Utah Clerk Bags National Championship

Courtesy of Associated Food Stores

Erika Jensen knows which item goes where.

Erika Jensen is a champion. Last week, the grocery store clerk from Utah won the National Grocers Association's International Best Bagger Competition in Las Vegas. she brought home a pair of trophies and a $2,000 prize.

Jensen works at the Macey's supermarket in West Jordan, Utah. She studied and practiced for the regional round and then the national, learning to separate in an instant the household cleaners from the crushable items and the raw chicken from everything else. Among her coaches was her sister, who won the national competition three years ago.

In the finals, the champion bagger worked with paper only. Making that cut, Jensen moved onto a round with mixed paper and plastic. Finally, she faced off with baggers from Canada — the international aspect of the event — with plastic only. Contestants are judged on speed, technique in setting up the bags, skill at weighting bags evenly, and overall style.

Jensen says she saw a couple of competitors who had serious skills. "But I wasn't too scared about anybody," she says. With good reason.