These days, competition in the foodservice industry is fierce. With so many businesses still struggling to recover, operators need to make the most of every opportunity to get ahead and stand out.
It’s companies like Greenbridge Foodservice that are helping to find ways to add value and provide the tools that businesses need to compete in today’s marketplace. As a marketing organization founded in 2014, Greenbridge supports independent restaurants and distributors across Canada through its Brand Points PLUS Rewards Program. The program supports over 14,000 independent restaurants with marketing, promotions, and a rewards catalogue allowing businesses to earn and redeem points with products from nationally recognized brands. From its inception, the program was designed to support national brands and independent restaurants with a network connecting sales reps, managers, distributors, and more.
After much success, Greenbridge has expanded the program, introducing Brand Points PLUS Cash earlier this year. “We looked at the industry as a whole and we saw a need for support for the independent operators. Brand Points PLUS Cash is a marketing strategy allowing our independent operators to continue to collect points for the rewards program, but also affording them a cash rebate when they buy through our distribution network,” said Brian Hopkins, CEO at Greenbridge Foodservice. “This program also highlights national brands, offering them an advantage in the marketplace.”
Along with the rewards and cash incentives, the program offers even more value to its nationwide membership with access to valuable tools at their fingertips. “We also offer the option of using their earned cash to purchase assets like website builders, HR components, food costing tools, and more, to help their businesses thrive,” Hopkins explained. So, this part of the program not only allows members access to practical services at ‘no cost’ but it also provides them with the opportunity to build their businesses and get ahead.
Having spent a lot of time building their own business, Greenbridge has devoted many hours to creating new and innovative strategies to help their distribution partners, sales teams, and independent operators grow their businesses. And as pricing certainly remains top of mind in today’s economy, the goal remains to provide their members with the best possible program for the marketplace.
“This program allows operators to use that income to add value to their restaurants where they need it the most to add profitability to their business. That’s our mission,” said Hopkins.
The Brand Points PLUS Rewards and Brand Points PLUS Cash programs serve to lift the whole foodservice industry up, including distributors like Flanagan Foodservice, one of the founding members of the Brand Points PLUS Rewards Program. The opportunity to take advantage of a unique marketing advantage helps independent distributors like Flanagan’s help their clientele, the independent restaurant operators.
Flanagan Foodservice, founded in 1977, is a Canadian, family-owned distributor that serves over 7,000 restaurants and foodservice operators in Ontario. With branches in Kitchener, Sudbury, and Whitby, Flanagan’s has grown to become the largest independent distributor in Canada, servicing Ontario as well as New Brunswick, and Newfoundland through Capital Foodservice and FJ Wadden.
Greenbridge’s programs allow Flanagan’s to be able to partner with them to support marketing nationally branded products throughout Canada through their members. “We are excited that this new offering helps to enhance the exclusive Brand Points Plus program for Greenbridge members,” said Barry Reid, VP of sales and marketing at Flanagan Foodservice. “It’s a unique program that our sales team can offer to the independent marketplace, focusing on helping that sector remain competitive, and helping to provide some cash back that they can use to help move forward,” Reid continued.
And the programs are popular with its members! “We’ve received lots of positive feedback on the Brand Points Plus Rewards program so far and we’re very excited for our customers to also be able to participate in the Brand Points PLUS Cash program,” Reid says.
These incentives provide opportunities for independent restaurants to use their points where they need them most and the vendors themselves are able to promote their products across Canada. Tying so many elements together, these types of industry-wide endeavours move everyone forward.
As the industry works to get back on its feet, operators will need to take advantage of opportunities like the Brand Points PLUS Rewards and Brand Points PLUS Cash programs, which continue to add elements that increase support for the marketplace with even more services and value for their members.
