ROCHE BROS. WINS AWARDS FOR DOWNTOWN CROSSING STORE OPENING AND NEW ENGLAND CHEESE FESTIVAL

Roche Bros. was awarded two Creative Choice Awards from the National Grocers Association (NGA), winning in the “Dairy/Deli/Bakery” and the “Grand Opening or Remodel” categories.

In the Grand Opening or Remodel category, Roche Bros. won for the Downtown Crossing Grand Opening. The effort included a full brand update and year-long advance outreach to the community. Opening day celebrations included a ribbon cutting, brass band, sidewalk sampling tents, and a concert by local band Dalton & the Sheriffs.

Community response was overwhelmingly positive, with the Downtown Crossing store hosting more than 20,000 visitors on its opening day. The excitement continued for two months with concerts, DJ appearances and vendor fairs, all drawing upwards of 500 people per event.

Gary Pfeil, president of Roche Bros., said, “The National Grocers Association awards are highly regarded in our industry, and we are honored to be recognized. The Downtown Crossing opening was the culmination of a tremendous amount of ground breaking work and it captured the very best of Roche Bros. I’d like to thank our entire team for their accomplishment.”

Building on the continued success of the Downtown Crossing store, Roche Bros. is planning a 10,000 sq foot expansion in Summer 2016. This highly anticipated addition will include a wide selection of beer, wine, expanded grocery offerings, a catering desk, and a tasting bar.

In the Dairy/Deli/Bakery category, Roche Bros. won the top award for its New England Cheese Festival promotion. Throughout October 2015, Roche Bros. featured more than 100 New England cheese varieties from 40 local artisan cheesemakers. The company held special training for Cheese Shop associates and developed unique grilled cheese recipes featuring local products. Highlights included a series of in-store sampling festivals during which customers met cheesemakers, vintners and brewers and tasted samples of cheeses paired with wine, local beer and cider.

Arthur Ackles, Roche Bros. director of deli, seafood and specialty cheese, said, “New England has a robust local food movement, and artisan cheese is of particular interest to our customers. This was a particularly engaging and educational promotion for everyone in our stores, staff and customers alike. This award affirms the value of committing to local farm and food suppliers.”

The annual NGA Creative Choice Awards recognize the best marketing and merchandising programs in the grocery retail industry. Judges select only one winner from each category, making this a highly selective competition.