Seven-year-old Rhea Lynne Conner has been named the winner of a national Little Debbie lookalike contest as part of McKee Foods’ 50th anniversary celebration of the use of the Little Debbie name on its products.
Rhea’s likeness will be featured on select cartons of snack cakes, the company said in a press release. The elementry school pupil is the daughter of Amy and Tony Conner, of Monroe, Tenn.
Rhea, who was chosen from more than 900 girls between 4 and 8 years old in 44 states, received a $5,000 college scholarship grand prize, a gift certificate and Little Debbie snacks.
The three-judge panel included Debbie McKee-Fowler, the real Little Debbie and granddaughter of McKee Foods co-founders O.D. and Ruth McKee. The original Little Debbie helped to determine the winner from among 10 finalists in Atlanta.
Chris McKee, executive vice president for marketing and sales for Collegedale, Tenn.-based McKee Foods, said the Little Debbie brand was essentially an accident.