Turning One-Time Buyers into Lifelong Customers: Origin’s Loyalty-Driven App

The Brand

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Founded in 2004 by Tom Sobey, Origin Coffee is one of Europe's leading speciality coffee roasters. With a world-class coffee programme, seven coffee shops, and an ever-evolving product range, Origin sits proudly as one of the longest standing speciality coffee providers on UK shores.

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The Challenge: Bridging the Gap Between In-Store and Online Shopping

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Origin had built a strong, dedicated customer base who loved their products and engaged both in-store and online. Yet, a critical challenge remained: how to unify these shopping experiences to build long-term loyalty. Customers would buy once but had little incentive to return, leading to missed opportunities for repeat sales and growing subscription revenue.

Without a connection between their in-store and digital touchpoints, Origin struggled to create lasting customer relationships. Their loyalty program wasn’t designed for omnichannel shopping and they needed new avenues to grow subscription revenues. A mobile app seemed like the perfect way to tackle to this challenge and so they approached Venn Apps to build them a solution.

‍The Solution: A unified & rewarding shopping experience

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Origin partnered with Venn Apps to create a mobile app that would transform their customer experience. The goal? To deliver a powerful, fully integrated loyalty and subscription platform that rewarded customers at every touchpoint - whether online or in-store.

The first step was building an advanced loyalty programme that worked effortlessly across every channel. By integrating with Goodtill and LoyaltyLion, the app transformed rewards into a frictionless experience. Whether customers shopped in-store or online, they could earn and redeem points with ease. An app-native QR code scanner ensured that every in-store purchase instantly translated into points to spend online. This not only incentivised repeat purchases but also strengthened customer loyalty.

But that was just the beginning. Recognising the growing demand for flexible subscriptions, Venn Apps integrated Recharge to simplify subscription management. Now, subscribers could manage their plans directly within the app, eliminating the need for clunky third-party logins. To make long-term commitment even more appealing, subscribers earned 50% more loyalty points per transaction. The result? Customers felt valued, and Origin saw a notable increase in retention.

By combining loyalty rewards with exclusive subscription perks, the app delivered a shopping experience that was both engaging and financially rewarding. This strategic approach deepened customer relationships and boosted customer lifetime value, turning one-time shoppers into lifelong brand advocates.

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‍The Results: A Loyalty-Driven Growth Engine

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The impact of Origin’s new app was immediate and transformational.

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Subscription Revenue Doubled: The seamless, rewarding mobile experience led to a 2x increase in subscription-based revenue.

Customer Retention Soared: App users had a returning customer rate of 81.94%, compared to just 41.25% for standard online shoppers. This proved the power of an intuitive, value-driven app in building long-term loyalty.

Higher Spending Per Customer: App customers had a customer lifetime value of 3x more than those shopping via the online store, thanks to a frictionless subscription experience, enhanced product discovery, and a personalised shopping journey.

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The Takeaway: Investing in Loyalty Pays Off

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Origin’s investment in a high-performing mobile app redefined their customer experience. By making shopping effortless, more rewarding, and seamlessly connected across channels, they unlocked sustainable growth and saw a significant uptick in long-term customer loyalty. Their results underscore the power of an app for FMCG brands that are looking to build loyalty and grow D2C subscription revenues.