Cub Joins CitrusAd’s Retail Media Network
Cub Foods is unlocking the power of personalized shopper experiences by integrating with CitrusAd’s retail media technology. The tech company will help the Twin Cities grocer deliver cutting-edge advertising features for CPG companies.
The need for retail media intensified as e-commerce sales surged over the past year, exceeding industry expectations and showing no signs of slowing down. Many retailers have since banded together on CitrusAd’s growing e-commerce ad network. Other food retailers that are part of the network include Price Chopper and Wakefern Food Corp., and also ultra-fast delivery service Gopuff.
[To view the “Brands Weigh In on Retail Media Networks” on-demand webinar, click here.]
Cub will leverage CitrusAd’s platform to provide more personalized online shopping experiences based on shopper preferences and purchase history. Cub suppliers will also benefit from the technology integration as Cub’s first-party real-time data from its website and loyalty program combines with CitrusAd’s algorithms to identify shopper preferences and serve relevant sponsored product ads to optimize campaigns and reduce ad waste.
“Our work with CitrusAd provides our supplier community with a fullytransparent, self-serve platform for e-commerce marketing automation and personalization with clear ROI analytics. Marketers have always looked for closed-loop analytics. We are thrilled to provide CitrusAd’s direct-measurement tool that clearly demonstrates clicks from each ad campaign to cart sales,” said Chad Bersie, director of e-commerce for Cub.
“Strong data leveraged in a powerful and seamless manner can always improve results," added Brian DeCoveny, SVP retail media partnerships for St. Petersburg, Fla.-based CitrusAd. "By Cub tying their first-party data to our technology, brands can connect with shoppers without compromising consumer privacy or security in real time. So much can be accomplished with this level of personalization, especially as marketers move away from third-party cookies."
The retail media move comes at an opportune time for Cub. The grocer revealed last month that it was ramping up its pickup and delivery experience by entering into a collaboration with Capstone Logistics to bring grocery and liquor items to Minnesota residents. Capstone uses a “MileZero” platform that optimizes route planning and syncs deliveries to multiple store customers, and also shares real-time delivery details with the grocer and its shoppers through a white-label app.
Owned by United Natural Foods Inc. (UNFI), Stillwater, Minn.-based Cub operates almost 80 grocery stores in Minnesota and Illinois. Providence, R.I.-based UNFI delivers a wide variety of products to customer locations throughout North America, including natural product superstores, independent retailers, conventional supermarket chains, e-commerce retailers and foodservice customers. The largest publicly traded grocery distributor in America, UNFI is No. 47 on The PG 100, Progressive Grocer's 2021 list of the top food and consumables retailers in North America.
