South Dakota’s (Harrisburg) Best Grocery Bagger Defends Title

We have a new champion! Make that a returning champion. This competition doesn't involve a team, playing field or arena, a halftime, a three-game series, or an off-season break. The equipment has nothing to do with a puck, ball, club, net, or goal.

What is required is a paper or plastic bag, speed, and attitude.

For one South Dakota participant defending the South Dakota Best Bagger Competition over the weekend, winning means going to a different version of the Super Bowl.

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Returning champion Elijah Schipper from Fareway Stores in Harrisburg took the top prize at the South Dakota Best Bagger Competition on Saturday, September 2.

Hosted annually by the South Dakota Retailers Association at the South Dakota State Fair and sponsored by Associated Wholesale Grocers, NW French & Associates, and Prairie Farms, seven contestants from across the state went head-to-head to compete for the title of South Dakota’s Best Bagger.

If you're like many who do the grocery shopping in your family then having your goods bagged securely and safely is essential. Who wants the butter bagged with the dog food? Why was a loaf of bread on the bottom of the sack with the canned beans? Does the ice cream really go in the same bag as your hot deli dinner?

There's more to properly bagging groceries than you think.

For defending grocery bagger Schipper there are certain criteria to follow: speed, bag-building technique, uniform bag weight, and personal attitude and appearance.

Schipper is pumped about winning the title for a second year which earned him $500. More so, he's looking forward to an expenses-paid trip to compete at the National Grocers Association's National Competition in Las Vegas, where he has the chance to win $10,000.

Kristen Murray from Fair City Foods in Huron took home second place and $200 and a trip the Las Vegas

Others competing against Schipper were Brian Kalenda of Buche Foods Gregory, Quenton Walls of Coborns Huron, Daniel Jones of Murdo Family Foods, Brayden Kellough of Buche Foods Sisseton, and Andrew Dixson of Buche Foods Oacoma. Each received a $100 cash prize.