Independent Grocers Alliance Announces New National Partnership With Instacart

CHICAGO and SAN FRANCISCO MARCH 11, 2024 – The Independent Grocers Alliance (IGA) is pleased to announce Instacart, the leading grocery technology company in North America, as its new Red Oval Partner. With the new partnership, Instacart will make it easier for IGA's 2,000+ member stores across the U.S to access its comprehensive suite of advanced technologies, insights, and benefits. These services offer enterprise-grade technology products and solutions that enhance retailers' e-commerce websites and apps, streamline the order fulfillment process, digitize store operations, improve advertising strategies, and provide actionable insights.

"IGA's partnership with Instacart gives our independent retail members access to a dedicated team and a suite of capabilities and services to help drive greater omnichannel efficiency and effectiveness," IGA VP Brand Development Michael La Kier said.

Over the last several years, Instacart has focused on bridging the gap between in-store and online commerce through its technology suite, Connected Stores, which helps grocers build a connected, seamless, and personalized experience for customers.

IGA members will now have a direct line to Instacart Platform and Connected Stores technologies, including:

• Storefront, Instacart’s next-generation storefront white-label solution, bringing innovation to retailer’s e-commerce experience
• Caper Carts, artificial intelligence-powered (AI) smart carts that scan items as the customer drops them in the cart
• Scan and Pay, allowing customers to checkout in store with their mobile phone
• Carrot Tags, electronic shelf labels with pick-to-light capabilities for employees, Instacart shoppers, and in-store customers alike
• FoodStorm, helping manage food service and order ahead offerings
• Out of Stock Insights, alerting stores in real time when an item is out of stock to help improve in-store sales
• Eversight, an SaaS platform that leverages dynamic rules management, AI-powered experimentation, and an easy merchant interface to drive business performance at scale across all channels
• Fulfillment as a Service, expands the e-commerce experience beyond delivery with curbside pickup services and overflow pick & pack support

Members of the Independent Grocers Alliance will also have seamless access to Instacart’s App and website Marketplace, which gives retailers a way to connect with customers through the company’s marketplace and offer same-day delivery in as fast as an hour.

“The ability to include independent grocers on the Instacart App can help expand their reach and capture incremental sales that have long favored big box retailers. It’s another way we want to create a level playing field and help empower local businesses to thrive,” said La Kier.

Customers love using Instacart, as it allows them to get the groceries they need from the retailers they love in as fast as an hour. When a shopper places an order through the Instacart platform via the Instacart App, an Instacart personal shopper will pick and deliver the order within the customer’s designated time frame – whether they choose to receive it same-day or schedule their delivery in advance.

“IGA and Instacart are committed to the success of independent grocers who serve their local communities everyday by catering to customers who are pressed for time, can’t get away, or simply want to relax at home while they shop, said Nick Nickitas, Instacart General Manager, Local Independent Grocery and Rosie Founder. This partnership is all about teaming up to deliver easy and affordable solutions to provide a great convenience for customers and drive profitable growth for retailers.”

Several IGA retailers have already deployed Instacart solutions. Geissler’s Supermarkets, a seven-store IGA retailer with locations in Connecticut and Massachusetts, uses Instacart’s Storefront white-label solution to power their ecommerce platform, as well as plans to deploy Caper Carts, AI-powered smart carts, replacing most of its traditional shopping carts over the coming months.

With this newly established Red Oval Partnership, Instacart will have Merrick Rosner, Head of Revenue, Local Independent Grocery join IGA’s National Retailer Advisory Board. This level of engagement will further the collaboration between IGA leadership, retailers, and strategic partners.

About the Independent Grocers Alliance (IGA)

The Independent Grocers Alliance (IGA) was founded in 1926, bringing together independent grocers across the United States to ensure that the trusted, family-owned local grocery store remained strong in the face of growing chain competition. IGA is the world’s largest voluntary supermarket network with aggregate worldwide retail sales of over $40 billion per year. The Alliance includes more than 6,200 stores globally, with operations in 46 of the United States and nearly 25 countries, commonwealths, and territories.

About Instacart

Instacart, the leading grocery technology company in North America, works with grocers and retailers to transform how people shop. The company partners with more than 1,500 national, regional, and local retail banners to facilitate online shopping, delivery and pickup services from more than 85,000 stores across North America on the Instacart Marketplace. Instacart makes it possible for millions of people to get the groceries they need from the retailers they love, and for approximately 600,000 Instacart shoppers to earn by picking, packing and delivering orders on their own flexible schedule. The Instacart Platform offers retailers a suite of enterprise-grade technology products and services to power their e-commerce experiences, fulfill orders, digitize brick-and-mortar stores, provide advertising services, and glean insights. With Instacart Ads, thousands of CPG brands – from category leaders to emerging brands – partner with the company to connect directly with consumers online, right at the point of purchase. With Instacart Health, the company is providing tools to increase nutrition security, make healthy choices easier for consumers, and expand the role that food can play in improving health outcomes. For more information, visit www.instacart.com/company, and to start shopping, visit www.instacart.com.