The Virginian-Pilot
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Farm Fresh customers can get $5 off a $50 tab and a chance to win $100 in groceries by leaving their cars at home and using alternative transportation.
On Tuesday, Farm Fresh announced its sponsorship of NuRide Inc., an organization that encourages drivers to carpool, bike, take public transportation or work from home instead of commuting alone in their cars. Participants sign up online for free, at www.nuride.com, and log points for every "green" trip taken. With those points, they can earn discounts from retailers, restaurants and entertainment venues.
Farm Fresh, the supermarket chain based in Virginia Beach, is NuRide's largest local sponsor so far. Calling its program "Groceries for Going Green," the retailer is rewarding NuRiders - users of the program - with a $5 coupon off a $50 grocery purchase and entry into a weekly drawing for a $100 store gift card through the year.
"As a business, we're always looking for ways to reduce our carbon footprint," Ron Dennis, Farm Fresh's president and chief operating officer, said during the launch of the NuRide partnership at the chain's Market at Harbor Heights store in downtown Norfolk. Farm Fresh chose to join the effort and reward NuRiders for "making greener choices," he said.
The Traffix program, part of Hampton Roads Transit, hired NuRide two years ago to help it promote the use of alternative modes of travel in the region. Since then, NuRide has gathered about 3,000 participants and 17 sponsors providing rewards in Hampton Roads.
Those include Busch Gardens, the Virginia Aquarium and Marine Science Center, the Virginia Zoo, Blue Ridge Mountain Sports, Mojito Cafe and Taste Unlimited. One "green" trip - a ride to the office with a co-worker, for instance - usually earns a NuRider 100 points, and rewards start at 500 points.
The program targets consumers who want to cut their contribution to congestion and carbon emissions but lack the drive to get started, said Rick Steele, chief executive of NuRide, which is based in Connecticut. The rewards give them that push, he said. "Incentives work," Steele said. "They keep people motivated."
Carolyn Shapiro, (757) 446-2270, carolyn.shapiro@pilotonline.com
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I thought….
…about it today while I was running errands.
I could have walked four blocks and stood in the cold waiting on a bus. Get on with who knows how many germs. Rode to Chimney Hill. Bought my fifty bucks of groceries. Risk my life crossing Holland Road lugging the purchases to stand at another bus stop to wait for another germ laden bus. Ride to my home stop. Risk life and limb again crossing eight lanes of Independence Blvd. carrying the fifty bucks worth of groceries then walking four blocks back to the house.
Great idea.
well said j2d4! I rarely
well said j2d4!
I rarely find good deals at food lion, and only at Harris Teeter when they do super doubles.
Farm Fresh is the only store in the area that doubles coupons up to a dollar on a regular basis (every wed., or everyday at the Market locations). By using coupons and looking at the ads I average a savings of 60% or more on my groceries each week. They also have the best price on milk, and usually bread. Their customer service at most locations is superior and if they are out of something on sale they will give you a raincheck and when it's in stock you get one of that item free! Who else does that in this area?
This area is becoming more and more urban with the lightrail and buses improving (hopefully). I think FF is doing a good thing.
Not that great an incentive...
I can see me trying to board a bus or ride a bike with all my groceries
from my biweekly trip to the store. Oh...they want me to to the store more often and buy more stuff than I really need...got it.
I shop at Farm Fresh often.
I shop at Farm Fresh often. Get a nickel off for every cloth bag I use, too. I like their produce better than Food Lion. I also like Kroger better than Food Lion, but have issues with their location not being very close to my house. Who wants to go to Ward's Corner when you don't have to?
Does…
…anyone use cloth bags? I have four. A well spent four dollars. Two from Food Lion and two from Harris Teeter. My discount cards are attached to them.
They’re my contribution to “green”.
farm fresh in ov
When Farm Fresh remodeled the store in OV their prices went up 15 to 20%. That info was provided by the employees. When gas was at it's highest they increased their prices another 15 to 20%. During the holidays there prices went up again. Every time I go there their prices are higher.
If you haven't shopped at other groceries, then you are spending too much on your food, and other stores have the same freshness and qwuality as they do.
But it's up to you!! I'm glad to know that some of you don't care about a BUDGET!
Too Funny
I USE to work in the Grocery Industry @ 1) Winn-Dixie 2) Food Lion 3) Farm Fresh 4) Harris Teeter.
Even @ Harris Teeter a consumer COULD save $$$ IF they shopped BY the Ad.
As with ANY 'business', they have ways/methods of getting the Customer IN the store.......usually with a Great Sale on an Item in their Ad.
IMHO & Experience, Food Lion fails miserably in this area. Just this past Holiday they had a Great Sale on Whole Pork Loins....BUT, they were OUT @ the Warehouse ! So....they put it IN the ad while they KNOW they cant supply them ? ( Then they want to penalize/reprimand the Dept Head for ' Out-of-Stocks ' ? )
Farm Fresh, day in and day out, WILL save the Consumer $$$ OVER Wal-Mart AND Food Lion. Farm Fresh's selection and the Angus Beef make it a no brainer (for me).
In the Greater Hampton Roads Area, Farm Fresh LEADS and all others struggle to Keep Up ! Keep up the Great Work Ron !
ps : The Suffolk Re-Model is awesome..............
farm fresh leads?????
$1.99 for a head of lettuce that is frozen in the midddle and rotten does not a LEADER make.
Grocery incentive
Kudos to Farm Fresh for always being the first in the market to offer customer incentives and to care about the community.
farm fresh
Who can afford to shop Farm Fresh? It costs me twice as much to shop there as it does other stores.