Upside partners with Associated Wholesale Grocers, aims to grow member profits

Upside, a Washington, D.C.-based digital marketplace that connects consumers with brick-and-mortar retailers through personalized offers designed to help them save on products they already buy, is partnering with Associated Wholesale Grocers, Inc.

AWG is the nation's largest cooperative food wholesaler to independently owned supermarkets, serving 1,100 member companies and more than 3,400 locations throughout 31 states from nine wholesale divisions, according to a news release. 

The Upside partnership will open up new opportunities for profit generation for AWG members and further expand Upside's rapidly growing network of 100,000 retailers nationwide, the release said.

“Grocers across the nation are actively seeking innovative avenues to boost profits while catering to the preferences of their customer base,” Stacy Bowe, AWG vice president of sales, support and solutions, said in the release. “Our collaboration with Upside helps to fulfill our mission to our member-retailers by equipping them with a diverse spectrum of vital resources, offerings and solutions to excel competitively in their markets.”

Consumers are looking for value in this high inflationary period, with 77% of survey respondents indicating they engage in price shopping when purchasing groceries, the company says, citing an Upside survey. The company says its personalized promotions not only draw in new shoppers, but also lead to 10% larger basket — 1.7 times more visits than the average customer and 1.9 times higher spending compared to the average customer.

“Changing consumer behaviors — including cross-shopping, heightened price sensitivity, and a pursuit of value — are making it all the more challenging to grow market share,” Tyler Renaghan, Upside vice president of retail, said in the release. “While loyalty programs remain crucial and indispensable for customer retention, Upside is proud to boost their impact by bringing new and lapsed customers into the fold.”

Upside’s platform of personalized promotions reach customers when they’re deciding where to buy — long before the point of sale — and offer them an incentive to shop with partners instead of their competitors, the release said.

In July, Upside achieved a milestone by exceeding $1 billion in new, incremental profit for its retail partners, the company says.

Upside is live at nearly 100,000 U.S. grocery stores, restaurants, gas stations and convenience stores nationwide, and over 30 million consumers have access to Upside’s promotions through its app and partner apps, the release said.

Related: Heritage Grocers Group expands Upside partnership