Field & Fork Network has expanded their Double Up Food Bucks NY (DUFB) program. DUFB, which makes fresh and now even frozen fruits and vegetables more affordable, is now available at three additional Tops Friendly Markets (Tops) locations, in the Rochester region. Tops SNAP customers at 285 Upper Falls Blvd., 450 West Ave., in Rochester, and 999 East Ridge Rd., in Irondequoit, will now have increased access to fresh and frozen affordable produce thanks to the City of Rochester’s Healthy Food Access Initiative. The Double Up Food Bucks Program will provide a $1 for $1 match on both fresh and now, for a limited time, frozen produce purchases – up to $5 per day.
How the Double Up Food Bucks NY Program Works:
SNAP recipients simply shop for fresh and/or frozen produce (containing no additives) at the participating Tops locations. When they use their EBT card to pay for eligible produce items, the Double Up Food Bucks program automatically matches their purchase dollar-for-dollar, up to $5 dollars. A coupon is printed at check-out that can be used on a future visit, encouraging repeated engagement with the program. No registration or additional steps are necessary, making the process seamless and removing any potential barriers to participation.
Tops Friendly Markets is the largest grocery store chain to participate in the Double Up Food Bucks program to date. This partnership was made possible because of the work of Assemblyman Demond Meeks, who has championed the program for the last three years and helped secure state funding. The State funding has allowed the program to expand into new locations and reach more SNAP customers, where they shop.
“For the third consecutive year, my colleagues and I successfully secured $2 million in funding for the Double Up Food Bucks New York program, said Assemblyman Demond Meeks. “This initiative not only provides financial assistance to low-income families but also promotes healthier eating habits by offering a $1 for $1 match on fresh produce purchases. This matching system can now expand to include frozen fruits and vegetables. I firmly believe that everyone deserves access to affordable and nutritious food and the Double Up Food Bucks Program represents a significant step towards fulfilling this objective. Together, we are taking concrete actions to combat food insecurity and ensure that our children and families can lead a healthy lifestyle. I would like to thank Double Up Food Bucks NY, Tops Friendly Markets, and my colleagues in government for their ongoing partnership.”
“The Double Up Food Bucks program perfectly aligns with Tops’ mission of addressing the fundamental needs of the community in order to help eradicate hunger and enhance the health and well-being of families and children,” said Jeff Cady, Vice President of produce and floral for Northeast Shared Services, Northeast Grocery Incorporated’s (parent company of Tops), shared services group. “What better way to provide for our community than ensuring that community members have an easier way to affordably access fresh and frozen fruits and vegetables all while being rewarded for their healthier habits.”
The frozen pilot is a public-private partnership with the City of Rochester, the National Grocers Association Foundation, and shopper intelligence leader Catalina, which delivers personalized content and incentives in real-time to shoppers based on their purchases tied to their EBT card through Tops’ in-store media network. The automated solution allows Double Up to distribute the incentive more equitably and removes the registration process, which can be a significant barrier to program participation.
“Working with Tops Friendly Markets to pilot the Double Up Food Bucks program has been a priority for our organization for several years. We worked with Tops to identify the store locations with the highest SNAP usage,” said Lisa French, Co-Founder & CEO of Field & Fork Network. “Our goal is to enhance food access, promote healthier eating habits, and support local farmers in the process. By providing a dollar-for-dollar match on produce purchases, we aim to empower individuals and families to make nutritious choices without financial constraints.”
Food insecurity has been an ongoing challenge faced by many communities, including those in Rochester. The lack of access to fresh, nutritious food options has adverse effects on the overall health and well-being of individuals and families. The Double Up Food Bucks NY program seeks to address this issue by empowering SNAP recipients to purchase more fruits and vegetables without straining their budgets.
“What I love about the Double Up Bucks Frozen Food Pilot Program is that it’s just common sense,” shared Rochester Mayor Malik D. Evans. “Food insecurity is a serious issue, and giving people nutritious and easy-to-prepare options when shopping is critical to a healthier, more equitable community.”
Catalina’s Chief Revenue Officer Wes Bean added, “As value-conscious shoppers continue to grapple with high prices on many essential items, we are passionate about helping our partners at Tops Friendly Markets and the Double Up Food Bucks NY program alleviate food insecurity in the communities they serve by leveraging our technology to deliver incentives that enable shoppers to take home twice as many fresh fruits and vegetables.”
The first Tops locations to offer Double Up Food Bucks launched in Buffalo (1275 Jefferson Ave.), and 1000 Portage Road in Niagara Falls in 2023. To date, the program’s redemption rate has exceeded expectations with 25% redemption rate which is three to four times the normal rate of similar programs.
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