WASHINGTON — Associated Wholesale Grocers, Inc. (AWG) and Upside have formed a partnership that will serve the 1,100 member companies in the AWG cooperative.

“Grocers across the nation are actively seeking innovative avenues to boost profits while catering to the preferences of their customer base,” said Stacy Bowen, AWG’s vice president of sales, support and solutions. “Our collaboration with Upside helps to fulfill our mission to our member-retailers by equipping them with a diverse spectrum of vital resources, offerings and solutions to excel competitively in their markets.”

According to Upside, 77% of consumers reported they price shop when purchasing groceries. The company said its technology platform’s personalized promotions “reach customers when they’re deciding where to buy — long before the point-of-sale — and offer them the right incentive to shop with partners instead of their competitors.”

Upside also said the use of its platform leads to 10% larger baskets, 1.7 times more visits than the average customer and 1.9 times higher spending compared to the average customer.

In July, Upside’s platform surpassed $1 billion in new, incremental profit for its retail partners.

“Changing consumer behaviors — including cross-shopping, heightened price sensitivity, and a pursuit of value — are making it all the more challenging to grow market share,” said Tyler Renaghan, Upside’s vice president of retail. “While loyalty programs remain crucial and indispensable for customer retention, Upside is proud to boost their impact by bringing new and lapsed customers into the fold.”