Grocerist, Forage Helping Indies With SNAP Payment Processing and Grocery Delivery
Grocerist, which offers first and only grocery-specific e-commerce solution built on Shopify, and Forage, a mission-driven payments company enabling grocers and other merchants to accept EBT SNAP as a payment method online, are now jointly offering independent grocers what the companies have characterized as the most complete and streamlined end-to-end e-commerce solution incorporating SNAP payment processing and grocery delivery.
As the exclusive EBT SNAP processor for the Grocerist platform, Forage has made Grocerist the exclusive provider of its EBT SNAP processing app for customers on the Shopify e-commerce platform. Grocerist has licensed Forage’s core Shopify applications, with plans to invest heavily to expand and enhance the technology to help indies accept incentive programs such as Double Up Food Bucks. Merchants on Shopify that are currently working directly with Forage will be able to migrate over to Grocerist to access additional grocery-specific e-commerce capabilities.
[Read more: "How Small and Regional Grocers Can Compete With Big-Box Retailers"]
The collaboration brings independent grocers a turnkey solution enabling them to run their business while focusing on their customers and communities. Together, Grocerist and Forage offer website creation and order fulfillment, including two-way point-of-sale integrations, advanced inventory management and a streamlined path to receiving USDA approval to accept EBT SNAP online.
“With this partnership, Grocerist and Forage are making two key priorities much more achievable for independent grocers: e-commerce and online SNAP acceptance,” observed Matt Smith, co-founder and COO of Toronto-based Grocerist. “Until now, both have been a big challenge – independents just don’t have the same resources available as the big chains. Together, Grocerist and Forage are democratizing access to these important grocer tools, so independent retailers can compete more effectively with grocery giants.”
Forage, a USDA-approved third-party payment processor, features in-house government benefits and payments experts employing technology to facilitate complex government payments online and lead retailers through the USDA authorization process.
“Forage is committed to helping merchants of all sizes accept SNAP online,” said Ofek Lavian, CEO and co-founder of San Francisco-based Forage. “Our partnership with Grocerist builds on this commitment and ensures independent grocers have a path to serving those who need it most.”
In 2022, 41.2 million individuals (about one in eight Americans) took part in the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP), receiving $111 billion in SNAP benefits in total, according to the USDA. SNAP accounted for 12% of the total U.S. grocery spend in 2022, and online usage is doubling every year. Further, more than one in five SNAP recipients are disabled, have limited access to reliable transportation or live in food deserts.
“We chose Grocerist and Forage for their world-class customer service and tech capabilities,” said Samuel Newman, founder of Little Red Box Grocery, in Houston. “Both companies are explicit in their mission to level the playing field for grocery merchants without ready access. We are mission-aligned in that respect, and it’s why the Grocerist and Forage team have been remarkable partners from day one.”
Sanger, Calif.-based Gong’s Market and The Hub on the Hill, a nonprofit in Essex, N.Y., are also using the end-to-end solution.
