Last updated on February 15th, 2017 at 03:01 pm
Participants in the federal Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) will soon have a new, convenient way to shop and pay for their groceries. At The NGA Show, happening now in Las Vegas, Rosie announced that independent grocers using its e-commerce app can now offer customers the ability to shop online and pay for SNAP-eligible items at-store using their EBT benefits.
With funding from CenterState CEO’s Grants for Growth Program, Rosie is the only e-commerce software company to offer EBT/SNAP in-store payment capability to independent grocers. Soon, through its participation in the USDA SNAP Online Purchasing Pilot, Rosie will enable retailers to offer online SNAP payment capability to their shoppers.
CenterState CEO is a Central New York organization that says it is committed to regional prosperity through business growth and success. CenterState CEO runs the Grants for Growth program, made possible with support from New York State Sen. John DeFrancisco, that provides funding to support innovative business concepts. The program provided $100,000 to Rosie for the development of new technology, operational procedures and systems to manage food security, access and nutrition issues on a national scale for the EBT/SNAP program.
“We are excited to see the impact of Grants for Growth on startups like Rosie, which has utilized the program to grow as a company by developing new platforms,” said Rick Clonan, VP of innovation at CenterState CEO. “The option to use EBT/SNAP benefits to pay for online grocery orders will benefit the consumer and also opens up new growth opportunities for Rosie; they are now a strong resource for the USDA as it rolls out the SNAP Online Purchasing Pilot.”
In January, Rosie’s retail partner, Dash’s Market, was selected to take part in the federal pilot program to enable SNAP participants to purchase their groceries online. Participating in the pilot will enable Rosie to accept online payment for SNAP/EBT, allowing the company to extend its existing functionality to enable home delivery, with the goal of helping Dash’s launch SNAP delivery services in late August, in accordance with USDA timelines. Amazon, FreshDirect, Safeway, ShopRite, and Hy-Vee also were chosen to participate in the pilot program with Dash’s Market.
“EBT/SNAP customers are often strapped financially and for time and may be working multiple jobs and taking care of children or elderly parents,” said Natasha Thompson, executive director, Food Bank of the Southern Tier. “Rosie will help these customers save time and stick to a budget because the app displays a running total as they buy their essential items. We’re grateful to Rosie and CenterState CEO for making this new service available to many of the millions of Americans who receive EBT/SNAP benefits.”
Vowell’s Marketplace, a Mississippi-based supermarket chain with 21 locations, recently decided to use Rosie to develop its e-commerce program. While Vowell’s has not yet launched its e-commerce service, Todd Vowell, president of Vowell’s Marketplace, said that Rosie’s SNAP capabilities was the main reason he decided to partner with the online grocery shopping app.
“We looked at all options for e-commerce,” said Vowell. “Rosie was the only company to offer this SNAP payment capability. We’re launching our online shopping service with curbside pickup, and we believe that will pair well with this payment functionality.”
Shoppers around the country utilize the Rosie app each month to process and pay for their online grocery orders. With the EBT/SNAP capability, a segment of the population that has been underserved by online grocery shopping will now be able to take advantage of the service, according to Rosie.
“Rosie was founded on the premise of making the everyday act of buying groceries as easy as possible for every shopper, and this new service is designed with the particular concerns of EBT/SNAP users in mind,” said Rosie CEO Nick Nickitas. “This program enables our retail partners to compete with national chains and big-box stores by offering expanded access to healthy food and a convenient way for shoppers to place, pay for and receive their orders.”
