CASTROVILLE, Calif. – (July 28, 2008) – To mark the beginning of peak artichoke season, 140 Save Mart and Lucky supermarket stores participated in an artichoke display contest with Ocean Mist Farms in April.

The four week display contest challenged produce department teams to build a display using Ocean Mist Farms cartons, point-of-purchase cards and bulk and packaged artichokes.

Ocean Mist Farms selected multiple contest winners based on creativity of displays and the increase in artichoke sales compared to the same period last year.

Joe Feldman, Vice President of sales and marketing at Ocean Mist Farms, says display contests are a good way to engage produce staff with a product and to gain shoppers’ attention when they are in the produce department.

"Save Mart is one of our best customers; they handle artichokes well and have strong volume throughout the year," Feldman said. "But during this contest, sales increased even more and that’s why we think it is a good marketing tool."

Winning Store Produce Teams included:
Save Mart Stores # 86, 62 and 85 in Modesto; Save Mart Store # 202 – San Jose

Lucky Store # 622 – Sacramento; Lucky Store # 616 - Rocklin