Leading produce marketer Oppy and its grower partner Divemex are kicking off the New Year with a retail pepper display contest.

Running from mid-January to the end of March, the Divemex “PepperUP” competition invites retailers to construct large, creative displays of Divemex-branded sweet bell and mini peppers in bulk and assorted pack styles.

The builder of the top display will cash in on a $2,000 grand prize, while second place earns $1,000 and third will receive $500. The first 50 entrants can select from $25 Subway or Starbucks gift cards.

“Peppers are among the most eye-catching items in the produce department,” says Aaron Quon, executive director of Vancouver, British Columbia-based Oppy’s greenhouse category. “We are encouraging our customers to drive sales by bringing their pepper displays ‘up’ in size, or in location, like moving the display ‘up’ to the front of the store or department. Another way to ‘PepperUP’ would be to include organic and conventional peppers on display, or up-selling to a socially conscious consumer because all Divemex peppers are Fair Trade Certified.”

Oppy is offering bright, large-scale PepperUP point-of-sale signage to bring even more attention to the Divemex displays. Photo entries can be emailed to or uploaded at  [email protected], along with produce manager name, store name, number and address, and email and phone contact information, and preference of Starbucks or Subway gift card.

Winners will be notified on or before April 30, 2019.

Divemex greenhouses are located in the Mexican states of Sinaloa, Nayarit and Jalisco. The company’s season spans late August through late May.