Melanie Butler

CRM & Loyalty Strategy Manager Giant Food

Melanie is a seasoned grocery retail professional with nearly 15 years of industry experience, with the past seven dedicated to shaping engaging loyalty and CRM strategies. Passionate about enhancing customer journeys and driving retention, Melanie has played a key role in building innovative, value-driven loyalty experiences that keep shoppers coming back. As a leader in the space, Melanie has helped Giant’s Flexible Rewards loyalty program earn national recognition, ranking among Newsweek’s Best Loyalty Programs from 2020 to 2024 and receiving a 4.5-star rating in USA Today’s 2025 America’s Best Loyalty & Rewards Program rankings. At the Digital Food & Beverage Conference, Melanie will share insights on building strategies and experiences to win in a value-focused market and how to craft Healthy Living loyalty offerings that resonate with today’s shoppers. With a deep understanding of omnichannel engagement, digital transformation, and customer-centric innovation, Melanie is excited to explore strategies that empower retailers and brands to build lasting customer relationships in an evolving food & beverage landscape.

Day 1: Bridging Omnichannel Gaps to the Digital Customer

9:10 AM Panel: Digital Experiences that Engage: How to Adapt and Compete in a Value-Focused Environment

Industry players face challenges in a competitive market, where creating brand affinity and building consumer trust are crucial for driving repeat business. Shoppers want to feel valued as customers, and they are more likely to keep buying products once they’ve established trust in a brand. Discover new ways to deliver value to customers while maintaining price points with and without third party support. Panelists will discuss:

Utilizing 1P data for personalization experiences that deepen customer loyalty and reduce price sensitivity
Building brand affinity through trust-centric digital touchpoints that make digital interactions feel more human and reliable
Leveraging technologies from AI to CRM solutions to scale value-driven customer engagement

Day 2: Driving Growth and Optimizing Retail Media

1:40 PM Case Study: Creating Value Through Better for You Loyalty Programs

As consumer preferences continue to shift towards healthier choices, food and beverage retailers face the challenge of adapting their loyalty programs to meet these evolving demands. Melanie Butler, CRM & Loyalty Manager for Giant Food will discuss how retailers can build more effective and innovative loyalty programs that resonate with health-conscious consumers, drive customer retention, and boost long-term brand loyalty. Hear lessons learned, including:

Leveraging data-driven insights for content and personalization approaches that drive retention
Linking loyalty initiatives to wellness goals and sustainability efforts to increase stickiness and shopper advocacy
Measuring success beyond transactions by tracking the deeper impact of loyalty programs from behavior change to long-term retention and community engagement

Day 3: Driving Digital Transformation Forward

11:10 AM AMA Panel Interactive: Sharing Recipes for Growth: Insider Insights from eCommerce Leaders in Food & Beverage

End your time at Digital Food & Beverage with an Ask Me Anything (AMA) session featuring industry-leading experts. This is your chance to dig into the factors driving success in online food and beverage retail. From optimizing customer experiences to creating digital marketing solutions, our panel of eCommerce leaders will share their secret sauce for competing in a digital world. Discussion topics include:

Where you’ll invest your next marketing dollar
Practical approaches to navigating complexity and remaining agile
Optimizing the full customer journey for seamless, engaging experiences from click to cart to curbside

Check out the incredible speaker line-up to see who will be joining Melanie.

Download The Latest Agenda