Farm food shops grow on Ice – battle with multiples hots up
Ice, the burgeoning loyalty scheme, has seen an exponential growth in partners from the farm shop sector in its first six months of operations.
The growth, from 15 to 500 partners, comes as the sector sees the benefits of offering local produce and national level rewards as well as the attractiveness among consumers for being rewarded for shopping sustainably.
Ice launched in January with a call to farm food shops to join and take the multiples on in the loyalty sector. It also has deals in place with Eurostar, Arriva and Green & Blacks among others.
The latest companies to join the scheme are Big Barn, the virtual farmers market which has hundreds of farm food shops nationwide under its umbrella and Planet Organic which delivers across London.
Big Barn CEO Anthony Davison says, “This is about all the little guy farm shops versus the faceless global behemoths. By joining together like this farm shops stay local but offer national level rewards, its the best of both worlds.
Planet Organic CEO Peter Marsh says, “As one of the UK’s leading suppliers of organic foods we fully understand the benefits of customer service and a quality of food which is above and beyond what can be found in most supermarkets. Ice, with its generous rewards system, adds a new layer to what we can offer and will revolutionise the number of consumers who can access a sustainable lifestyle.
Jude Thorne, CEO of The Ice Organisation says, Signing up Big Barn and all their partners is another sign of the momentum growing behind us. People like the idea of shopping locally, shopping in season, shopping sustainably and of being rewarded for doing so which is exactly what Ice does.
Were delighted with our success in this sector and would urge all farm shops to sign-up as we offer them, and all their customers, rewards they simply wont be able to match on an individual basis.
Ice is primarily about rewarding people for making more sustainable choices and we offer sustainable shopping across a range of sectors including travel, clothing and utilities. In terms of food, however, there is little doubt farm shops offer all consumers who want to buy locally produced food better value and taste with fewer food miles.
About The Ice Organisation
IceTM is a new reward programme that links consumers with environmentally friendly goods and services across Britain. The www.myice.comwebsite offers a broad range of everyday and specialist products covering food and drink, fashion, house and garden, home energy, travel and gift ideas, you can also collect and spend Ice online, over the telephone or in store with an Ice card
Unlike conventional rewards programmes, Ice customers can collect and spend their Ice credits on the same partners and products. There are no catches and customers can spend any Ice credits in their MyIce Account and combined with cash or card payment to get a discount or pay in full.
Among the award-winning farm shop, food delivery companies and artisans who have joined the Ice scheme are:
Nationwide delivery; British Fine Foods, Big Barn
London: Planet Organic, Foodari Direct
Suffolk: Alder Carr Farm
Norfolk: Back to The Garden
West Sussex: Tulleys Farm
Lancashire: Bashall Barn
West Lothian: Craigies
Fife: Muddy Boots
Yorkshire: The Farmers Cart, Avid Organics, Farmer Copleys
Hampshire/Isle of Wight: Farmer Jacks
Somerset: Farringtons Farm Shop
Kent: Foodari Direct, Foodari Farm Shop
Warwickshire: Lower Clopton Farm Shop
Cheshire: Northern Harvest
Gloucester: Over Farm Market
East Sussex: Foodari Direct
About Planet Organic
Since 1995 Planet Organic been sourcing the very best organic, gluten, dairy and wheat- free products to give customers a sustainable alternative to the traditional supermarket. We now have over 8,000 lines in our four London stores, a fifth store opening in the City in September 2011 and serve over 30,000 customers a week. Both affordably priced and ethically sound, our food, health, beauty and lifestyle products, delicious in-store cafes and food to go service are unique to Planet Organic