Blackhawk Network Holdings Inc. is an American privately held company that operates in the prepaid, gift card and payments industries.
It sells branded physical and digital gifts, phones, prepaid debit, and incentives cards online and through a network of global retailers.
[2] Blackhawk's network reaches people through a number of different channels including in-store, online, mobile, and incentive.
[3] The company originated selling gift cards through Safeway stores in 2001 and then expanded to other partners in the United States.
The company grew over the following years by expanding content, channels and markets through organic growth and acquisition.
[6] Over the next few years, Blackhawk used the gift card program in Safeway and other global retailers as a platform to partner with more merchants.
[8] At the time of the purchase, it was decided that Cardpool would remain as a brand under the Blackhawk umbrella to further develop its gift card marketplace.
Prior to her becoming president, she was nominated for the Stevie Award Women in Business, and was also recognized by Progressive Grocer as a Top Woman in Grocery.
The acquisition was seen as an expansion in a similar market to gift cards, with InteliSpend providing corporate incentives and consumer promotion products.
[24] Blackhawk announced in September 2016 that they would be acquiring Grass Roots Group Holdings Ltd., a provider of customer and employee engagement.
[29] On August 30, 2017, Blackhawk announced the acquisition of Portland, Maine-based CashStar, which provides digital gift cards to major retailers and restaurants, for $175 million in cash.
The move was seen as innovative by the Palo Alto-based startup, as it allowed consumers to purchase a gift card that can be redeemed to open and fund an account with stock.
The deal meant 50 global retailers would now have their gift cards accessible in Samsung's mobile wallet.
According to Fortune magazine, a business traveler might earn a gift card for staying at a hotel that is farther away from a convention center or taking a flight that leaves 30 minutes earlier.