DAVENPORT, IOWA (September 10, 2019) — Hy-Vee’s most creative floral and cake designers from the Quad Cities area will compete Thursday in front of spectators at NorthPark Mall during the semifinal of Hy-Vee’s Extreme Cake and Floral Challenges. Winners will earn a trip to the finals of the companywide competition.
Hy-Vee floral designers will create five arrangements in 3 hours and will be judged on originality, craftsmanship/mechanics, elements of design, composition, and use of space and balance.
“The Extreme Floral Challenge is a great way to show off the many talents and skills of our Hy-Vee designers,” said Deb Riedel, group vice president of floral and president of FDI. “The live competition allows spectators to witness the creativity and passion that goes into Hy-Vee floral displays while also highlighting the individual talents of some of our best designers.”
The cake designers will have 3½ hours to decorate a specialty cake of their choosing and 12 cupcakes. The entrants are judged on the cakes’ technical appearance, icing appearance and level of difficulty.
“We are excited to present our most talented cake designers at this year’s challenge,” said John Griesenbrock, vice president of deli and bakery. “This competition allows us to showcase our designers’ best work and offer inspiration for our shoppers.”
Prizes will be given for 1st ($600), 2nd ($300), and 3rd place ($200). The top two cake designers and the top two floral designers will earn a spot in the company finals in Des Moines on November 9, where designers will be judged by a panel of experts. Final Hy-Vee Extreme Challenge prizes will then be awarded for 1st ($2,000), 2nd ($1,000), and 3rd ($750) place. The final cake competition will also name a Decorator’s Choice winner with a prize of $1,000.
There are more than 260 designers competing in seven semifinal events throughout Hy-Vee’s eight-state territory in the 2019 Hy-Vee Extreme Cake and Floral Challenges.
About Hy-Vee Inc:
Hy-Vee Inc is an employee-owned corporation operating more than 260 retail-stores across eight Midwestern states with sales of $10 billion annually. The supermarket chain is synonymous with quality, variety, convenience, healthy lifestyles, culinary expertise, and superior customer-service. Hy-Vee ranks in the Top 10 Most Trusted Brands and has been named one of America’s Top 5 favorite grocery stores. The company’s more than 80,000 employees provide “A Helpful Smile in Every Aisle” to customers every day. For additional information, visit www.hy-vee.com.
