How Stop & Shop Will Use Digital to Gain Super Bowl Sales

The Super Bowl is a time for all types of retailers to show off their goods and newest tech, and that applies to grocery store operators as much as any other business.

A good recent example of what’s in store for the Feb. 7 game comes from Stop & Shop — an example that combines technology with the ongoing, pandemic-fueled rise of food retailer e-commerce and the push for deeper consumer experiences.

Stop & Shop said it has teamed with Procter & Gamble (P&G) to launch a homegating experience for customers to get ready for the game.

Featuring celebrity chef and restaurateur Tiffany Faison, the new website will include exclusive recipes, shopping lists and videos to inspire cooking enthusiasts and self-proclaimed taste testers alike. Home delivery customers will have the opportunity to donate $5.50 at checkout in honor of the Super Bowl’s 55th year in support of the Greg Hill Foundation’s Restaurant Strong Fund, which provides aid to restaurant industry employees and owners who have been impacted by COVID-19. Customers can also enjoy free delivery or pickup (up to $6.95) if they spend $30 or more on participating P&G products.

Some 186.6 million U.S. adults — that’s more than half of the country’s population — plan to watch the game, according to the National Retail Federation (NRF). The ongoing pandemic promises to bring changes to this year’s Super Bowl watching parties and related activities, something that could benefit these programs from the likes of Stop & Shop.

As the NRF put it, “over the past year, consumers have become experts at making traditional events feel as normal as possible. From stocking up on fun food and beverages to team apparel or splurging on a new TV, 86% of viewers are planning to make purchases to help mark the occasion. And they plan to spend $74.55 on average, for a total $13.9 billion nationwide.”

More specifically, food and drinks are by far the most popular purchases for those Super Bowl viewers, making up an estimated 77% of transactions — much more than team apparel and accessories (11%), TVs (9%), decorations (7%) and furniture (5%).  

As for the Stop & Shop program, Chef Tiffani, a “Top Chef” runner-up and owner of several popular Boston eateries including Sweet Cheeks and Tiger Mama, has created four original recipes for Stop & Shop customers: Grilled Tandoori Chicken Drums, which combine the warming flavors of ginger, turmeric and paprika, classic French Onion Dip, spicy Jalapeno Cheesy Bread and Easy Chocolate Mousse with marshmallows as a sweet treat. In addition, customers will have access to videos of Chef Tiffani preparing the exclusive recipes at StopandShop.com.

Retired New England Patriots Hall of Famer and three-time Super Bowl winner Troy Brown has also created a unique Spotify “Pump-Up” playlist available on the homegating website for customers to download. From DJ Khaled to Van Halen, the playlist will quickly transform consumers from their living rooms to the stadium.

“Given the impact the pandemic has had on our community, we worked with P&G to create a homegating experience for customers to have fun while tuning into the Big Game in the comfort and safety of their own homes,” said Gordon Reid, president of Stop & Shop. “We also recognize the impact of the pandemic on the restaurant industry and have partnered with the Restaurant Strong Fund to offer support during these difficult times.”

Stop & Shop employs nearly 60,000 associates and operates more than 400 stores in Massachusetts, Connecticut, Rhode Island, New York and New Jersey. Parent company Ahold Delhaize USA is No. 4 on Progressive Grocer’s 2019 Super 50 list of the top grocers in the United States.