April 6, 2005

FINALISTS NAMED IN IGA’S NATIONAL HOMETOWN HOLIDAYS RECIPE CONTEST

CHICAGO, IL - IGA today announced the finalists of IGA’s 2005 National Hometown Holidays Recipe Challenge. A panel of culinary chefs from The Illinois Institute of Art–Chicago’s Culinary Arts program selected the seven finalists’ recipes. These were chosen from more then 300 original recipes that were submitted to IGA stores across the country during IGA’s annual Hometown Holidays marketing event held
Oct. 31 - Nov. 13, 2004.

Recipe entries were required to include at least two products from Hometown Holidays promotional sponsors. Sponsors included Anheuser-Busch, Inc., The Coca-Cola Company, Campbell Soup Company, Kraft Foods North America, Minute Maid Juices, Morton Salt, Nestlé USA and The J. M. Smucker Company.

The seven IGA Finalists are as follows:

SUSANVILLE SUPERMARKET IGA; Susanville, Calif.
James L. EasterLing
Jimmy’s Flaming Filet Mignons

ROCKPORT IGA; Rockport, Mass.
Lesley Pew
German Style Chocolate Cheesecake

SPD, IGA; Nevada City, Calif.
Hank Schriefer
Chicken Breast With Balsamic Shallot Sauce

BUCK’S IGA; Indianapolis, Ind.
Kelly Boe
Holiday Sweet Potato Casserole

BLACK CREEK IGA; Black Creek, Wisc.
Marilyn Blankschien
Caramel Pecan Apple Tassies

LITTLE APPLE MARKET IGA; Allentown, Penn.
Shirley DeSanti
Tropical Fruit ‘N Nut Bread

EL RANCHO MARKET IGA; Chandler, Ariz.
Victoria Johnson
Cream of Potato, Amber Bock, and Parsley Soup with Pan-Seared Scallops

Each of the seven finalists and a guest will travel to Chicago on April 15th for a three-day/ two-night prize package stay at the Chicago Hilton Downtown. On April 16th, each of the seven finalists’ recipes will be prepared and evaluated by a panel of culinary masters from The Illinois Institute of Art–Chicago’s Culinary Arts program. The recipes will be judged on three criteria: taste, creativity and ability to reproduce the desired dish based on recipe directions.

The Grand Prize winner will receive a five-day/four-night cruise for two to the Western Caribbean, including round trip airfare (prize package valued at approximately $5,000.00).

“We are incredibly pleased with the results of the Hometown Holidays marketing event,” said IGA Marketing Events Coordinator Zorona Chapman. “With each year the Recipe Challenge has gained momentum, leading to increased consumer participation and higher profit margins for our retailers.”

“We are so pleased that IGA has chosen The Illinois Institute of Art-Chicago as the venue for the Hometown Holidays Recipe Challenge,” said Bert Lindstrom, assistant director of culinary arts for The Illinois Institute of Art–Chicago. “Now in its fourth year, this recipe contest has become well-known and respected in culinary circles across America. I’m proud to say that this year’s recipes are of the highest caliber—in fact, they’re the best we’ve seen in the history of Hometown Holidays.”

IGA, the only global supermarketer based in the United States, is the world’s largest voluntary supermarket network with aggregate worldwide retail sales of more than $21 billion per year. The Alliance includes more than 4,000 Hometown Proud Supermarkets worldwide, supported by 36 distribution companies and more the 55 major manufacturers, vendors and suppliers encompassing everything from grocery to equipment items. IGA ranks in the top 10 in world food supermarketing. IGA has operations in 48 of the United States and more than 40 countries, commonwealths and territories on all six inhabited continents.

For Information Contact
Ashley M. Page 773-772-5724