With grocery costs continuing to rise and uncertainty surrounding federal nutrition assistance programs, Piggly Wiggly Alabama Distributing Company has rolled out an innovative coupon initiative designed to help consumers stretch their food budgets further.
Launched Nov. 1, the Savings in a SNAP digital program focuses on staple items like eggs, milk, potatoes, pasta, tuna and chicken, offering savings ranging from 50 cents to $2 per item through both digital and print coupons.
Available across more than 150 stores spanning six states, the program serves all consumers, not just those receiving Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program benefits.
“With the SNAP issues and just basically the economy as a whole, consumers are struggling,” said David Quinn, director of retail at PWADC.
The results from the first campaign were striking, according to Quinn. He reported increases in retail purchases ranging from 200 percent to more than 400 percent on promoted items.
“It’s been a tremendous success at store level for our retailers, and the feedback we get from the consumers is [that it’s] very appreciated,” Quinn said.
The program’s flexibility has been key to its widespread adoption. PWADC has retailers use digital platforms through two partners, where coupons are distributed via text messages, emails and social media.
For stores currently without a digital infrastructure, PWADC created paper coupons with barcodes that can be scanned or manually processed at checkout. This manual process provides the stores with the ability to participate while they select a digital/loyalty partner.
The warehouse maintains careful oversight of the program. All costs are funded through PWADC and the vendor community, removing any financial burden from individual operators.
Quinn emphasized the program’s inclusive nature: “We didn’t only do this with the Piggly Wiggly banner stores, it’s for all retailers, whether they’re franchise or non-franchise.”
‘A plan to help people’
For single-store operators like Mike Wheeless, owner of Piggly Wiggly in Dublin, Georgia, the program represents more than just another promotional campaign.
“It puts us on a level playing field with some of the chains,” Wheeless said. “Our warehouse has been tremendous.
“What a great warehouse for an independent like me, or any independent, but for a guy running a single-store operation to have a warehouse go to bat for you and go out and work like they work to get us these deals, it’s been great.”
Wheeless has operated his store since 2010, though his grocery industry experience spans 46 years. His store seamlessly integrated the program with its app, and he praised the warehouse’s proactive approach.
He said the PWADC team put a lot of thought into the uncertainty of SNAP funding for November and ongoing SNAP issues.
“They came up with a plan to help people,” Wheeless said. “They got the staples – the peanut butter and the bread and the items that people need every day and try to get them at a lower cost for your customer. I think it’s a great idea, and it’s been a great program so far.”
The Dublin operator has been purchasing from the Piggly Wiggly warehouse since 1996, first as an employee and later as an owner. He described the warehouse as a cooperative that gives independents collective negotiating power while maintaining their operational autonomy.
“We’re a big group when you look at us that way. But then you’ve got people like me out here in a single store, and we’re independent,” Wheeless said. “Sometimes that’s a plus; sometimes it’s not, because we independently try to negotiate on our own on stuff.”
He went on to praise the warehouse team, PWADC CEO Christopher Brown and the cooperative’s buyers. “They really work hard and go out there and capture these additional deals for us and are able to fund it straight through to the customer.”
Wheeless attributed much of the warehouse’s recent momentum to Brown, who assumed leadership about a year ago.
“Christopher has really brought a fresh light to the operation,” Wheeless said. “He has been a driving force for our warehouse. This guy knows how to go out there and get stuff done. It’s been great to see the changes take place since he’s been here.
“This new program is a prime example. While everyone else is watching the news, the Piggly Wiggly team quickly introduced the program to help the communities we serve.”
For independent operators, Wheeless emphasized the comprehensive support available through Piggly Wiggly.
“The good thing about Piggly Wiggly as an independent operator, you can be as independent as you want to be,” he said. “You can still do what you need to do in your market to be successful, but Piggly Wiggly will give you all the tools to make it almost a turnkey operation.
“They’ve got the ad programs. They recently expanded the TPR (temporary price reduction) program. They’ve got the SNAP digital program. They’re involved in the electronic app programs they can help you with.
“They can help you with merchandising, and they’ve got meat counselors that can come out and help you with your meat department. They can cover your whole store, and they can really train you to be successful.”
Technology integration makes it seamless
AJ Marino, owner of Marino’s Market in Birmingham, Alabama, has taken full advantage of the Savings in a SNAP program’s digital capabilities. His store uses AppCard technology to create a sophisticated but user-friendly experience for customers.
“The customers love it,” Marino said. “They can either clip it beforehand on the Marino’s app, or they can do it at each register.”
The system also sends notifications directly to customers’ phones and provides digital receipts.
Marino added that it is easy for customers to sign up at the register. He also noted that he can stack PWADC coupons with national coupons, if available, which provides more savings for customers.
What Marino appreciates most is how the warehouse handles the heavy lifting. With his IT background, he understands the complexity that other operators might face, but the Savings in a SNAP program requires minimal technical knowledge.
“You’ve got to have warehouse support,” Marino said. “As you know, there’s not enough time in the day running this type of business. You’re kind of by yourself, and I always pushed something like this program.
“And what’s cool about this is the warehouse is picking items … it’s automatically loaded for us. There’s really not that much injection, other than me making sure it works and get it to the customers through any kind of social media.”
He contrasted this with his previous experience creating in-house coupons, which required significant time and effort. With the Savings in a SNAP digital program, the warehouse creates the offers, loads them into the system and funds them entirely.
“With the Pig funding this, it’s running like a real warehouse where they’re creating items, they’re crediting and they’re funding it,” Marino said.
“Most people aren’t IT-mindset like I am … but you [need only] limited knowledge to run this, because the warehouse is supporting and doing the work for you. And not many warehouses have that.”
The program’s variety keeps customers engaged. Rather than repeating the same promotions, the warehouse changes offerings weekly, maintaining freshness and relevance.
“It never gets boring,” Marino said. “Our warehouse is doing a very good job of keeping it new, keeping it fresh, new items each week. But [customers are] really loving it.”
Marino is seeing clear indicators of success through increased customer enrollment.
“I can look at every day how many people sign up for our program. Since we launched this program, more and more people are signing up daily. So you can see a lift on that,” he said.
Like Wheeless, Marino praised the warehouse’s leadership and buying team.
“David Quinn’s great, all the people there. And I’m really excited that we have Christopher now. He’s very aggressive. He’s just like us,” Marino said.
Marino also leverages electronic shelf labels, which integrate seamlessly with the program. When the warehouse sends pricing batches, his shelf labels update automatically without manual intervention from staff.
“I download from our warehouse batch, and I update the price anytime,” Marino said.
The Savings in a SNAP program represents a significant investment in consumer support during economically challenging times. By focusing on essential grocery items and making savings accessible through multiple channels, PWADC has created a model that benefits consumers while strengthening its retail partners’ competitive position.
As Quinn noted, the impact extends beyond simple price reductions. In Alabama alone, he said about 750,000 people receive SNAP benefits, and while the program isn’t exclusively for SNAP recipients, it provides crucial support for food security across the company’s six-state footprint.
The warehouse’s commitment to weekly campaigns ensures the program remains a consistent resource for consumers navigating higher food costs. Piggly Wiggly Alabama will continue to transition more stores to either of its digital/loyalty partners, RSA or AppCard.
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