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Giant Food Stores goes chainwide with Choice Rewards

Revamped loyalty program unites customer benefits under one brand

Russell Redman

October 7, 2019

3 Min Read
Giant Food Stores_exterior shot.JPG
Giant Food-Carlisle

Following a consumer pilot this summer, Giant Food Stores has launched its new Choice Rewards loyalty program at all Giant and Martin’s Food Markets stores.

Carlisle, Pa.-based Giant said Monday that Choice Rewards saw a strong response from customers in its first public test market in western Pennsylvania. That pilot, started in June, came after an initial test with store associates in January that was expanded to all associates in August.

Giant executives say Choice Rewards builds on the popularity of the retailer’s longtime gas rewards program. Maintaining the benefits of the Giant BonusCard, Gas Extra Rewards and Bonus Buy Savings programs, Choice Rewards brings them under one brand with new ways to earn and redeem points — plus an improved digital experience, including access via the Giant and Martin’s mobile apps.

Matt _Simon_GIANT Food Stores-copy.jpg“When we designed Giant Choice Rewards, we did so with today’s families in mind,” Matt Simon (left), chief marketing officer for Giant Food Stores, said in a statement. “We know no two families are the same, so no loyalty experience should be either. Easy to use, our new program gives our customers more of what they’ve been asking for while providing us with a new way to meet their evolving needs, helping us deliver a truly unique customer experience.”

Related:Podcast: Giant’s Nick Bertram unveils Choice Rewards

Under Giant Choice Rewards, customers earn one point for every $1 spent and can redeem points for fuel discounts (10 cents for every 100 points up to 25 gallons) and earn free gas. Weekly circular promotions also enable customers to earn extra points for purchases.

New ways for members to earn points include personalized monthly basket offers, personalized weekly category offers and monthly semi-personalized, category-specific offers. Shopper, too, get new ways to redeem points, such as dollars off the shopping basket ($1 for every 100 points) and free products with point redemptions. In addition, customers can now redeem CSM vendor coupons for points instead of money off products.

With Choice Rewards, Giant also has brought an improved look and functionality to the app and the loyalty program website. For instance, in the app, a home rewards tab highlights point-earnings offers, and customers can more easily convert points to grocery and fuel discounts and redeem points on special offers.

“We’re always looking for ways to use technology to give our customers a better shopping experience,” Simon added. “Following the positive feedback we received from our associates and customers during the pilot, we’re excited to introduce the expanded program to all of our customers, offering them the freedom to choose the reward that matters most to them and additional ways to be rewarded, just in time for the holiday season.”

Related:Giant Food Stores named SN Retailer of the Year

Plans call for Giant to initiate a comprehensive marketing campaign for Choice Rewards in 2020. That effort is slated to include advertising circular product overlays for point rewards to drive further customer engagement, such as double points for a minimum transaction size, point bonuses for buying certain products and free items for using a specific number of points. The program is called Giant Choice Rewards at Giant supermarkets and Martin’s Choice Rewards at Martin’s locations.

Part of Ahold Delhaize USA, Giant operates 181 stores, 132 pharmacies, 102 fuel stations and more than 100 online grocery pickup and delivery sites under the Giant, Martin’s, Giant Heirloom Market, and Giant Direct and Martin’s Direct Powered by Peapod banners.

About the Author

Russell Redman

Senior Editor
Supermarket News

Russell Redman has served as senior editor at Supermarket News since April 2018, his second tour with the publication. In his current role, he handles daily news coverage for the SN website and contributes news and features for the print magazine, as well as participates in special projects, podcasts and webinars and attends industry events. Russ joined SN from Racher Press Inc.’s Chain Drug Review and Mass Market Retailers magazines, where he served as desk/online editor for more than nine years, covering the food/drug/mass retail sector. 

Russell Redman’s more than 30 years of experience in journalism span a range of editorial manager, editor, reporter/writer and digital roles at a variety of publications and websites covering a breadth of industries, including retailing, pharmacy/health care, IT, digital home, financial technology, financial services, real estate/commercial property, pro audio/video and film. He started his career in 1989 as a local news reporter and editor, covering community news and politics in Long Island, N.Y. His background also includes an earlier stint at Supermarket News as center store editor and then financial editor in the mid-1990s. Russ holds a B.A. in journalism (minor in political science) from Hofstra University, where he also earned a certificate in digital/social media marketing in November 2016.

Russell Redman’s experience:

Supermarket News - Informa
Senior Editor 
April 2018 - present

Chain Drug Review/Mass Market Retailers - Racher Press
Desk/Online Editor 
Sept. 2008 - March 2018

CRN magazine - CMP Media
Managing Editor
May 2000 - June 2007

Bank Systems & Technology - Miller Freeman
Executive Editor/Managing Editor
Dec. 1996 - May 2000

Supermarket News - Fairchild Publications
Financial Editor/Associate Editor
April 1995 - Dec. 1996 

Shopping Centers Today Magazine - ICSC 
Desk Editor/Assistant Editor
Dec. 1992 - April 1995

Testa Communications
Assistant Editor/Contributing Editor (Music & Sound Retailer, Post, Producer, Sound & Communications and DJ Times magazines)
Jan. 1991 - Dec. 1992 

American Banker/Bond Buyer
Copy Editor
Oct. 1990 - Jan. 1991 

This Week newspaper - Chanry Communications
Reporter/Editor
May 1989 - July 1990

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