The Fresh Market launches its first shopper rewards program

The Fresh Market has jumped into the rewards arena with the Ultimate Loyalty Experience, the specialty grocer’s first customer loyalty program in its 40-year history.

Now available at all 159 stores in 22 states, as well as via The Fresh Market website, the Ultimate Loyalty Experience offers members exclusive savings on products, rewards for purchases and special benefits such as a free slice of birthday cake during their birthday month, the Greensboro, N.C.-based retailer said Tuesday.

Key features including automatically loaded, clippable and curated member-only offers, digital coupons and “The Club Hub” purchase frequency programs, which enable Ultimate Loyalty Experience customers to earn free product or dollars off favorite items.

The Fresh Market said it researched top loyalty and e-commerce programs worldwide in developing the Ultimate Loyalty Experience.

The Fresh Market said The Club Hub, offered across all stores, is starting off with five clubs: Market Meal Kit Club, Artisan Cheese Club, Whole Panini Club, Floral Club and Coffee by the Cup Club. The chain noted that loyalty members will be able to help determine the next purchase-frequency program, as the most-in-demand request may become the next new club.

Another loyalty benefit includes localized offers. For example, a Wine Club frequency program is available in Florida stores, while a “Little Big Meal” Club is offered in Boca Raton, Fla.

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The Ultimate Loyalty Experience is available via The Fresh Market's website as well as its 159 stores in 22 states.

In developing the Ultimate Loyalty Experience, The Fresh Market said it researched the top loyalty and e-commerce programs and platforms worldwide to identify compelling features, functionality, technology, value propositions and use cases. That includes the ability to customize benefits and create frequency programs to meet shoppers' needs down to the store level.

“We took all the best of the best elements from our key learnings and applied them to our brand, our guests and our business model to create the Ultimate Loyalty Experience,” according to Kevin Miller, chief marketing officer at The Fresh Market. “We know that our brand, our products and our guests are special and unique, so we are thrilled that our Ultimate Loyalty Experience has been custom built from the ground up to provide a strong value exchange for our guests that will help us serve them even better. And we have a few surprises for them in the upcoming months, too.”

The Fresh Market said customers can join the Ultimate Loyalty Experience by signing up at the retailer’s website, scanning QR codes on in-store signage or using their mobile device to text “FRESH” to 31757. They also can initiate the registration process by providing their email address at checkout, for a near real-time recognition at the point of sale.

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