Curt’s speedy shopping earned him an impressive total of $337.17 in groceries. He had purchased two tickets to support the Relay for Life team. Customers were in the front of the store cheering him on as he scooped up as many groceries as he could in 90 seconds!

Any non-profit organization can have their own shopping spree to raise money, according to Eric Anderson, Senior Vice President, “Your Community Market’ is not a slogan, it’s our philosophy for doing business. Being able to help out a great non-profit organization like the Relay for Life Team is just one of the many ways we give back to the community we serve.”

The Community Markets store is located at 154 Vance Street, Bluffton, Ohio and is open 7 days a week from 7am – 10pm.

For more information on Community Markets, including how to sign your non-profit organization up for a shopping spree raffle, as well as other fund raising opportunities, visit the website at http://www.CommunityMarkets.com

Community Markets is part of Fresh Encounter, Inc. Family owned, Fresh Encounter, Inc. is based in Findlay, Ohio and operates thirty stores throughout Ohio and eastern Indiana under a variety of banners including Community Markets, Fulmer Community Markets, Great Scot Community Markets and Sack ‘N Save Supermarket.

All 31 of the Fresh Encounter, Inc. owned & operated grocery stores throughout Ohio & Indiana each entered the Idaho Potato Commission’s National 17th Annual Display Contest

Winners were officially announced on May 1st with prizes ranging from $100 - $1,250. Fresh Encounter had 7 national qualifiers, more than any other grocery chain nationwide! The winners & their prizes include:

Grand Prize Winner $1,000: Community Markets Marysville - Ann Schurtz
Second Place Winner $750: Community Markets Bluffton - Melissa Paullin
Honorable Mentions: $100.00 prize
- Greenfield Community Markets - Dee Mosley
- Wilmington Community Markets - Angie White
- Chillicothe Community Markets - Cheryl Beatty
- Marion Community Markets- Carolyn Coleman
- Chillicothe Sack ‘N’ Save - Lori Switzer

Photographs of all winning displays are available on the Idaho Potato Commission website.

Fresh Encounter, Inc., the Findlay based headquarters, operates 32 grocery stores throughout Ohio and eastern Indiana under the banners of Community Markets, Great Scot Community Markets, Sack ‘n Save and Fulmer Community Markets. Fresh Encounter, Inc., is Ohio’s largest independent grocery retailer.

This contest was during the month of January and was open to all grocery store managers and produce managers in the continental United States and Alaska. Lorie was just one of six grand prizewinners in the entire country. Winners were selected on the basis of originality and creativity when setting up a store display to sell peanuts. Lorie’s display was massive and filled with several different varieties of peanuts, uniquely and attractively displayed. As her prize, Switzer was awarded $1,000.

The parent company of Sack ‘N Save, Fresh Encounter, Inc. also had more than twice the winners in the contest than any other supermarket chain in the country, with an additional first place winner, a second place winner, and five third place winners. Produce Director for Fresh Encounter, Inc, Dick Hastings said “We’re very proud of Lorie and the rest of our winners. We know that grocery shopping can be an enjoyable and with all the entertaining and award winning displays we had I couldn’t be happier.”

Findlay, OH based Fresh Encounter, Inc. operates thirty-one stores throughout Ohio and eastern Indiana under a variety of banners including Sack ‘N Save, Community Markets, Fulmer Community Markets, Great Scot Community Markets. For information on Sack ‘N Save, visit our website at http://www.SackNSaveSuperMarkets.com

The event is sponsored by the Fostoria Community Hospital Diabetes Education Department and this will be their third year providing the educational tour. With about 7% of the US population affected by diabetes, such a tour is a great way to help many cope with the limitations of their dietary choices.

Community Markets is part of Fresh Encounter, Inc. Family owned, Fresh Encounter, Inc. is based in Findlay, Ohio and operates thirty stores throughout Ohio and eastern Indiana under a variety of banners including Great Scot Community Markets, Community Markets, Fulmer Community Markets, and Sack ‘N Save.

Carol’s winnings from the shopping spree totaled an impressive $182.45. She had purchased five tickets for the event, helping St. Mary’s Church sell a total of 252 tickets to the community. After paying for the shopping spree winnings, St. Mary’s Church raised $1,260 for their building fund!

Any non-profit organization can have their own shopping spree to raise money, according to Eric Anderson, Senior Vice President, “Your Community Market’ is not a slogan, it’s our philosophy for doing business. Being able to help out a great non-profit organization like St. Mary’s Church is just one of the many ways we give back to the community we serve.”

The Community Markets store is located at 154 Vance Street, Bluffton, Ohio and is open 7 days a week from 7am – 10pm.

For more information on Community Markets, including how to sign your non-profit organization up for a shopping spree raffle, as well as other fund raising opportunities, visit the website at www.CommunityMarkets.com.

Community Markets is part of Fresh Encounter, Inc. Family owned, Fresh Encounter, Inc. is based in Findlay, Ohio and operates thirty stores throughout Ohio and eastern Indiana under a variety of banners including Community Markets, Fulmer Community Markets, Great Scot Community Markets and Sack ‘N Save Supermarket.

Esch and Lefkow got their start last year when both were bringing home the bacon from their jobs at a small technology company when their mutual cravings for meaty flavor turned them into "bacontrepreneurs."  With the winnings from an America's Funniest Home Videos" contest, the partners created Washington-based J-D's Down Home Enterprises to turn out their tasty product For more information on their venture or to buy online, visit www.baconsalt.com.  Esch and Lefkow will bring forth the bacon flavor as soon as possible!

Beginning February 11, 2008 Fresh Encounter owned supermarkets will only offer rBST hormone-free white milk for it's private label milk. The protein “rBST” is a synthetically developed hormone that is used to supplement a cow's existing supply of naturally occurring hormones. In 1993, the FDA approved the use of artificial growth hormones after reviewing it carefully and concluded it is safe for consumers, for cows and for the environment.

Some consumers, for personal reasons however, prefer to drink milk that is produced without the use of artificial growth hormones. “We listen closely to the needs of our consumers and are proud to offer another delicious, high quality product that is hormone free.” said Eric Anderson, Vice President of Marketing. “We offer organic produce, all natural pork, Amish raised poultry and now rBST free white milk.”

All milk suppliers to Fresh Encounter owned stores will be audited two to three times annually to insure that each is supplying only rBST free product.

Headquartered in Findlay, Ohio, family owned Fresh Encounter, Inc. is Ohio’s largest independent grocery retailer; now operating 31 outlets throughout Ohio and Indiana. Fresh Encounter operates supermarkets under the brands of Community Markets, Great Scot Community Markets, Fulmer Community Markets and Sack-N-Save Supermarkets.

January 10th, 2008 proved to be a very lucky day for one Community Markets customer in Port Clinton. With a $20 investment, one customer yielded a 5,000,000% return on their money when they became a millionaire in the Magnificent Millions Ohio Instant Lotto game.

It is not the first millionaire to come from a Community Markets store in the region. Another Community Markets owned store has sold a winning scratch off Ohio Lottery ticket in Oak Harbor. It’s the first for Port Clinton Community Market, however!

“It’s pretty darn exciting”, said store manager Eric Wallace, “but the winner has not claimed their prize, yet!” The store has been brewing ever since the big ticket sale, and informing every customer of the life-changing news. “I hope it is someone I know.”, said Wallace.

Community Markets is part of Fresh Encounter, Inc. Family owned, Fresh Encounter, Inc. is based in Findlay, Ohio and operates thirty stores throughout Ohio and eastern Indiana under a variety of banners including Community Markets, Fulmer Community Markets, Great Scot Community Markets and Sack ‘N Save.