2020 Wholesaler of the Year

Store brands win several Vertex Awards

Bowl & Basket, Paperbird Items among the honorees

Two of Wakefern Food Corp.’s store brands – Bowl & Basket and Paperbird, both introduced in 2019 at ShopRite – recently won gold, silver and bronze Vertex Awards. Since their launch, select products from both lines are also now available at Price Rite Marketplace and The Fresh Grocer.

The Vertex Awards are the only global competition devoted to the art of private brand package design. The awards are judged by a panel of industry experts from around the world who consider creativity, marketability and innovation.

Wakefern’s own brand winners include:

• Bowl & Basket named as a silver winner in the New Brand category;

• Paperbird named as a bronze winner in the New Brand category;

• Bowl & Basket Specialty Kettle Chips won in the gold and Best in Show categories; and

• Paperbird Premium Bath Tissue named as a bronze winner in the Health Care category

“We are truly thrilled that these new brands have received prestigious Vertex Awards,” said Chris Skyers, VP of own brands at Wakefern. “Over the last few years, our team has devoted themselves to creating a unique look and feel for both our Bowl & Basket and Paperbird brands.

“We’re honored that the Vertex judges have recognized the distinct design of each brand, and we feel confident that we’ve delivered on our promise to create high-quality, accessible and stylish products.”

To celebrate the awards, they were presented at the expanded Velocity Global Virtual Conference in August. The conference featured presentations and interviews with this year’s winners from around the world.

The multi-purpose space will also feature new and innovative items from ShopRite’s own brand portfolio of specialty products, including its award-winning Bowl & Basket and Wholesome Pantry lines.

It is expected that the “Fresh-to-Table” concept will be rolled out to additional ShopRite locations in the coming months.

This is not the first time a new ShopRite brand has been recognized for its innovative products. In 2017, Wholesome Pantry Organic was awarded two Salute to Excellence Awards by the Private Label Manufacturers Association.

Wholesome Pantry Organic Spring Mix Salad and Wholesome Pantry Creamy Almond Butter were both recognized in the Private Label Manufacturers Association’s “Healthy Eating & Natural Foods” and “Spreads” categories. The Wholesome Pantry Organic brand also was awarded Best New Organic Food Product or Line by Store Brands in 2017.