Associated Wholesale Grocers Partners With Upside to Unlock New Profit Generation Opportunities

Retailers will be able to provide enhanced value to their customers

11/9/2023

Upside partners with Associated Wholesale Grocers to unlock new profit generation opportunities for members.

Associated Wholesale Grocers, Inc. (AWG) has partnered with tech company Upside to open up new opportunities for profit generation for AWG members and further expand Upside's rapidly growing network of 100,000 retailers nationwide.

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

“Grocers across the nation are actively seeking innovative avenues to boost profits while catering to the preferences of their customer base. 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,” said Stacy Bowen, AWG VP sales, support and solutions.

“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. 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,” added Tyler Renaghan, VP of retail at Washington, D.C.-based Upside.

Upside’s platform of personalized, profitable promotions reach customers when they’re deciding where to buy — long before the point-of-sale — and offer them the right incentive to shop with partners instead of their competitors. In July, Upside achieved a substantial milestone by exceeding $1 billion in new, incremental profit for its retail partners.

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.

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. The company is No. 35 on The PG 100, Progressive Grocer’s 2023 list of the top food and consumables retailers in North America.