Rigby, Idaho (July 21, 2022) – Broulim’s Fresh Foods, with stores located throughout eastern Idaho and Wyoming will officially begin accepting Supplement Nutritional Assistant Program (SNAP) Online payments from their customers to use on their online grocery store, starting today at their Idaho locations.
“It is crucial that we offer our customers options when it comes to their online shopping experience,” said Robert Broulim, President of Broulim’s Fresh Foods. “The opportunity to offer SNAP Online removes financial barriers for families in our community, allowing all individuals to access healthy quality products.”
Broulim’s ecommerce platform, Rosie, enables the store to accept SNAP Online payments from households relying on EBT benefits. With the U.S Department of Agriculture’s Food and Nutrition’s (FNS) most recent expansion of the SNAP program to online platforms, this feature will allow recipients to take greater advantage of SNAP/EBT payments at their local grocery stores.
“Online grocery shopping is an essential part of our everyday lives and we at Rosie believe it is essential for independent grocers to have the tools they need to provide solutions to the underserved in their community, and compete and win against national chains,” says Haley Sammis, Rosie’s Head of Account Management. “We’re incredibly proud to be part of a program that is impacting hundreds of thousands of SNAP recipients nationwide.”
SNAP online payments have been a priority for Rosie’s technology and development teams and to date, over 55 independently owned grocery stores in 8 states partnered with Rosie are now offering SNAP Online Payments. Through the next few months, Rosie estimates over 200 stores will offer SNAP Online Payments to members of their community. Rosie’s active participation throughout the SNAP Pilot program since 2017 ensured that retailers selecting Rosie as their ecommerce partner can provide access to all people at all times to enough food for a safe, active, and healthy life.
The Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) serves approximately 34,000 Idaho households and 85,000 individual Idahoans each day. SNAP participants are reported to be families with children, families with members who are older adults or are disabled, and many participants are in working families. In Idaho, more than 77% of SNAP participants are in families with children; Almost 32% of SNAP recipients are in families with elderly or disabled members; SNAP kept 54,000 people out of poverty from 2009-2012, including 23,000 children; and SNAP benefits pumped about $234 million into Idaho’s economy in 2017 (the most recent year of reporting).
Idaho State Representative Rod Furniss, shared, “For over 100 years, Broulim’s has helped feed communities and families across eastern Idaho. The addition of SNAP Online Payments to their long-standing services to the community help those in our have choice and control over access to fresh food from a locally owned business. This new online service by Broulim’s helps those most in need have greater access to fresh food. We’re proud of locally owned and operated Broulim’s for doing the work to bring this service to communities throughout eastern Idaho”
SNAP, formerly known as the Food Stamp program, provides food-purchasing assistance for families living in the U.S. SNAP is a federal program, administered by the U.S. Department of Agriculture, under the Food and Nutrition Service (FNS), though benefits are distributed by each U.S. state’s Division of Social Services or Children and Family Services. SNAP is the largest nutrition assistance program, with over 40 million Americans estimated to have participated annually in the 21st century. More than two-thirds of SNAP participants are families with children, while a third are households with senior citizens or people with disabilities.
About Broulim’s Fresh Foods
In 1922, Charlie Broulim started his first grocery store on Main Street in Rigby, Idaho. Since that time, Broulim’s has developed a reputation for combining world-class service with the very best products. Broulim’s has experienced much success over the past 100 years as they have expanded into new locations throughout Idaho and Western Wyoming. They currently have 10 store locations in Rigby, Rexburg, Montpelier, Driggs, St. Anthony, Soda Springs, Shelley, Afton, Alpine and Sandcreek.
Today, Broulim’s employs over 800 well-trained associates, which they consider their greatest asset. Through them, Broulim’s strives to offer the highest levels of customer service, quality and value available in the industry. Broulim’s stores support local community teams, schools and activities. Their employees willingly serve as community leaders holding important offices in chambers of commerce, city government and local service clubs.
Broulim’s is proud of its heritage and contribution to the development of southeastern Idaho and looks to the future with enthusiasm and optimism as it strives for new opportunities.
To learn more about Broulim’s Fresh Foods visit broulims.com.
