S. Carolina Bank, Grocery Chain to Market a Cobranded Card

Two Greenville, S.C.-based companies, Carolina First Corp. and Bi-Lo Inc., are marketing a cobranded supermarket card.

The super community bank is issuing the Bi-Lo Visa to consumers who frequent the 259 Bi-Lo supermarkets in South Carolina, North Carolina, Georgia, and Tennessee.

The no-fee card comes with an 8.25% rate, which in six months jumps to 15.9% for a gold card and 17.9% for a classic card.

Customers will receive a 3% rebate on all groceries bought at Bi-Lo and a 2% rebate for all other purchases. Cardholders can earn up to $500 in rebates annually; each quarter the bank sends gift certificates in cardholders' statements.

"Food is not an option, it's something everybody has to have," said Joyce M. Smart, a spokeswoman for Bi-Lo. The rebates will help families with their grocery budget, she added.

William S. Hummers, chief financial officer for the $1.5 billion-asset bank, said the Bi-Lo Visa is its first cobranded product. The bank has $37 million in outstandings from 100,000 cards.

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