Choices Markets celebrates 25 years

Choices Markets plans to give away $100,000 worth of prizes this year to its customers. It’s all part of the natural supermarket chain's 25^th anniversary celebrations, and as Tyler Romano, Choices’ marketing manager puts it, a way of creating excitement across all eight stores. Choices Markets has seven stores in the Lower Mainland and one in Kelowna, B.C. Last month, it acquired Drive Organics on Vancouver's Commercial Drive. Prizes include a mixture of cash, Choices’ points and products such as an iPad Air 2, a Vitamix Total Nutrition Centre blender, a washing machine or a paddleboard, as well as a $25,000 grand prize cash giveaway. “We wanted to create excitement and energy,and have parties at all locations to share this milestone,” Romano said. READ: Choices Markets celebrates Nutrition Month Once a week throughout the year each store will draw the name of a customer who will win $100 worth of Choices points and also be entered into a grand prize draw for $25,000 in December. Each store will host an anniversary party, where those winners will be put in a draw for one of four $250 Choices gift cards and a ticket to the grand prize draw. Painted store windows and large in-store banners advertise the 25^th anniversary. The retailer also produced t-shirts and branded shopping bags that feature logos from sponsors such as Earthbound Farm Organic, Vega, Nature’s Path and Earth’s Choice Organic. Romano says Choices is promoting the prizes through social media, the website, flyers and the store’s monthly newsletter. While most of the campaign was developed in-house, they are working with a PR company to help publicize the year's activities to consumers. Each store will celebrate its own anniversary with an in-store party that features a BBQ, special sales, free samples, live music, a magic show for children and a prize wheel. “This is our way to say thank you for supporting Choices for 25 years, thank you for supporting local,” says Romano.