IGA, Instacart Form National Partnership

Move provides enhanced tech access for 2,000+ alliance member stores

3/12/2024

As IGA's latest Red Oval Partner, Instacart will make it easier for IGA’s 2,000-plus member stores across the country to access its comprehensive suite of advanced technologies, insights and benefits.

The Independent Grocers Alliance (IGA) has named grocery technology company Instacart its latest Red Oval Partner. Under the new partnership, Instacart will make it easier for IGA’s 2,000-plus member stores across the country to access its comprehensive suite of advanced technologies, insights and benefits. These enterprise-grade technology products and solutions encompass retailers’ e-commerce websites and apps, the order fulfillment process, store operations, advertising strategies and 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,” noted IGA VP Brand Development Michael La Kier.

Over the past few years, Instacart has concentrated on bridging the gap between in-store and online commerce through its technology suite, Connected Stores, which aims to help grocers create a connected, seamless and personalized experience for customers.

Instacart Platform and Connected Stores technologies that IGA members will have access to include:

Storefront, a white-label solution aiming to bring innovation to retailer’s e-commerce experience
Caper Carts, artificial intelligence-powered (AI) smart carts that scan items as the customer places them in the cart
Scan and Pay, which allows customers to check out in store with a mobile phone
Carrot Tags, electronic shelf labels with pick-to-light capabilities for employees, Instacart shoppers and in-store customers alike
FoodStorm, which helps manage foodservice and order-ahead offerings
Out of Stock Insights, which alerts stores in real time when an item is out of stock to help lift in-store sales
Eversight, an SaaS platform that leverages dynamic rules management, AI-powered experimentation and an easy-to-use merchant interface to boost business performance at scale across all channels
Fulfillment as a Service, which aims to expand the e-commerce experience beyond delivery with curbside pickup services and overflow pick-and-pack support

Members will also have seamless access to Instacart’s App and website Marketplace, giving retailers a way to connect with customers via 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,” added La Kier. “It’s another way we want to create a level playing field and help empower local businesses to thrive.”

“IGA and Instacart are committed to the success of independent grocers who serve their local communities every day 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, general manager, local independent grocery at Instacart and the founder of e-commerce provider Rosie, which was acquired by Instacart in 2022. “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 implemented Instacart solutions: Geissler’s Supermarkets, a seven-store IGA retailer with locations in Connecticut and Massachusetts, is now using Instacart’s Storefront white-label solution to power its e-commerce platform, and it plans to deploy Caper Carts, AI-powered smart carts, which will most of its traditional shopping carts over the next few months.

With this newly established Red Oval Partnership, Merrick Rosner, Instacart’s head of revenue, local independent grocery, has joined IGA’s National Retailer Advisory Board, with the goal of advancing collaboration among IGA leadership, retailers and strategic partners.

Chicago-based IGA is the world’s largest voluntary supermarket network, with aggregate worldwide retail sales of more than $40 billion per year. The alliance consists of more than 6,200 stores globally, with operations in 46 of the United States and nearly 25 countries, commonwealths and territories.

San Francisco-based Instacart 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.