UNFI and CoupDog Partner to Upgrade Digital Coupon System

Grocery wholesaler and distributor United Natural Foods, Inc. (UNFI) has partnered with digital coupon provider CoupDog to offer customers digital coupons on products, including private label items.

First covered by Store Brands’ sister publication Progressive Grocer, CoupDog combines a secure, scalable distributed ledger using blockchain technology to address these concerns, making it simple and hassle-free for consumers to discover and redeem valuable digital coupons. The partnership will allow UNFI’s 30,000+ store drive increased participation in manufacturer-funded coupon redemption.

“We’re excited to be working with CoupDog to unleash the latest in digital technology to redefine coupons for grocery retail,” said Chris Testa, president at UNFI. “Our focus is on solutions that empower retailers to grow and thrive while improving the customer experience for shoppers. These technologically advanced coupons not only deliver a more reliable and secure transaction, but they are also structured to reduce costs, improve cash flow, increase shopper loyalty and drive retailer profits.”

CoupDog’s patented solution also fully supports the new 8112 Universal Digital Coupon format. Its digital coupons easily integrate with a retailer’s point-of-sale, e-commerce and marketing platforms to create a seamless omnichannel experience for shoppers. The complexity of coupon acceptance, validation and redemption is managed by CoupDog, with no additional labor required from retailers. Additionally, integration with UNFI’s existing paper coupon clearing service facilitates a quick and seamless payment to retailers.

“We are very excited to be working with UNFI to empower independent grocers to deliver a modern, simple, easy-to-use digital coupon platform,” said Rob Balfour, CEO of Toronto-based CoupDog. “We are proud to provide these retailers with best-in-class promotional tools, allowing them to deliver compelling promotions and significant cost savings to their customers.”

Based in Providence, R.I., UNFI delivers fresh, branded, and private label products to more than 30,000 banner locations across North America.