So I finally started my 2025 weight-loss journey in September, but who’s checking? In Lagos, we do Detty December body prep, not summer body prep. And like everything I do, I have gone extreme: a certain injection (no need to name it here), intermittent fasting, and a stripped-down meal plan. Between 12 noon and 3 pm, I take my first meal, then by 6 pm or 8 pm, I squeeze in my second, mostly vegetable soup and fish these days. My stomach has shrunk, my cravings are changing, and my parfait obsession has become the highlight of my daily eating window.
But here’s the kicker. After more than 20 orders of MelonyPine parfaits on Chowdeck in just 3 weeks, I still haven’t gotten a single freebie. Zero. Nada. Meanwhile, the brand has been running promotions, but apparently, they exclude Chowdeck customers like me.
Loyalty Programmes and Platform Blind Spots
This is the problem with loyalty mechanics that don’t integrate all sales channels. If I’m buying directly on the MelonyPine website, fine, give me my stamps and free cups. But if I’m ordering through Chowdeck, the fastest-growing delivery platform in Lagos with accountability and speed that websites can’t match, why should I be penalised?
The MelonyPine website has a minimum delivery window of 2 hours and 30 minutes. Chowdeck gets my order to me in under 40 minutes. For a fasting body on a strict clock, that’s not a luxury, it’s survival. But because I choose speed, I’m excluded from rewards. That’s a blind spot in loyalty mechanics. If platforms like MelonyPine want real stickiness, they have to work hand-in-hand with delivery intermediaries so customers don’t feel punished for choosing convenience.
Receipts Don’t Lie
Let me drop some data points.
- A recent order: ₦34,500 parfaits + ₦1,500 delivery + ₦1,000 service fee = ₦37,000.
- Another: ₦51,200 + ₦1,500 delivery + ₦1,000 service fee = ₦53,700.
- On average, my parfait receipts hover around ₦11,000 per order.
That’s not pocket change. That’s loyalty. And when loyalty isn’t rewarded, irritation sets in, hence this article.
Sofreshng vs MelonyPine: The Lagos Parfait Rivalry
Before MelonyPine, Sofreshng was the undisputed parfait darling of Instagram. They practically invented the fit-fam Lagos parfait culture more than 7 years ago. They made parfaits aspirational, photogenic, and lifestyle-driven.
But since I moved back to Lagos this year, MelonyPine has been the brand with all the buzz. Their yoghurt blend is unique, thicker, creamier, less sugary. Their marketing is disruptive: TikTok dances, viral campaigns, and the deliberate storytelling of Augusta Nkanu, the founder and CEO. Augusta has built a community by building in public, mixing thought leadership with cheeky content that keeps the brand always on your feed and always on your mind.
That’s why people talk about them like a movement, not just a food brand.
Retargeting: The Secret Sauce
One thing MelonyPine has absolutely nailed is retargeting. You engage once, maybe you visit their website or pause on their Instagram reel, and suddenly, they’re everywhere. Google ads, Instagram stories, random websites, YouTube pre-roll. The illusion is they’re following you, but in reality it’s advanced pixel and cookie placement doing its job.
It’s smart marketing, and it works. Retargeting keeps a brand sticky, amplifies recall, and converts idle interest into purchases. Any brand can implement it through Facebook Pixel, Google Ads remarketing, or integrated CRM tools. It requires discipline and consistent creative, but when done right, it makes your brand unavoidable.
But here’s where it got interesting for me. After speaking to support about my Chowdeck exclusion, I got annoyed and finally clicked “I don’t want to see this ad anymore.” Like clockwork, the MelonyPine ads stopped. Instantly, Instagram began filling that vacuum with Sofreshng ads. Not as slick. Not as omnipresent. But suddenly, I was thinking: maybe their cheaper cup sizes are a better fit for my shrinking stomach than MelonyPine’s premium mini box. That’s how fragile loyalty can be when incentives fail.
Lessons in Reward and Loyalty
1. Cross-platform integration is non-negotiable. If customers buy through Chowdeck, BoltFood, JumiaFood, or your own website, rewards must flow seamlessly. Otherwise, your biggest spenders feel cheated.
2. Data is currency. Every parfait bought on Chowdeck is data that MelonyPine could be leveraging. Instead, it’s siloed. Loyalty isn’t just about free stuff; it’s about making customers feel seen.
3. Retargeting needs balance. Aggressive retargeting works until it doesn’t. Brands must know when to push, when to reward, and when to gracefully back off before the competition sneaks in.
So, Where Do I Stand?
From 20+ orders and ₦200,000+ in receipts this September, I should at least have gotten a free parfait or two. Instead, I’m left plotting whether Sofreshng’s IG-era charm deserves another chance.
MelonyPine still has my heart. Their product is better, their marketing sharper, their CEO more authentic. But loyalty isn’t about feelings. It’s about systems. And until those systems are fixed to reward me wherever I buy, the Sofresh cup might sneak its way into my next Detty December body plan.
