eGrowcery Platform Helps Retailers Accept EBT SNAP
Food retailers using eGrowcery’s e-commerce platform can now accept Electronic Benefits Transfer (EBT) Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) payments. eGrowcery worked with the Food and Nutrition Service (FSN) of the U.S. Department of Agriculture to create a system that meets all government requirements while expanding shopping options for people facing food security issues.
SNAP specifically provides nutrition benefits to supplement the food budget of needy families so they can purchase healthy food and move toward self-sufficiency. According to FSN data from January, approximately 21.5 million households participate in SNAP. EBT has the potential to modernize the program, allowing these recipients to use their benefits for online grocery purchases.
“Every shopper should be able to order online for store pickup or delivery. Accepting SNAP benefits for digital orders will help our retail partners provide all of their customers with the convenient shopping opportunities they deserve,” said Patrick Hughes, CEO of Bloomfield Hills, Mich.-based eGrowcery.
Hughes added that shoppers ordering online through eGrowcery’s solution can use EBT SNAP for all eligible products and buy noneligible items with their EBT Cash account as well — an option not made available by all e-commerce platforms.
Hitchcock’s Markets, a 12-store chain of supermarkets with locations throughout Florida, started offering online ordering via eGrowcery’s system in 2019. Like most other grocery retailers, the company experienced a dramatic increase in demand for e-commerce during the pandemic, and while most shoppers could take advantage of the new technology, a segment couldn’t because they relied on the SNAP program.
“Accepting EBT SNAP payments online is very important to us so all of our customers can have access to our free delivery and in-store pickup services,” said Giselle Alvarez, VP of operations at Alachua, Fla.-based Hitchcock’s Markets. “Many customers rely on SNAP to purchase their groceries and essentials. We are excited that through our partnership with eGrowcery, ordering groceries online is now an option for all Hitchcock’s customers.”
Hitchcock’s Markets reportedly continues to see month-over-month increases in e-commerce volume, and Alvarez expects this trend to accelerate with the addition of the EBT SNAP payment option. “By adding SNAP, eGrowcery is helping us grow our digital business and build customer loyalty,” she said.
eGrowcery is a white-label SaaS-based e-commerce solution designed to service grocery retailers. The eGrowcery platform is a true end-to-end omnichannel solution that integrates with back-office/point-of-sale systems while enabling retailers to personalize their own shopper experience.
Rouses Markets recently partnered with eGrowcery to create its own branded e-commerce solution for curbside pickup. With eGrowcery technology, Rouses customers can shop, place an order, and choose a curbside pickup time through the app or on the retailer’s website. There’s no curbside pickup fee on orders over $35, and customers pay the same price for groceries that they pay in Rouses Markets stores.
Thibodaux, La.-based Rouses Markets operates more than 60 full-service supermarkets in Louisiana, Mississippi and Alabama. The company is No. 84 on The PG 100, Progressive Grocer’s 2021 list of the top food and consumables retailers in North America.
