Growers Transforms Agriculture Loyalty Program with AI Innovation
GROWERS, a leader in agricultural retail solutions, has unveiled the results of its enhanced loyalty program, powered by cutting-edge AI technology. The company’s 2024 data reveals that agricultural retailers using the GROWERS Loyalty Program experienced significant sales increases among program members compared to non-members. This success has set the stage for further expansion in 2025, as GROWERS continues to refine its program by combining the power of artificial intelligence (AI) with fully customizable loyalty initiatives.
Historically, customer loyalty programs in agriculture were simple mechanisms, offering discounts or rebates in exchange for repeat purchases. These programs were often seen as transactional rather than relationship-building tools. GROWERS, however, is challenging this traditional model by offering a loyalty solution that fosters continuous engagement between farmers, retailers, and manufacturers. Through its use of AI technology, the GROWERS Loyalty Program aims to drive purchasing behavior, encourage deeper connections, and ultimately enhance the overall customer experience.
At the heart of the program is Axiom, an advanced AI engine developed by Agmatix, a sister company of GROWERS under the ICL Group. Axiom is capable of analyzing customer behavior and product performance data by using proprietary algorithms that generate predictive insights. These insights enable real-time recommendations, critical alerts, and tailored incentives for members. By integrating this AI-driven solution, the GROWERS Loyalty Program offers agricultural retailers a more sophisticated way of tracking and engaging their customer base.
Axiom’s capabilities are particularly powerful due to its ability to adapt to key variables such as seasonality, geography, and individual farmer profiles. This flexibility ensures that retailers and manufacturers can personalize their offerings, aligning them with the unique needs of their customers. For example, if a particular crop requires specific fertilizers or equipment at certain times of the year, the AI can suggest timely offers and incentives to encourage purchases when they are most needed.
According to Steven Valencsin, CEO of GROWERS, “For agriculture retailers, loyalty programs aren’t just about boosting sales. They’re about raising the bar on what customer engagement looks like – they don’t just want to reward loyalty, they want to actively create it.” Valencsin emphasizes that the goal is not only to reward customer loyalty but also to create meaningful, data-driven interactions between retailers, manufacturers, and farmers. By aligning all parties through shared insights, the GROWERS Loyalty Program goes beyond traditional loyalty schemes, offering a tool that drives growth, strengthens relationships, and enables better resource planning.
The impact of GROWERS’ AI-powered loyalty program is already being felt by agriculture retailers, as evidenced by Mercer Landmark, a farmer-owned cooperative. Neal Horrom, COO of Mercer Landmark, states, “Our investment in this digital transformation has allowed us to build deeper relationships with our customers while staying ahead of the curve in retail agriculture.” Through its partnership with GROWERS, Mercer Landmark has successfully integrated its loyalty program with its manufacturer partners, offering personalized incentives that resonate with their farmer customers. This alignment has resulted in increased customer satisfaction and more effective sales strategies.
In an era where larger farms are becoming more dominant in the market, agricultural retailers are facing greater competition, and the importance of each customer relationship has never been higher. Rising input costs are squeezing farmers’ margins, while market pressure on retailers is intensifying. Against this backdrop, a well-designed customer loyalty program is more than just a marketing tool; it becomes a strategic asset that helps strengthen relationships, improve retention, and drive repeat business.
The GROWERS Loyalty Program stands out by using data and AI to create a fully digitized and personalized loyalty model. One key feature of the program is its loyalty points system, which allows customers to earn points with each purchase. These points can be redeemed for products at preferential rates, creating an incentive for customers to engage in cross-segment purchasing. By encouraging customers to buy a wider range of products, the loyalty program not only boosts sales but also helps retailers tailor incentives that meet the specific needs of their farmer customers.
The closed-loop rewards system is another critical component of the GROWERS Loyalty Program. By tying loyalty points to future purchases from the same retailer and manufacturer, this system fosters long-term relationships and increases customer lifetime value. Rather than simply offering a discount on a one-off purchase, the program creates a more sustainable, recurring purchasing cycle. This approach benefits all parties involved – customers, retailers, and manufacturers – by ensuring ongoing sales and stronger brand loyalty.
AI technology plays a central role in predicting customer behavior. By analyzing historical purchase data, the platform can identify patterns that help retailers anticipate future buying decisions. This predictive power enables the program to offer personalized recommendations to customers, further enhancing their shopping experience. Additionally, GROWERS’ AI platform can provide real-time alerts to retailers, helping them identify potential issues such as customer churn or emerging sales opportunities. By acting on these insights, retailers can optimize their offerings and adjust strategies as needed.
In addition to these advantages, the GROWERS Loyalty Program supports a deeper understanding of customer preferences and behaviors. Retailers can use this data to fine-tune their inventory, improve product recommendations, and create targeted marketing campaigns. Farmers, in turn, benefit from a more seamless shopping experience, with relevant offers tailored to their needs and purchasing history. As a result, the program fosters a sense of trust and satisfaction, which strengthens the overall relationship between retailer and customer.
