GreenJinn grocery app expands offering to support SME sales and stock during COVID-19 crisis

by Startacus Admin

The GreenJinn grocery app has innovated quickly in response to the COVID-19 pandemic making some rapid changes to its service...

As we all know, the current COVID-19 crisis is bringing many challenges for all businesses - in all sorts of ways.

In a bid to help, cashback app service GreenJinn has made some pretty rapid changes to its service to support brands and in particular independent brands.

In response to stock shortages in traditional supermarkets, the closure of many foodservice channels and the previously unseen virtual online queues, GreenJinn have opened more sales channels in order to allow brands to continue to market and sell their products and thereby repurpose their sitting stock.

Although many independent brands already sell directly from their own e-commerce platforms, and via Amazon, they have to date often heavily relied on their in-store presence in the large supermarket chains such as Tesco, Sainsbury’s, Asda and Morrisons. The need to drive traffic to online has therefore been historically less important than in-store presence, distribution and promotions.

However that has now changed during the COVID-19 pandemic where all norms have been challenged. Supermarkets have pressed pause on in-store promotions and further stock orders whilst they focus on key essentials. Also, supermarkets’ online sites have been temporarily switched off in an effort to keep up with shopper demand. Many independent brands who relied on the “big four”, or who focussed on selling B2B via restaurants, pubs and hotels, are therefore under a huge amount of pressure.

Some brands have reported a loss in sales as much as 85% in just a week, as key channels close the door on them. Other brands frantically look to repurpose their stock from B2B into B2C, whilst some brands supplying the catering and event industry have even seen the return of their stock.

In the spirit of support and with online grocery sales reportedly peaking in the last weeks by 100%, GreenJinn’s team worked around the clock to launch Amazon onto their platform. The team will also shortly integrate brands’ own e-commerce channels into the app.

Independent brands will then be centre stage in front of 400,000 British families using the app, allowing the discovery of alternative channels to source food in an effective way whilst also complying with social distancing measures. GreenJinn shoppers are being encouraged to make a difference and buy from small independent brands to support local businesses that are bravely facing this unprecedented crisis, #buysmallhelpbig.

“We pride ourselves on listening to our users, both consumers and brands, and decided to act fast, responding to their needs. What can be seen as a reactive strategy to a current emergency may turn out to be a hit in strengthening the direct relationship between shoppers and brands” - Rob Amerighi and Giuseppe Licari, Co-Founders of GreenJinn.

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• #food
• #innovation
• #
• #grocery

Published on: 2nd April 2020