Merryfield was ready to expand its better-for-you platform to reach all-new consumer segments, brands and retailers. As their long-term, trusted mobile app partner across engineering, product and UI/UX, we were excited to help them get there and help scale their mobile app offering to take their business to a new level.
SERVICES
Technical Architecture
UI/UX Design
Development
Product Management
TECHNOLOGY
React Native
CLIENT
Merryfield, the innovative loyalty platform for healthier, sustainable brands had carved an enviable position in the market since launching two years earlier. They had a stable of top-tier brands, a high-profile ambassador, and a successful iOS app with thousands of rave reviews.
Now, they were ready to move to the next stage to exponentially grow users and their brand and retailer network.
Merryfield came to us with an ambitious two-part vision: First, they wanted to extend their reach by expanding into Android and launching exciting new user acquisition features. Second, they wanted to attract new brands and retailers with new B2B features that would drive deeper user engagement and provide richer market data. This dual approach was designed to create a synergy where a broader user base would draw in brand and retail partners which, in turn, would attract even more users.
The first step in Merryfield's expansion strategy was to launch an Android app in response to the growing demand from both consumers and partners. Whitespectre brought our expertise across tech, product, delivery, and UI/UX to work hand-in-hand with Merryfield on the strategic planning questions: “Was it better to do a “big burst” effort to get an Android version out as soon as possible? Or build on a slightly longer, but more efficient timeline? What were the truly must-have features for the first Android release?”
Most critically, now that the company would be supporting two apps instead of one, what could we do to be most efficient with development going forward?
Our key technical recommendation was to use React Native for the Android app and then migrate the iOS app as well, moving away from native development to a ‘shared code-base approach’. This shift dramatically reduced Merryfield’s long-term costs for developing both iOS and Android in parallel. Importantly, we knew from experience that React Native was now at a point where it could support Merryfield’s UI/UX and performance standards.
On the Product side, the team deeply analyzed data and user feedback from the existing app to make impactful recommendations on what were the ‘must-haves’ for the Android app, helping to improve speed to market. In parallel, the UI/UX team carefully planned out the new Android experience to mirror the successful iOS one, while also feeling intuitive for Android users.
Next, the Whitespectre product team members, collaborating with Merryfield's VP of Product, did a detailed review of the analytics and user feedback from the existing app to identify and smartly prioritize the ‘must-have’ features for the Android app launch vs. not. In parallel, the pod’s UI/UX team members designed the Android app to be consistent with the successful iOS app, while also identifying the small but critical Android variations that would make it feel intuitive for this new user group.
Overall the team’s recommendations and high-quality execution meant Merryfield met its key needs: a successful, speedy Android launch, a continued first-class user experience, and long-term cost optimization for the company. A few months later when the migrated iOS app went live, the ‘behind the scenes’ transition went unnoticed by users, marking a truly friction-free migration.
We've collectively built technology to provide a premium user experience in the grocery store—a space where you wouldn't necessarily expect it. The proof is in the pudding: all you have to do is look at our NPS scores, our App Store ratings and reviews, and the things people tell us unprompted through the customer service channel. That's a superpower we have, and that is due to our team at Whitespectre.”
Following the Android launch and migration, the Whitespectre team focused on designing and developing features to accelerate user acquisition and attract new brand and retail partners. Key initiatives included:
Expanding Receipt Scanning & Rewards: We extended the app's integrations and receipt scanning features to cover a broader range of receipts and products. This change not only incentivized new user sign-ups and increased engagement, but also provided richer insights for partners as a result of the significant increase in receipt data.
Amplifying Influencers and Referrals: As a way to organically extend the app’s reach, we helped launch a popular referral program. This was subsequently embraced by social media influencers, significantly expanding Merryfield’s reach.
In-Store Engagement: To support the launch of Merryfield's innovative in-store programs, we developed an intuitive 'Scan to App Engagement' flow, built around micromoments with the user. This experience bridges the offline/online gap and transforms shelf space into an engaging promotional tool, helping brands connect with consumers and introducing new users to the Merryfield app.
For Merryfield to grow, we absolutely needed to launch Android to cover the market. The natural, organic channel is fragmented. These brands need a way to directly reach their consumers and tell their story, so offering that central solution is even more critical.”
The efforts paid off: Android brought new users and partners to the platform, and both apps maintained a consistent rating of 4.7 in the subsequent 12 months following the transition.
Meanwhile, the new user and partner features have propelled them to the next phase, driving acquisition of both users and brands, and earning them new attention in the market and press.
In summary, we’re proud of the key results these initiatives have helped them achieve:
*The logos and other identifying marks attached are trademarks of and owned by each represented company and/or its affiliates, and some brands are for illustrative purposes only.
The caliber of talent that we've worked with at Whitespectre- from the beginning- has been incredible, and we’ve been doing this together for 5 years now. They brought us perspective at so many points, because they’ve been there before, they’ve seen the bumps of the growing phase of start-up life. That understanding and input is priceless. I would wholeheartedly recommend Whitespectre to anybody and have done so.”
