Save Mart Banners to Increase Traffic From EV-Charging Customers

Retailer expands EVgo Advantage program that includes loyalty-building promotions

3/16/2022

Save Mart to Increase Traffic From EV-Charging Customers

EVgo Advantage helps retailers capture increased traffic from EV-charging customers and differentiate against nearby retailers while also delivering more value to EV drivers who shop while they charge.

As more Americans ditch the high prices at the pump for electric vehicles (EVs), The Save Mart Cos. has expanded its EVgo Advantage program in partnership with EVgo Inc.

EVgo, one of the nation’s largest public fast-charging networks for EVs, is powered by 100% renewable electricity. Advantage is the company’s proprietary technology that enables EVgo to deliver promotions to drivers via text, email and mobile app to incentivize shopping and increase incremental foot traffic for its retail site hosts.

Since the program began in 2019, EVgo has been running promotions at five Lucky/Lucky California locations and will now add seven additional Lucky California and Save Mart stores to the program. EVgo Advantage will help Save Mart Cos. continue to capture increased traffic from EV-charging customers while also delivering loyalty-building promotions for those who shop while they charge.

“Many of our customers are transitioning to electric vehicles, and the expansion of the EVgo Advantage program is a natural next step for The Save Mart Cos.,” said Hal Levitt, SVP, retail operations and supply chain. “Over the last three years, our customers have charged more than 5 million minutes on EVgo chargers at our stores, and we look forward to adding these additional convenient charging stations to drive greater benefits for our customers and continue our ongoing commitments to sustainability initiatives.”

An EVgo survey found that 80% of EV drivers shop while they charge their vehicles — and 45% of those EVgo charging sessions resulted in new incremental shopping visits.

“EVgo sites our chargers where drivers want to be, and where better to charge than at a grocery store with a coupon for your weekly shop?” said Cathy Zoi, CEO of Los Angeles-based EVgo. “Research shows that consumers are drawn to promotions, and we are pleased to offer an additional way to drive customer loyalty to our site host partners through EVgo Advantage. We are thrilled to expand our partnership and add more locations to the Advantage program at Save Mart stores, and ultimately provide greater access to sustainable energy solutions for the communities they serve.”

The Save Mart Cos., which has store locations in California and northern Nevada, began partnering with EVgo in 2015 when it installed the first and largest publicly available, multi-standard fast-charging site in the nation at the time at a Lucky store in Fremont, Calif. The grocer has rolled out 32 EVgo fast chargers and two L2 chargers since that first fast-charging station was installed.

With more than 800 fast-charging locations, EVgo’s owned and operated charging network serves more than 68 metropolitan areas across 35 states and 310,000-plus customer accounts. The company has also teamed up with Meijer to provide fast-charging stations in the Midwest.

Based in Modesto, Calif., The Save Mart Cos. operates more than 200 retail stores under the banners of Save Mart, Lucky California and FoodMaxx. The company is No. 51 on The PG 100, Progressive Grocer’s 2021 list of the top food and consumables retailers in North America. Grand Rapids, Mich.-based Meijer is No. 18 on The PG 100.