How Lakeview Farm Store took its community grocery experience online with Wave Grocery

Introduction

When customer demand shifted, Lakeview Farm Store, a community grocer in Florida, faced a challenge: how to sell more fresh, nutrient-dense products in a wider geographic reach, without losing their local touch.

With Wave Grocery, they went from having no digital ordering presence to launching a complete online store and native mobile app, reaching more customers while staying true to their mission.

Background and Objectives

Across the U.S., demand for convenient, values-aligned grocery shopping is rising, with more consumers seeking farm-to-table, organic, and sustainably produced food delivered or ready for quick pickup. For small, community grocers, the challenge is bringing this experience online without losing authenticity or adding operational burden.

Lakeview Farm Store is a single-location, community grocer in Florida focused on organic and locally sourced produce, grass-fed raw dairy and meats, and soy-free, non-GMO options. Despite a loyal customer base, Lakeview had no prior e-commerce experience and needed a simple, reliable way to serve customers digitally.

Lakeview sought to:

• Launch a web storefront and native mobile app
• Simplify catalog and order management
• Enable weight-based pricing for fresh items
• Publish community-driven blog content
• Apply zone-based delivery rules and offer free local pickup
• Accept online payments

Wave Grocery empowered Lakeview to:

• Build a branded ecommerce website and iOS/Android apps
• Configure weight-based items and streamlined catalog workflows
• Implement zone-based delivery to expand reach, including more remote areas
• Offer free pickup alongside delivery time slots and cut-offs
• Enable secure online payments with a clean checkout
• Publish educational blog content to reinforce the store’s mission

Through Wave Grocery’s specialized platform for grocers and its collaborative rollout, Lakeview achieved a credible online presence that preserved its community ethos while expanding access and convenience.

Approach and Solution

Wave Grocery was the natural choice for Lakeview Farm Store because of its proven experience in solving the operational challenges that define grocery ecommerce.

As an independent, community-first grocer with no prior digital ordering presence, Lakeview needed a solution that would take them from offline to a fully functional online channel without long development cycles or costly custom builds.

Once Wave Grocery and Lakeview began to work together, they outlined the specific hurdles the store faced, from handling fresh produce with weight-based pricing to serving different neighborhoods with complex delivery rules, and mapped out a phased plan to overcome them.

The e-grocery sector is notoriously difficult for small retailers: managing sensitive, short-shelf-life products, fluctuating weights, delivery cut-offs, and limited resources leaves little room for error. Generic platforms rarely address these needs, forcing grocers into inefficient workarounds. Wave Grocery provided direct solutions that fit Lakeview’s model from day one.

Beyond enabling online orders, Wave Grocery gave Lakeview the ability to function like a digital hub for its community, expanding reach into more remote areas while preserving the authenticity and values that define the store.

For Lakeview, the Wave Grocery platform offered:

Implementation and Results

To ensure a smooth transition from offline to online, Wave Grocery adopted a collaborative and phased implementation plan. The process covered everything from setup to training and go-live support.

Despite Lakeview’s lack of prior digital commerce expertise, the rollout was completed without disruption and orders started flowing immediately after launch.

Following the launch of the Wave Grocery platform, Lakeview Farm Store transformed from an offline-only grocer into a fully digital, omnichannel retailer. The impact was immediate, reshaping both operations and customer experience.

Catalog & Product Setup

Implementation

Wave Grocery’s team helped Lakeview build a clean digital catalog, including images, categories, and configuration for weight-based products.

Result

A structured, accurate catalog made shopping clearer and reduced item discrepancies on weighted products. Updates became faster and self-served by staff, leading to in product corrections and catalog changes.

Mobile App & Website Launch

Implementation

The iOS and Android apps, alongside a branded ecommerce website, were launched simultaneously, giving customers multiple entry points to shop online.

Result

Customers gained an always-on way to shop. Online orders began within weeks, with early app feedback praising simple navigation and quick reorders.

Delivery Logic Configuration

Implementation

Custom geofencing and scheduling rules were programmed to match Lakeview’s unique model of serving different zones on different days.

Result

Zone-based rules expanded reach into nearby neighborhoods and more remote areas while keeping operations predictable. Lakeview maintained a consistent on-time delivery rate above 95% and saw strong uptake of free pickup for in-town shoppers.

Training & Knowledge Transfer

Implementation

Staff received hands-on training for catalog updates, content publishing, customer service workflows, and order management.

Result

A team with no prior e-commerce background now manages catalog, content, and orders independently. Time to first live orders dropped, and manual handling across key workflows improved.

Customer Onboarding Campaign

Implementation

Wave Grocery advised Lakeview on how to introduce digital ordering to their loyal base, guiding customers to download the app, create accounts via Google/Apple sign-in, and explore new payment and pickup options.

Result

Clear prompts and sign-in options accelerated adoption. Active in-store customers created online accounts, and repeat orders grew.

Consultative Partnership

Implementation

Beyond technical setup, Wave Grocery worked with Lakeview’s team to design delivery policies, craft customer communications, and align the digital experience with their community-first philosophy.

Result

Co-created policies and communications built trust in the new channel. Educational blog posts and product storytelling increased engagement, and supported smoother delivery expectations.