Instacart

Instacart is a prominent online grocery delivery platform that connects customers with a wide range of retailers, including grocery stores, wine shops, pharmacies, and pet stores, among others. Founded in 2012 by Apoorva Mehta, Max Mullen, and Brandon Leonardo, it began in the San Francisco Bay Area with the mission to deliver food from local grocers directly to consumers’ doors. The service has significantly expanded since then, now offering an array of retail enablement solutions for over 1,500 retail banners across more than 85,000 locations. Instacart has introduced several innovative features and services over the years, including Instacart+, which offers unlimited free delivery for a monthly subscription fee, partnerships with key US grocery retailers, acquisitions aimed at bolstering retailer technology offerings, and a suite of end-to-end solutions for retailers through Instacart Platform.

Customers can use Instacart by signing up for a free account or opting for a paid membership known as Instacart+, which provides benefits like free delivery on orders over $35 and reduced service fees. The platform enables shopping from nearby stores online, with a personal shopper who fulfills and delivers the order the same day. Instacart stands out by not stocking fresh produce in warehouses but instead having shoppers pick up items from local stores, offering a personal touch to online grocery shopping. It operates across all 50 states and more than 13,000 cities in North America, making it one of the most widely available grocery delivery services