IGA Honors Crop’s Fresh Marketplace Owners as IGA USA Retailer of the Year
1257 Horseshoe Pike, Downingtown, PA 19335 484-593-2665 www.cropsmarketplace.com
IGA Honors Crop’s Fresh Marketplace Owners as IGA USA Retailer of the Year
The Independent Grocers Alliance has announced John and Chad Cropper, owners of Crop’s Fresh Marketplace in Downingtown, Pennsylvania as IGA USA Retailers of the Year.
The Retailer of the Year awards are the highest honors IGA bestows upon its retailer members. They are presented annually to grocers who have best provided leadership and excellence in their communities. The Croppers will be recognized at the IGA Awards of Excellence Ceremony on Monday, March 11, in Las Vegas, Nevada. The store was nominated by their Licensed Distribution Center - Bozzuto’s Inc.
IGA CEO John Ross and Senior Vice President Retail and Business Development Doug Fritsch visited Crop’s Fresh Marketplace on January 26 to get a firsthand feel for how the retailer interacts with employees, customers, and the community. Local media were invited to attend, as Ross, Fritsch, and the Croppers were available for interviews during the visit.
Based on information gathered during the store visits, the committee will then select one IGA USA Retailer of the Year to receive the IGA International Retailer of the Year award, which will be awarded on stage at the IGA Awards of Excellence Ceremony. Fellow IGA Retailers of the Year from other countries in addition to select Red Oval partners and wholesalers will also be honored at the event.
The Cropper family’s experience in grocery started as an IGA back in 1953. They currently have second and third generation family members operating the current location.
Crop’s Fresh Marketplace has been active in participating in multiple IGA programs, including the IGA national digital ad, the IGA Coca-Cola Institute, and the quarterly IGA marketing program to promote themselves throughout the community.
They also incorporate the IGA branding philosophies of Local Equals Fresh and Hometown Proud throughout the store along with their local community and charities. Along with partnering with local farms and vendors, they host neighborhood events on site such as car shows, Girl Scout Trunk or Treats, car wash fundraisers for churches and youth organizations and food drive shopping events.
The grocers are progressive in embracing modern technology, social media, and digital marketing to help differentiate their store. They have introduced new physical store features, including new kitchen equipment, a state-of-the-art salad bar from Picadeli, and an in-house smoker run by the prepared foods department. Furthermore, Crop’s Fresh Marketplace offers a strong assortment of the IGA Exclusive Brands private label throughout the store to aid value-seeking customers. They exemplify what it means to be a modern-day IGA.
About IGA (www.iga.com): The Independent Grocers Alliance (IGA) was founded in 1926, bringing together independent grocers across the United States to ensure that the trusted, familyowned local grocery store remained strong in the face of growing chain competition. IGA is the world’s largest voluntary supermarket network with aggregate worldwide retail sales of over $43 billion per year. The Alliance includes more than 6,300 stores globally, with operations in 46 of the United States and over 25 countries, commonwealths, and territories.
Crop’s Fresh Marketplace is proud to be recognized by IGA as Retailer of the Year!