departments that encourage the sale of Ontario foods, leading to higher sales AND a higher score for your entry.
• Stock your display with good quality Ontario foods and include multiple varieties where applicable.
• Have you created a secondary display using Foodland Ontario POS material? Include a photo of this display to earn extra points.

Sales Lift Information
Easy points!
Point value: 4%

• Share with us the impact your display had on sales. The more information you provide – the higher your points
• What was your volume lift? And your regular weekly display sales vs. sales as a result of having Foodland Ontario merchandised display?
• New store or new to the job? Then tell us when and how much you had to re-order as a result of the display impacting your regular weekly sales.

Entering is Easy

Simply Follow These Steps:

1. Select any or all of the Seasonal, Creative or Cross- Merchandised categories.
   • Seasonal – showcase the seasonal Ontario foods of your choice.
   • Creative – imaginative use of themes or display props, unique signage, etc.
   • Cross-Merchandised – utilize products from other departments to boost interest and sales.
2. Build your fresh Ontario food display, merchandise with Foodland Ontario POS material – and take photos.
   • Submit up to five photos per entry.
   • Write your store name, address, phone number and store-size category (up to 15,000 ft.2, 15,001 to 50,000 ft.2, or 50,000+ ft.2) on the back of each photo.
3. Mail the completed entry form and your photos in the postage-paid Retailer Awards envelope provided by your Foodland Ontario Representative.

It’s Even Easier to Enter Online: Enter Here

Or e-mail your photos (JPG format, 300 dpi resolution) to us at foodland@ontario.ca.

To maximize your points, include the following information:

1. Your store name and number, full address, postal code and phone number.
2. Your full name and those who helped build the display.
3. Your store size category (up to 15,000 ft.², 15,001 to 50,000 ft^.2,or 50,000+ ft.²).
4. The category(ies) you are entering – Seasonal, Creative, and/or Cross-Merchandised.
5. Sales lift information: regular case sales and the number of cases sold as a result of your display.
6. Brief description of the display – cross-merchandising items, product sampling, theme, etc.