Gabe Bowling, courtesy clerk for the Food City in Louisa, KY recently won the Kentucky Best Bagger competition. The contest included 13 contestants and took place in October in Hazard, Kentucky. Bowling received a $250 cash prize, along with an all- expense paid trip to Las Vegas, NV, where he will compete for the national title at the National Grocer’s Association Convention in February. 

“NGA hosts a premier event featuring only the most talented baggers throughout the country,” says Steven C. Smith, Food City president and chief executive officer. “It’s a tremendous honor to qualify as a participant.”    

Each year, National Grocer’s Association hosts their annual Best Bagger Competition during their annual convention. Baggers from across the nation compete for the coveted title of “America’s Best Bagger.” The 2026 convention will take place in February in Las Vegas, NV. Contestants are judged on speed, bag-building technique, weight distribution between bags, style, attitude, and appearance. 

Bowling, age 18, joined the Food City team in June of this year. He is currently a senior at Lawerence County High School. 

“Food City is extremely proud to be represented by such an outstanding, talented young individual. Gabe is an asset to our company and our region,” says Gordon Trivette, Food City District Manager. 
 
NGA’s mission is to “champion the independent grocery industry through advocacy, collaboration, education, services, and connections.”  According to NGA, “Bagging has been an important step for many supermarket employees who have pursued long and rewarding careers in the grocery industry. The National Grocers Association Best Bagger Championship features retailers with infectious company pride and an enthusiastic commitment to customer service. The first Best Bagging contest was held in 1987 in Dallas, TX. The “Texas – Oklahoma Checkout Shootout” featured two contestants and former NFL Quarterback Terry Bradshaw as the emcee. Since then, NGA has branded and grown the event to feature more than 25 state bagging contestants”. For more information, visit their website at www.nationalgrocers.org. 
 

Headquartered in Abingdon, Virginia, K-VA-T Food Stores (Food City’s parent company) operates 164 retail outlets throughout southeast Kentucky, southwest Virginia, east Tennessee, north Georgia, and Alabama.