TimeForge and Forage Combine Labor Management and Payments for Grocers

TimeForge has partnered with Forage to empower grocery retailers with technology that will expand their payment options in today’s challenging retail landscape.

The partnership brings together TimeForge’s labor management platform for independent grocers and Forage’s payments technology that helps merchants accept government benefits, the companies said in a Tuesday (Aug. 22) press release. It is driven by their shared goal of supporting grocery businesses and making a positive impact on the communities they serve.

Audrey Hogan, chief operating officer of TimeForge, said in the release that by leveraging the right technology, grocers can effectively control labor expenses while ensuring optimal service levels.

TimeForge’s labor management platform offers a range of benefits to grocers, according to the release. Grocers using TimeForge typically experience a reduction in overtime within the first few months. The platform also streamlines employee scheduling and transfers between stores, resulting in time savings. Grocery employees benefit from the platform’s mobile app, which provides convenient access to their work schedules.

“When solution providers collaborate and listen to grocers’ pain points, they can bring tremendous value to the industry and help move it forward one success at a time,” Hogan said.

The company’s new partner, Forage, empowers grocers with the payments infrastructure needed to accept Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program Electronic Benefits Transfer (SNAP EBT) online. Forage is a U.S. Department of Agriculture-approved third-party payment processor (TPP).

“We’re proud to partner with TimeForge, and advance a common cause: empowering grocers to feed low-income families,” Forage CEO and Co-Founder Ofek Lavian said in the release.

Together, TimeForge and Forage are committed to serving grocers and helping them thrive amidst the challenges of the retail landscape. By providing grocers with innovative technology and payment solutions, this partnership aims to support the growth and success of independent grocers while making a positive impact on the communities they serve.

SNAP EBT recipients are ready to engage with eGrocery channels, Lavian told PYMNTS’ Karen Webster in an interview posted in August 2022.

Given the existing demand for digital options for SNAP EBT recipients, Lavian said that these consumers “correctly realized that the actual biggest unmet need in the entire ecosystem” was the need for technology that would make it possible to spend these benefits online.