Arlington, VA, 2014-12-2 — /EPR Retail News/ — Food Network star, Duff Goldman will emcee the 2015 National Grocers Association (NGA) Best Bagger Championship, sponsored by PepsiCo, and held at The NGA Show this February in Las Vegas, Nevada.
“We are thrilled to have Duff join us as our emcee for this very exciting event,” said Peter J. Larkin, NGA President & CEO. “Duff’s creativity and enthusiastic personality will certainly bring another energetic component to the Best Bagger Championship, and we look forward to having him there with us to crown the 2015 Best Bagger Champion.”
Added PepsiCo’s Lisa Walsh, SVP Sales, “We are delighted to be sponsoring NGA’s Best Bagger competition for the third year. Having Duff emcee Best Bagger will add a new level of excitement and awareness in this incredible event. We view the Best Bagger event as a great way to support and acknowledge the importance of independent grocery retailers and wholesalers which are the backbone of their local communities.”
The NGA Best Bagger Championship will be held Monday, February 9, from 5:00 p.m. – 6:15 p.m. (PST) in the Grand Ballroom at the Mirage Hotel and Casino.
Now in its 29th year, the NGA Best Bagger Championship is the culmination of contests held across North America, in which one contestant who has won their statewide competition is eligible to compete in the championship and vie for “bagging rights.” Nearly 30 baggers will compete for the 2015 Best Bagger Champion title and the grand prize of $10,000. Contestants will be judged by speed of bagging, proper bag-building technique, weight distribution in the bag, as well as style, attitude and appearance.
Duff Goldman graduated from the University of Maryland, Baltimore County, with degrees in history and philosophy, and went on to study at the Culinary Institute of America at Greystone in St. Helena, Calif. He worked at several acclaimed culinary destinations, including the French Laundry, the Vail Cascade Hotel and Todd English’s Olives before returning to Baltimore in 2000 to become a personal chef.
In March 2002, Duff quit his day job and opened Charm City Cakes. There, he was able to show off his creativity, which comes from a long line of artistic genes. The bakery became a household name on the hit Food Network show Ace of Cakes, which aired for 10 seasons. More recently, Duff and his team opened a second bakery location, Charm City Cakes West in Los Angeles.
Registration for The NGA Show is available at www.theNGAshow.com. For more information on the NGA Best Bagger Championship, visit www.bestbagger.com.
If you need additional information, please contact Laura Strange at 703-516-8808.
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