For Immediate Release
October 17, 2007

FOODLAND AWARDS CELEBRATE ONTARIO GROCERY RETAILERS

Excellence In Promoting Ontario Produce Recognized

TORONTO - Grocery store representatives from across the province came to the Liberty Grand Ballroom today to receive their Foodland Ontario Retailer Awards. These awards are a way to recognize excellence and innovation in point-of-sale promotion of Ontario produce in retail stores across the province.

"All the award winners this year have shown exceptional creativity in their displays of fresh Ontario produce," said Jim James, Supervisor of Retail Services for Foodland Ontario. "Today we're celebrating the dedication of food retailers in the province to promoting fresh fruit and vegetables grown in Ontario."

This year's Foodland Ontario Retailer Awards were presented to 29 retailers that have shown outstanding commitment and creativity in marketing Ontario fresh fruit and vegetables. Foodland Ontario's top award, the Foodland Award of Excellence, went to three recipients: Foodland in Victoria Harbour, Morello's Your Independent Grocer in Peterborough and the Real Canadian Superstore in Windsor.

Winners were chosen from over 3,600 photographs, representing more than 850 entries. Criteria used to decide the winning entries include the impact of the display, the creative and effective use of Foodland point-of-sale material, cross-merchandising, the location in the store, and the balance and design of the display.

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Contact:
Brent Ross
Communications Branch
416-326-9342

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2007 FOODLAND ONTARIO RETAILER AWARD WINNERS

Foodland Ontario Award of Excellence

Platinum - All Seasons

Gold - Seasonal

Gold - Creative

Gold - Cross-Merchandised

Silver Award of Merit

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Backgrounder

FOODLAND ONTARIO RETAILER AWARDS

The Foodland Ontario Retailer Awards program recognizes grocery retailers for their innovative promotion of Ontario grown fruits and vegetables. Each year, approximately 1200 stores across the province are involved in the promotion of Ontario produce. Stores submit photographs of their promotions and displays to qualify for the awards.

There are four award categories. The Platinum All Seasons Award recognizes merchandising excellence with Ontario grown commodities through three seasons: spring, summer and winter. The Gold Category Award is given to chain and independent stores in three specific categories: seasonal, creative and cross-merchandised. The Silver Award of Merit honours excellence in promoting Ontario produce in a display. The Foodland Ontario Award of Excellence is presented to the top-scoring Ontario retailers, in each store size category, that have won the Platinum Award for consistent year-round merchandising achievement for two years in a row.

Foodland Ontario is a consumer marketing program aimed at increasing sales and profit margins for fresh Ontario fruits and vegetables using a multi-media strategy and in-store promotions.

Retailers partner with Foodland Ontario because it is a successful marketing program that offers them a competitive edge. Based on research findings, the Foodland Ontario symbol has a high degree of consumer recognition. In addition, 87% of Ontario consumers prefer Ontario-grown produce. For more than 30 years, consumers have identified the stylized trillium with homegrown freshness and quality.

The awards are co-sponsored by the Ontario Ministry of Agriculture, Food and Rural Affairs in partnership with the Ontario Asparagus Growers' Marketing Board, the Ontario Fruit and Vegetable Growers' Association, the Ontario Greenhouse Vegetable Growers, the Ontario Tender Fruit Producers' Marketing Board, the Ontario Apple Growers, the Ontario Potato Board, the Fresh Vegetable Growers of Ontario and Mushrooms Canada.

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Contact:
Jim James
Foodland Ontario
(519) 826-3946