The Giant Company launches Choice Pass online grocery subscription

Amid surging demand for online grocery shopping, The Giant Company has unveiled a membership program called Choice Pass that offers unlimited delivery and pickup orders for an annual fee.

Carlisle, Pa.-based Giant said Tuesday that Choice Pass — whose logo reflects the chain’s Choice Rewards loyalty program — costs $98 per year and allows Giant Direct and Martin’s Direct online grocery customers to order as often as they like and never pay a delivery or pickup fee. Also available is a monthly option of $12.95 for unlimited free pickup and delivery transactions.

The Choice Pass annual plan provides subscribers a savings of $21 and pays for itself with two deliveries per month or one pickup per week, according to Giant. 

Currently, individual orders carry a $2.95 fee and a minimum purchase of $30 for pickup and a $7.95 fee and a minimum transaction of $60 for delivery.

The Giant and Martin's Choice Pass logos reflect The Giant Company's Choice Rewards loyalty program.

“The demand for online grocery services has skyrocketed over the past year, far surpassing the growth that was originally predicted. The same holds true for Giant Direct, where we’ve seen online customers grow each month,” Matt Simon, chief marketing officer at The Giant Company, said in a statement. “Today’s families are strapped for time, and Choice Pass simplifies shopping with an easy solution that helps save them time and money, without compromising on quality, giving them more time to come together at their table and connect over a meal.”

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Choice Pass replaces the PodPass membership plan, which carried an annual fee of $119. Frans Muller, CEO of Ahold Delhaize, Giant’s parent company, had told industry analysts in a November conference call that The Giant Company planned to test a new subscription offering in early 2021.

One-third of The Giant Company’s customer base are digital shoppers, Simon noted. 

“As that number grows, given the renewed interest in subscription services, especially grocery delivery, Choice Pass also positions us for future growth in the expanding digital landscape,” he explained. “And as we look forward, we’ll continue to explore ways to strengthen our e-commerce platform to not only meet the increasing demand but to also offer a seamlessly integrated online experience to our online customers.”

Giant added that 90% of its retail footprint offers access to online grocery ordering, pickup and delivery services. Overall, the company operates nearly 190 stores under the Giant, Martin’s and Giant Heirloom Market banners plus 132 pharmacies, 105 fuel stations and more than 145 online pickup hubs, as well as grocery delivery in hundreds of ZIP codes.

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