Blackhawk Network (BHN), a global leader in rewards and branded payments, has expanded its partnership with Mastercard to introduce two new filtered prepaid card rewards products, the Drive Prepaid Card and the Grocery Prepaid Card, aimed at enhancing corporate-funded reward programs.
These cards are designed to support more purposeful and relevant payment programs by offering flexible reward options in high-demand redemption categories that align with specific business goals. The new prepaid card offerings are intended for organizations running corporate-funded reward programs, including employee recognition, customer loyalty, promotional incentives, and goodwill efforts. The Drive Prepaid Card is suitable for mobility-related initiatives such as test drive promotions, EV adoption incentives, utility incentive programs, or customer appeasements. The Grocery Prepaid Card supports programs focused on everyday essentials, including employee wellness, seasonal recognition, grocery-focused campaigns, or inflation relief loyalty campaigns. These category-specific cards assist businesses in delivering rewards that are relevant to recipients and aligned with the program’s intent.
Brett Narlinger, Chief Revenue Officer at BHN, commented that businesses offering timely and meaningful reward solutions are in highly competitive positions as costs of living and doing business continue to rise. He noted that BHN’s Global Gifting Research indicates inflation and grocery prices are currently top concerns among three-quarters of respondents. The Drive and Grocery Prepaid Cards are designed to help companies alleviate these financial strains on reward and recognition recipients, promotion participants, and other relevant stakeholders through practical, much-needed rewards.
The Drive Prepaid Card is accepted at gas stations and with EV charging providers that accept Mastercard, offering flexibility for recipients. Similarly, the Grocery Prepaid Card provides ease of use for grocery purchases. Both cards incorporate built-in category type filtering to ensure reward funds are used as intended and require no additional configuration, presenting a turnkey solution for businesses seeking to optimize reward program ROI. These prepaid cards are available in both digital and physical formats.
Dan Colleton, SVP, Prepaid at Mastercard, stated that Mastercard focuses on delivering secure, seamless payment solutions that enhance cardholders’ daily lives. He added that the partnership with Blackhawk Network on these category-specific prepaid cards enables stronger connections between businesses and their employees, while facilitating the provision of relevant, easy-to-redeem rewards that encourage stronger engagement and long-term loyalty.
Both the physical and virtual cards can be issued anonymously or personalized to recipients, with options for custom branding and messaging. Virtual cards are compatible with mobile wallets, including Apple Pay, Google Wallet, and Samsung Wallet. The Drive Mastercard and Grocery Mastercard prepaid cards are issued by Sunrise Banks and are available in USD single load.
Kate Sullivan, VP, Global Consumer Products at BHN, noted that customer-centric approaches are most valuable as businesses apply tech-enabled solutions to meet recipient needs. She highlighted that the majority of gas and charging station POS systems require physical card payments and do not accept virtual cards, which the Drive Prepaid Cards address. Conversely, consumers often have the option to pay with a physical or virtual card at grocery checkout, and the Grocery Prepaid Cards provide that choice. Offering versatile, context-specific rewards aims to ensure smooth redemption and positive experiences.
