Each year, United Fresh Produce Association recognizes the top 25 produce managers within the industry during their annual convention.  

Tyler Gibson, produce manager for Food City’s Fairfield Glade location in Crossville, TN has been named one of the 25 finalists contending for this year’s coveted 2018 Retail Produce Manager of the Year Award.  Five grand-prize winners will be selected from among the field of competitors at the association’s June industry convention in Chicago, IL.      

“These men and women represent the “best of the best” in our industry,” says Tom Stenzel, United Fresh president & chief executive officer.  “Through their creative efforts and interaction with customers, they’re making produce a centerpiece of the retail shopping experience and wowing consumers everyday.”

The candidates are selected from hundreds of nominations submitted by supermarket chains, commissaries and independent retail stores throughout the industry.  The award recognizes outstanding achievement in the areas of produce merchandising/marketing, community service and commitment to total customer satisfaction. 

“Tyler is an expert merchandiser and works extremely hard to identify ways to coordinate with other departments within the store to create unique and impactful displays.  He also excels in the areas of product sampling, sharing insights on the benefits of a healthy diet filled with fruits and vegetables, supports local growers and is active within his community,” says Bucky Slagle, Food City director of produce operations.  “He is a tremendous asset to our company, as well as the community at large.”

Gibson is an exceptional marketer and excels at cross merchandising products with other departments to create impactful displays for his customers.  He recently worked alongside his district supervisor to create an extravagant fall festival display consisting of more than four-hundred pumpkins and over a thousand pounds of apples.  Gibson stresses the importance of product sampling within his department to provide customers with an opportunity to try new or lesser known products.  He enjoys being an active member of the Fairfield Glade retirement community and recently co-hosted a presentation with his store manager to highlight the benefits of a healthy diet filled with fruits and vegetables.  Gibson is an avid supporter of Food City’s locally grown program and goes above and beyond to showcase locally grown products. He also works one on one with local growers, promoting their products through local broadcasting opportunities and sharing product information with his customers.

Food City associates were also named award winners in 2005, 2006, 2007, 2008, 2009, 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014, 2015, 2016 and 2017 – nine of which, the company boasted a grand-prize winner.  

Headquartered in Abingdon, Virginia, K-VA-T Food Stores (Food City’s parent company) operates 133 retail outlets throughout southeast Kentucky, southwest Virginia, east Tennessee, Chattanooga and north Georgia.