AT&T Installs First Integrated Electronic Food Stamp System at New Jersey Grocer

Business Wire, Feb 21, 1995

DAYTON, Ohio--(BUSINESS WIRE)--February 21, 1995--In support of the national effort to reinvent the food stamp program, AT&T Global Information Solutions announced the first integrated electronic benefits transfer (EBT) system at Twin County Grocers in New Jersey.

The system replaces paper coupons with debit cards and uses the same card-swipe device for food stamp users as customers with ATM or credit cards.

The Twin County installation is part of the "Families First" project rolling out in three New Jersey counties, and one of dozens of projects nationwide attempting to streamline the food stamp program. Although many grocers have installed EBTs, the implementation of an integrated system is new.

"Working with a company that could develop an integrated system was crucial to us because of the limited space available at the checkout," said Thom Shortt, director of Retail Systems, Twin County Grocers. "We don't want to clutter the premium front-end real estate with additional equipment and another telephone line. AT&T GIS stepped up to the plate to create value for us and our customers."

"Essentially, grocers can add another payment type to their existing platform at a nominal cost," said Ron Southard, assistant vice president of Food/Drug Marketing, North America, AT&T Global Information Solutions. "That innovation allowed us to create real value for our customers and their consumers."

The AT&T solution simplifies the two-step process necessary with a "stand-beside" or two-device system. The chance of cashier input errors are virtually eliminated with a single transaction and productivity is increased.

The consumer also benefits from an integrated EBT. The AT&T system can complete a transaction in five seconds that can take a "stand-beside" system from 30-60 seconds to complete. That time savings moves customers through checkout lines faster. This system is also simpler to use than two-step systems and since it accommodates both food stamp users and ATM consumers, makes the different transactions virtually indistinguishable from one another.

The EBT system at Twin County Grocers works in much the same way as a debit card transaction. After customer groceries are scanned and totaled on the NCR point-of-sale platform, the food stamp user runs their state-provided "Families First" card through the NCR 4430 pinpad, and the new EBT software determines how much food stamp benefits are available.

Implementation of the integrated EBT was a joint effort by AT&T-- GIS, Twin County Grocers, and Deluxe Data of Milwaukee, Wis. Currently, Twin County Grocers has two stores running the new system and expects to add another 13 stores by March 1.

Headquartered in Edison, N.J., Twin County Grocers, Inc. is a cooperative wholesaler supplying health and beauty aids, groceries and perishables to "Foodtown" and "non-Foodtown" operators. The majority of its stores are in the New Jersey, New York and Long Island area.

Deluxe Data, a subsidiary of Deluxe Corp. provides solutions that enable government agencies to deliver benefits electronically, thereby reducing costs, strengthening financial accountability, and improving service quality to clients.

AT&T Global Information Solutions helps customers better understand and serve customers by more effectively getting, moving, and using information. AT&T GIS leveraging NCR's 110-year retail expertise -- provides solutions to retail customers worldwide including decision-enabling systems, in-store servers, point-of-sale workstations, scanners, signature capture devices, professional services and networking. -0-

NOTE TO EDITORS: PHOTOS AVAILABLE

CONTACT: AT&T Global Information Solutions

Christine Imwalle, 513/445-5278

or

Twin County Grocers

Thom Shortt, 908/287-4600