Newport Beach, CA, and Atlanta, GA — Chipotle’s (NYSE: CMG) partnership with Sparkfly has enabled key marketing program growth and innovation. Sparkfly’s foundational technology has supported Chipotle in creating a best of breed partner ecosystem and launching digital initiatives including the Chipotle Rewards Loyalty Program, In-Restaurant Technology Intelligence and Frictionless Online Ordering.
Chipotle’s recent success, including modernizing the digital customer experience, has resulted in total sales rising nearly 10% from the first quarter of 2018 to the first quarter of 2019 and digital sales growing by 100.7% from the prior year. Additionally, 15.7% of first quarter sales were made up by digital sales. This has been made possible, in part, by Sparkfly.
Chipotle partnered with Sparkfly in 2017 to implement a promotions management platform that streamlined the flow of data between systems, empowered marketing and significantly reduced existing hands-on support required from their IT and POS (Point-of-Sale) support teams.
“Just as we are committed to using high-quality, real ingredients in our restaurants; we knew using top-tier technology providers was critical to the success of our digital experience,” said Curt Garner, Chief Technology Officer of Chipotle. “Sparkfly allows us to dynamically interface with both in-store and above-store technology and provides all of the capabilities we need to meet our long-term goals.”
With Sparkfly’s foundational technology, Chipotle has been able to build a best of breed partner ecosystem and launch the following digital initiatives:
Chipotle Rewards Loyalty Program
With digital wallet capabilities provided by Sparkfly, Chipotle can collect transactional data, apply loyalty rewards and process personalized discounts received through any form of media or distribution channel; all through single-scan technology at the POS.
Chipotle Mobile App Campaigns
With Sparkfly’s technology, Chipotle can make all offers available directly to customers in their Chipotle Mobile Wallet, which can be used seamlessly in-store, online and via in-app ordering.
In-Restaurant Technology Intelligence
Sparkfly’s POS middleware powers Chipotle’s single-scan technology and enables the real-time
communication of all transactional data to other marketing and analytics technologies.
Valuable Offer Strategy
Sparkfly powers digital promotions that market exciting menu innovations and leverage new media channels and partners.
Frictionless Online Ordering
With Sparkfly’s offer-to-online ordering technology, Chipotle customers can redeem an online offer with a single click, reducing cart abandonment. Beyond that, Sparkfly streamlines Chipotle’s promotion capabilities by enabling a single platform that manages all offers being redeemed through the online ordering platform or at the in-store POS.
“We are thrilled with Chipotle’s success using the Sparkfly platform and believe they are a testament to what a best of breed technology strategy can deliver,” Sparkfly Founder and CEO Catherine Tabor, said. “More than ever before, digital, data and the ability to track promotions in real-time all the way through to the transaction, has changed how companies are doing business. Sparkfly has always been at the forefront of leveraging that technology and we are excited to fuel strategies for top brands like Chipotle.”
About Chipotle
Chipotle Mexican Grill, Inc. (NYSE: CMG) is cultivating a better world by serving responsibly sourced, classically-cooked, real food with wholesome ingredients without artificial colors, flavors or preservatives. Chipotle had approximately 2,500 restaurants as of March 31, 2019, in the United States, Canada, the United Kingdom, France and Germany and is the only restaurant company of its size that owns and operates all its restaurants. With more than 70,000 employees passionate about providing a great guest experience, Chipotle is a longtime leader and innovator in the food industry. Chipotle is committed to making its food more accessible to everyone while continuing to be a brand with a demonstrated purpose as it leads the way in digital, technology and sustainable business practices. Steve Ells, founder and Executive Chairman, first opened Chipotle with a single restaurant in Denver, Colorado in 1993. For more information or to place an order online, visit www.chipotle.com.
About Sparkfly
As the creator of the Relationship Realization category, Sparkfly leverages its patented, Offer Management and Point-of-Sale (POS) attribution platform to connect marketers and third-party technologies to actual customer experiences in-store, online and via mobile POS systems. No matter how complicated the point-of-sale system may be, Sparkfly can run unified marketing programs across multiple franchise locations, and, for the first time, unlock real-time attribution across any media channel. Sparkfly brings brands closer than ever to their customers by empowering frictionless personalized interactions that establish real relationships. By understanding individual customer journeys and purchase behaviors, marketers and consumer insight strategists maximize the effectiveness of their omnichannel customer engagement campaigns.