The story
A challenger brand that made its customers the campaign
The nicotine pouch industry was long dominated by corporate giants pushing dry, flavorless products with no real purpose. ALP Pouches set out to change that, building a fresh, flavor-forward pouch for the people who actually use them.
From day one, ALP has been more than a brand.
The challenge
Breaking into a corporate-dominated category through community
In a category where large corporations controlled the narrative, ALP needed more than a superior product. They wanted to turn early adopters into passionate advocates who could spread the word authentically, the way real movements grow.
That meant prioritizing referrals and loyalty from the very beginning, not as bolt-on tactics but as core mechanics for building community around the brand. ALP needed tools that would let customers build the brand with them and get rewarded for it.
Referrals allow our customers to build the brand with us. They’re able to easily become ambassadors and get rewarded for it. That type of sharing amongst friends and smaller communities creates an authentic connection around the brand that grows with us.
The solution
Loyalty and referrals as core growth mechanics
ALP partnered with Smile to launch both referral and loyalty programs that matched their vision. Referrals reward customers for bringing friends into the ALP movement, turning everyday fans into ambassadors. The loyalty program gives members countless reasons to stay engaged: points redeemable for discounts, gift cards, and unique products only loyalty members can get.
What the Smile programs give ALP:
- Referrals that turn customers into ambassadors and grow the movement organically
- Points redeemable for discounts, gift cards, and unique loyalty-only products
- A clean, intuitive interface that gamifies the experience for customers
- Easy backend management so the ALP team can iterate without engineering lift
- Reward redemption and utilization metrics that show whether customers are staying engaged
The stack
Shopify
The results
Higher purchase frequency and a referral channel that compounds
The impact of referrals and loyalty on ALP’s growth has been undeniable. Loyalty members now show dramatically higher lifetime value and purchase frequency than non-members, and the referral program has become a meaningful, compounding source of new customer acquisition.
Beyond LTV and frequency, referrals have produced more than 7,000 referral-driven orders at a 6.59% conversion rate, the kind of authentic, friend-to-friend growth ALP set out to build from day one.
We like to look at reward redemption rates and utilization rates. It’s the easiest way for us to tell if customers like the options we’re giving them and if they’re staying engaged.
Looking ahead
Connecting in-store and digital, loyalty everywhere ALP sells
ALP has no plans of slowing down. Next, the team plans new ways for customers to cash in on their loyalty, from connecting it to in-store purchases to new digital experiences and rewards.
