Food Stamps: Major Online-Only Grocer Joins Walmart, Target and Costco in Accepting SNAP Benefits
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Josephine Nesbit
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Cory Dudak
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SNAP recipients can now purchase groceries from healthy and sustainable online grocery store Thrive Market. According to a recent company news release, Thrive Market is the first online-only retailer approved by the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) to accept SNAP EBT.
“Thrive Market’s SNAP EBT acceptance is a groundbreaking move in making healthy groceries more accessible and affordable,” said Nick Green, Thrive Market co-founder and CEO. “Our acceptance will redefine how Americans can access healthy options, irrespective of their geography, with deliveries directly to their door.”
Thrive Market began accepting SNAP EBT in the contiguous U.S. at the end of February 2024. All EBT cardholders who join as new members are also eligible for a free one-year membership (normally $60 annually) through the Thrive Gives program. According to the company, the platform offers prices up to 30% below retail.
To sign up for a new Thrive Market membership, visit thrivemarket.com/ebt, and enter your EBT card number and PIN to gain access to more than 5,000 high-quality organic and sustainable products. Look for the “SNAP eligible product” label before adding items to your cart. You’ll need a secondary form of payment to cover delivery fees or to purchase non-eligible SNAP items.
According to Nevin Cohen at the City University of New York, the USDA has been testing whether grocery delivery could help SNAP users, Marketplace reported. Stores like Walmart, Target and Costco have allowed EBT cardholders to purchase food online and in-store for the past several years. Online shopping is especially important for SNAP users with transportation or mobility issues, whether that’s seniors, people with physical disabilities or caregivers of young children, Cohen added.
LaMonika Jones, director of the nonprofit D.C. Hunger Solutions, explained to Marketplace that residents of poor D.C. neighborhoods have just one or two local grocers to choose from. The alternative is taking a 30 or 40-minute ride on public transportation to purchase groceries. Jones said delivery fees can also be a barrier, but delivery services help SNAP users shop around for cheaper groceries outside their neighborhood.
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