A grocery bagging competition exists 鈥� and it's strangely intense
Talk about bragging bagging rights
Talk about bragging bagging rights
Talk about bragging bagging rights
If not for the giant, food-littered checkout stands on stage, you鈥檇 have no idea what kind of contest you just walked into. The crowd is acting as if they鈥檙e cheering on Olympic athletes: They鈥檙e ear-piercingly loud and carrying supersized cardboard cutouts of competitors鈥� heads. And 鈥檚 here, because, why not?
But this isn鈥檛 a worldwide sporting event, nor a cake baking convention. This is the . It鈥檚 the one time of year baggers get the kudos they deserve — and a chance to win $10,000.
Every year, the National Grocers Association hosts contests in states across the country. One bagger emerges from each, and this year, everyone headed to for a final showdown. They鈥檙e all here to prove they can pack a bag of groceries with speed, style, and — of course — proper weight distribution.
It鈥檚 hard-earned experience that eventually wins the whole thing. Trevor DeForest, a Fareway Food Stores employee from Iowa, beat out the 22 other competitors with his 21 years of bagging experience. As for what he鈥檚 going to do with that jumbo check once he cashes it: 鈥淗opefully go on vacation somewhere!鈥� DeForest laughs.