Paper or plastic? Winning Publix grocery bagger to compete in Vegas for national title

Publix cashier Brennan Davenport bagged a bundle of dough for his packing skills.

Not only is Davenport, a Publix cashier, gentle with groceries he packs at the checkout, he's the fastest bagger in Georgia and had the best arrangement and weight distribution of the items in a recent contest.

This means he'll go on to Las Vegas for the national grocery bagging event.

Davenport, who works at the Tucker, Georgia, Publix store, won the Georgia Food Industry Association Best Bagger Contest on July 14 at the Omni Orlando Resort in Champions Gate, Florida, a Publix press release said.

Publix petition: Publix cake decorator creates online petition for raises

'We are topped out': Publix employee who started online petition wants wage caps raised

Brennan received $2,000 from the GFIA Education Foundation and a trophy for winning the competition , Publix said.

He will now represent Georgia in the national Best Bagger Championship at the National Grocers Association convention in Las Vegas, Feb. 26-28.

“I didn’t know how well I did,” Brennan said. “When they announced me as the winner, I felt pure shock and joy.”

Brennan competed against seven other contestants from other Georgia grocery stores, Publix said. Judging was based on speed, weight distribution, style and technique.

“I was unbelievably proud of him,” said Publix store manager Matt McGraw. “Brennan has been a great addition to our Publix family since joining the team.”

A different kind of saving: Lakeland Fire Department to recognize Publix employee for heroic act

Financials: Publix announces dividend of 9 cents per stock

Pulled from Publix shelves: Onions recalled for possible listeria contamination

To qualify for the state competition, Brennan won the Publix Atlanta Division Bagging Contest on June 30, Publix said. This victory earned him a $300 Publix gift card.

If he wins the national competition, Brennan could receive $10,000 and be the first Publix associate to earn the top prize.

Publix did not respond to requests for further details, but according to a 2018 NPR report the contest attracted competitors from 23 states who had to carefully place "identical grocery orders, putting about 35 items into three grocery bags."

In 2019, there were 24 baggers competing, said Eric Payne, an NGA spokesman. Because contestants must qualify at state contests to make it to the national event, there have been less competitors during the COVID-19 pandemic years.

The 2023 event is expected to be the largest in recent years.

Alexa Sobsey of California-based Nugget Markets was the winner of the 2022 Best Bagger Champion, the NGA website said.

Last year, independent grocery store executives joined in a 2nd annual checkout lane showdown, NGA said.

Publix grocery baggers have qualified for the big show before, but none have finished first.

Lakeland-based Publix Super Markets Inc. has 196 stores in Georgia, which are among the nearly 1,300 stores the employee-owned company operates in seven states throughout the Southeast.

The grocer reported retail sales in 2021 of $48 billion and employs more than 230,000 people.

Overall, the US has more than 21,000 privately held or family-owned grocery stores in the United States, the NGA said, generating more than $250 billion in sales and more than a million jobs.

“Bagging is an essential part of a positive customer experience at grocery stores in communities across the country," said Greg Ferrara, NGA president and CEO. "While often overlooked, bagging is the last impression left upon a customer when they leave a store and head home.”

This article originally appeared on The Ledger: Publix cashier wins competition for best grocery bagger in Georgia