Far East Brokers and Consultants in Jacksonville, Florida, has developed the new GrillPerks rewards program, which it says is the first cross-category consumer loyalty program for manufacturers of grilling-related products.
The online program engages shoppers with helpful tips, recipes and promotions on a wide range of grilling products and rewards them with gift cards from participating retailers.
The GrillPerks rewards program encourages retailer loyalty for all things grilling, while providing a turnkey vehicle to cross-promote grilling brands and build baskets. The GrillPerks rewards program inspires grilling occasions all year long, not just for the occasional cookout or major grilling holidays like Memorial Day and the Fourth of July.
GrillPerks was created by Far East Brokers, who distributes the Mr. Bar-B-Q brand of grills and grilling tools and accessories. Other brands participating in the program include Kingsford and MatchLight Charcoal, Hidden Valley, KC Masterpiece, Bubba Burger, El Yucateco Hot Sauce, Soy Vay, Wonderbread and Natures Own.
“Shoppers are invited to participate in GrillPerks via on-package callouts on millions of grills and grilling accessories at grocery and drug stores throughout the county,” said Mike Sims, executive vice president for Far East Brokers. “A robust social media presence supporting the campaign will keep consumers interested in grilling throughout the year while rewarding loyalty for purchasing GrillPerks participating brands in the stores of our retail partners.”
“We have enjoyed a great deal of success over the past several years co-promoting our Mr. Bar-B-Q brand grills and grilling accessories with great brand partners like Bubba Burger and Kingsford,” Sims said. “This year, we’ve elevated that partnership by creating the GrillPerks loyalty program and welcoming some additional national brand partners. Together, these brands create a powerful voice for grilling.”
The way the program works is a customer goes online to GrillPerks.com or texts the word GRILLPERKS to 811811and registers. They have to check off their primary grocery store. When they buy products from the participating brands, they photograph the receipt and text, email or upload it directly to GrillPerks.com. No app is needed. For each dollar spent, the member earns a point. For every 50 points, they earn a $10 retailer or Visa gift card.
“We’ve been able to extend our brand outside of the frozen food and meat cases by linking to general merchandise through our partnership with Far East Brokers,” said Andy Stenson, vice president of marketing for BUBBA Foods, LLC. “The Bubba Burger by Mr. Bar-B-Q line of branded grills and grilling accessories has been a huge success on many fronts. Now the GrillPerks program allows us the ability to market with synergistic brands through an innovative digital platform, reaching new consumers that will help build brand loyalty for all of our Bubba Burger family of products.”
“This is an important new promotion for retailers as well,” Sims said. “Grocers who are winning today are the ones who recognize the importance of having a solid seasonal general merchandise strategy. Shoppers come to the grocery store already for most of their grilling occasion purchases and offering grills and grilling accessories is as important to completing the shopping trip as anything else on their list. Millennials want one-stop shopping and are willing to reward the retailer with their loyalty if you can provide that. Seasonal general merchandise is a smart way to attract and keep millennials coming back to the store.”
More than 20 major retail grocers throughout the U.S. are participating in the GrillPerks promotion, such as Publix and Food Lion in the South; ShopRite and Big Y Stores in the Northeast; Schnucks and Giant Eagle in the Midwest: and Brookshire’s Food and Pharmacy and Bartell Drugstores in the West.
