Dive Brief:
- Rosie, an ecommerce platform provider, said that independent grocers utilizing its ecommerce app will be able to offer its customers the ability to shop online and pay for Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program eligible items in stores using their EBT benefits, according to Progressive Grocer.
- The process was made possible by funding from CenterState CEO’s Grants for Growth Program.
- The pilot program will include Dash’s Market, Amazon.com, FreshDirect, Safeway, ShopRite and Hy-Vee.
Dive Insight:
The U.S. Department of Agriculture classifies SNAP as an important way to assist millions of eligible, low-income individuals and families with nutritious food. The assistance program is the largest in the domestic hunger safety net.
As of February, retailers using the Rosie ecommerce app for SNAP included Dash’s Markets, Amazon.com, FreshDirect, Safeway, ShopRite, Hy-Vee and Vowell’s Marketplace. The latter is a Mississippi-based supermarket chain with 21 locations, which said it connected with Rosie mostly due to its SNAP capabilities.
“We’re now able to serve a segment of the population who we currently can’t get to and can’t get to us,” said Joe Dash, owner of Dash’s Market, in a company release. “Whether they’re low-income families, mobility impaired or without transportation, we’re now able to improve healthy food access to those community members who need it most.”
An ongoing two-year pilot involving several retailers is the first time SNAP recipients have been able to pay for their groceries online. It brings the ease of online grocery shopping and delivery to everyone. Part of the push online for SNAP is to bring healthy food to more people. A New York state grocery store participating in the program told the local newspaper that it applied to take part after noticing that fresh produce was its most delivered items. According to USDA, the pilot is to ensure that safe and secure transactions can take place online, and convenience, service and delivery fees can be kept separate from food purchases.
After the USDA pilot, Rosie intends to offer the SNAP online payment capability to its hundreds of independent grocery partners across the country.