Travidia, long focused on providing digital revenue opportunities for newspapers, is expanding its Bamboo AdNetwork product line with the introduction of Bamboo Grocery Network, a white-label product for newspapers.  The new grocery-focused web portal is designed to be the one-stop online shop for consumers to find grocer deals, recipes and related editorial content.  

We talked to Linda Senner, Travidia marketing manager, and took a look at the demo product. It’s very easy to navigate, with searches by product or by specific grocer. We were able to see, for example, that only one local store had a special on our favorite wine; and as we shopped we created our grocery list, even adding those things we didn’t need to search for online such as milk – and then printed the list and headed for the store.

“This portal could have all the mom and pop grocers, Safeway, Kroger, and so forth,” Senner told us. “You can view, scroll over, make a shopping list, print out coupons, find recipes – and there’s even a blogging area. We’re trying to grow with that [social] route. We have maps and store information. The only reason you would want to leave would be for e-cart shopping at the grocer’s own site. So it drives more traffic for both.”

Travidia is hoping to work out some collaboration with MyWebGrocer and recently became a member of the National Grocers’ Association.

Shoppers can view weekly grocery inserts from multiple stores, compare prices among stores, make shopping lists and e-mail desired advertised items to anyone. They can also print maps and directions to advertised grocers.

Grocers will have access to marketing intelligence reports based on specific user shopping habits. Crystal Viars, in charge of client business development for the grocery division at Travidia, told us that the portal’s use of Omniture tags allow reports such as top advertiser, top ad, which consumers are using maps, and so forth.

To take part in the Bamboo Grocery Network newspapers would pay a one-time set up fee, a monthly hosting fee, and a conversion fee. Travidia has more than 700 newspaper clients in North America, and plans on an upgrade to its auto portal soon.

Here’s the original announcement.