MIAMI — At its annual Midwinter Executive Conference, the Food Marketing Institute announced the winners of the FMI Foundation’s Gold Plate Awards, which recognize top retail participants in National Family Meals Month.

In 2018, the National Family Meals Month campaign experienced a 20 percent increase in retailer participation; a 40 percent increase in supplier participation; and a 37 percent increase in community collaborator participation.

The winners are:

Gold Plate Award Category:  Retailer 1 – 49 stores

Winner: Festival Foods

Program: Festival Family Meals: Kid-Approved Foods

Honorable Mention:  Martin’s Super Markets

Program:  The Flavorful Four

Gold Plate Award Category:  Retailer 50 – 199 stores

Winner: GIANT Food Stores

Program: Power of One More Family Meal

Honorable Mention: Tops Markets, LLC

Program: Raising Our Mitt to Commit! #FamilyMealsMonth

Honorable Mention: Coborn’s, Inc.

Program: Healthy For Good™ Family Meals

Gold Plate Award Category:  Retailer 200+ stores

Winner: Wakefern Food Corporation

Program: Family Meals Month at ShopRite

Winner: Hy-Vee, Inc.

Program: Hy-Vee, Inc.’s National Family Meals Month Campaign

Honorable Mention: Albertsons Companies

Program: Kid-Approved Meals for the Whole Family

Gold Plate Award Category:  Supplier

Winner: Kellogg Company

Program:  Family Meals for Healthier, More Successful, Safer Kids!

Honorable Mention: The Kraft Heinz Company

Program: Kraft Heinz Celebrates Family Meals Month

Gold Plate Award Category:  Community Collaborator

Winner: Produce for Better Health Foundation

Program: Fruits and Veggies—More Matters Month: A Focus on Family Meals 

“It is truly extraordinary to realize that we only started this family meals initiative four years ago and that Nielsen data shows more than a quarter of American shoppers are familiar with the movement,” says Sue Borra executive director of The FMI Foundation.  “This 115 percent increase in awareness since last year alone is a result of the creative work of tonight’s award-winners – as well as the more than 230 companies who joined the family meals movement since its inception. Even more exciting is that we are seeing these inspiring efforts extend the messaging about the importance of family meals throughout the year, not just in September.”