Washington, D.C. – The National Grocers Association Foundation (NGAF), with continued sponsorship from United Natural Foods, Inc. (UNFI), today announced the official topic for the 2027 NGAF Student Case Study Competition, taking place at The NGA Show: “Building Loyalty Beyond Transactions: Creating the Next Generation Customer Relationship.”

This year’s program partners with Big Y Foods, one of the largest independently owned supermarket chains in the Northeast, serving communities throughout Massachusetts and Connecticut. Founded in 1936 and still family-owned today, Big Y has built its reputation on exceptional customer service, community involvement, quality fresh foods, and a commitment to helping families live healthier, happier lives.

The 2027 topic challenges participating student teams to explore how independent grocers can build meaningful, long-term customer relationships that extend beyond traditional discounts and rewards programs. As shoppers increasingly expect personalized experiences, seamless digital integration, convenience, transparency and authentic engagement, students will be asked to develop innovative strategies that strengthen emotional connections, create value beyond price and differentiate Big Y from both regional competitors and national grocery chains.

“Customer loyalty today is about much more than a transaction or a discount,” said Kelly Hanson, NGA Director of Education & Insights. “Next year’s Student Case Study Competition provides students with an exciting opportunity to consider how independent grocers can combine exceptional service, community connection, digital innovation and personalized experiences to build relationships with the next generation of grocery shoppers.”

As consumer habits evolve, Big Y wants to better understand how a regional grocer can create customer loyalty that extends beyond transactions and discounts. The company is interested in identifying innovative ways to deepen customer relationships, increase engagement, and build a competitive advantage that competitors cannot easily replicate. The challenge is to create a customer loyalty ecosystem that strengthens customer retention, increases shopping frequency, improves customer lifetime value, and reinforces Big Y’s position as a trusted community-focused retailer.

Each year, an independent retailer partners with NGAF to provide operational details, budgeting parameters and strategic context for the case. Student teams then present their recommendations through three rounds of judging conducted by experienced food industry professionals. Winning teams and their schools receive cash prizes in recognition of excellence in research, strategy and presentation.

Eligibility is open to any four-year institution, university, academic program or affiliated organization that provides instruction or research related to the food industry. Each school may assemble a research team of any size, but no more than four undergraduate students may present at the competition.

###

About the National Grocers Association Foundation

The NGA Foundation is the charitable arm of the National Grocers Association. We work alongside the independent grocery industry to invest in its people, strengthen its operations, and protect its future. We cultivate talent, ignite innovation, and preserve independence across generations — so that grocers can continue to serve the communities that depend on them. Our programming encompasses students, leadership development, supporting women in the industry, frontline worker training, free personalized support for business innovation, and succession planning. For more information, visit www.ngafoundation.org.

About NGA

NGA is the national trade association representing the retail and wholesale community grocers that comprise the independent sector of the food distribution industry. An independent retailer is a privately owned or controlled food retail company operating a variety of formats. The independent grocery sector is accountable for about 1.2 percent of the nation’s overall economy and is responsible for generating more than $250 billion in sales, 1.1 million jobs, $39 billion in wages and $36 billion in taxes. NGA members include retail and wholesale grocers located in every congressional district across the country, as well as state grocers’ associations, manufacturers and service suppliers. For more information about NGA, visit www.nationalgrocers.org.