NEAR to join forces with Grupo Nutresa in LatAm to launch Web3 loyalty programme

The NEAR Foundation, the non-profit that supports development on the NEAR Protocol, a high-performance carbon neutral blockchain and dApp development platform, today announced it has been chosen by Grupo Nutresa, one of the largest food FMCG brands in Latin America, to roll out its Web 3.0 strategy. The partnership, which  was established through the support of tech firm Peersyst, will see Grupo Nutresa build the first open-source loyalty points programme on NEAR with long-term aspirations to reach a million users in Colombia and LatAm. 

Grupo Nutresa is one of the biggest multinationals in Colombia and manages several loyalty programs for its customers, collaborators and providers. Those loyalty programs are now coming together into a single easy-to-use platform underpinned by blockchain technology through support from Spanish technology company Peersyst Technology.

This groundbreaking move to blockchain enables Grupo Nutresa customers to have more autonomy and control of their tokens, alongside additional security and the reassurance that points will not be stolen or denied and can be transferred and shared even more efficiently. There will also be increased usability and accessibility of the system, saving the customer from creating multiple accounts or different logins to numerous platforms.

Rewarding customers for their support has always been a priority for the world’s top brands. Such programs not only engage customers and deliver incentives for them to return but also act as analytical tools giving businesses insights into customers’ behavior and preferences. 

With 87 per cent of shoppers reporting they want brands to have loyalty programs and over 70 per cent of consumers more likely to recommend a brand if it can demonstrate a robust loyalty program, the rise of Web3 and digital wallets are pushing forward-thinking brands to explore new opportunities on platforms that prioritize ease of use. NEAR is a development platform built on a sharded, proof-of-stake, layer-one blockchain designed for usability. (poner la fuente de estas estadísticas) 

NEAR is designed to be super-fast, incredibly secure, and infinitely scalable, with its ecosystem offering multiple funding options to initiatives creating, decentralizing, and growing on the protocol. There are over 20 million accounts on the NEAR network, more than 950 projects building, and 200 million transactions to date, with the NEAR network being used for 300,000 to 400,000 transactions daily.

“Our purpose is for people to feel recognized and valued by brands. Above all what interests us most is that this is an opportunity to help build their dreams, through a service that provides redemption options that are meaningful and valuable. This invitation is also addressed to companies that want to reward their loyal customers, becoming an ally of Grupo Nutresa with a portfolio that is part of the catalog. We see NEAR as an important ally for developing and implementing this loyalty strategy in Grupo Nutresa,” commented Fabián Andrés Restrepo, Vice President of Sales and Digital Transformation of Grupo Nutresa and President of the Pasta Business.

NEAR’s sustainability credentials also align with Grupo Nutresa’s own business strategy and  deep commitment to create value for society as a whole. According to the 2021 Dow Jones Sustainability Indices, Grupo Nutresa has been voted as the most sustainable food company in the world for two consecutive years, thanks to its effective implementation of social, environmental and economic practices. 

Marieke Flament, CEO of the NEAR Foundation, the Swiss non-profit that oversees the governance and development of the NEAR protocol, commented: “We are excited to partner with one of the biggest multinationals in Latin America and help it to lead the way through its first Web3 loyalty programme. Leveraging NEAR’s first-rate technology, the partnership will redefine what is possible when combining retail with the latest blockchain innovation, not just in Latin America but throughout the rest of the world.”  

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About NEAR

NEAR is a collective, a foundation, and a development platform built on a new layer-one blockchain but also a developer-friendly, proof-of-stake, public blockchain. The climate-neutral platform is built on a sharded, proof-of-stake, layer-one blockchain designed for usability. The NEAR protocol allows developers to quickly get started using NEAR without having to rewrite existing dApps or learn new development tools.

About Grupo Nutresa

Grupo Nutresa is the leading processed food company in Colombia (53,7% market share) and one of the most relevant players in the sector in Latin America, with consolidated sales of COP 12,7 trillion in 8 business units: cold cuts, biscuits, chocolates, coffee, Tresmontes Lucchetti (TMLUC), retail food, ice cream, pasta, and others.

Grupo Nutresa is a diversified organization in terms of geography, products and supplies, with a direct presence in 17 countries and international sales amounting to USD 1,32 billion in more than 82 countries.

Grupo Nutresa was included for the eleventh consecutive year in the Dow Jones Sustainability Indices (DJSI) 2021, and is the most sustainable food company in the world according to the Indices. The company was also included in the Gold Class of the 2022 S&P Global’s Sustainability Yearbook.