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Grocery distributor United Natural Foods Inc. (UNFI) partnered with Sampler, a digital product sampling platform, to enable CPG brands to send samples to consumers’ homes.
Sampler, headquartered in Toronto, said on Wednesday that for safety reasons, the COVID-19 outbreak more than 18 months ago caused the wholesale of in-store sampling to be closed. To help CPG companies continue to use product trials as a marketing tool, Sampler's online platform allows brands to provide physical samples to target consumers, effectively bringing the in-store sample experience to their doorstep.
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Sampler matches consumers with product samples by developing profiles based on consumer preferences and lifestyle attributes. (Photo provided by sampler)
"Supporting innovation and new ideas has always been part of our company's DNA," UNFI President Chris Testa said in a statement. “UNFI sells more than 275,000 unique products from thousands of countries, regions, and local suppliers. Working with Sampler, we can help provide solutions for brands that want to increase product trials and consumer awareness. This new marketing tool can Customize based on demographics and regions, and provide the ability to support the distribution of products to UNFI retailers."
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As the largest listed grocery distributor in North America, UNFI operates nearly 50 distribution centers in the United States and Canada, supplying more than 30,000 retailers, including natural products supermarkets, independent retailers, traditional supermarket chains, e-commerce retailers, and catering services Provider.
Sampler stated that its direct-to-consumer platform — which has partnered with more than 570 brands in 24 countries and covering more than 50 million consumers — aims to provide brands with targeted, affordable, and measurable , While helping them promote experimentation and awareness; collect first-party data; and receive consumer ratings, reviews, and user-generated content.
Through its direct-to-consumer solutions, Sampler reaches more than 50 million shoppers. (Photo provided by sampler)
To receive product samples from participating brands, consumers first create a Sampler account and answer a set of profile questions to match items that reflect their lifestyle and preferences. After the consumer matches the brand's product. The same products are processed, packaged and shipped to their homes in a safe, non-contact manner. Consumers check their accounts every month to see if new samples are available.
Sampler said that brands can target consumers based on attributes such as region, demographics, lifestyle, personal interests, and dietary preferences. By promoting email opt-in and collecting ratings and reviews, CPG companies can mine consumer insights, build effective remarketing campaigns, and guide consumers through the purchase process. The Sampler platform also enables brands to syndicate product ratings and reviews to their e-commerce website.
A study commissioned by Sampler of more than 38,000 North American consumers found that 74.6% of respondents prefer to shop at home and try products.
Marie Chervier, CEO and founder of Sampler, commented: “Once the pandemic hits, traditional methods of distributing samples, such as in-store presentations, become infeasible.” “Because of this, we have been working hard to spread the word on digital products. The awareness of sampling and making it available to brands of all sizes. With the help of UNFI, we can accelerate dialogue with brands in the UNFI portfolio about the power of digital sampling."
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