Instacart integrates FoodStorm order management system with kiosks
Instacart is expanding the reach of its FoodStorm order management solution.
The grocery technology company is adding enhancements from FoodStorm, the order management system (OMS) it purchased in October 2021 and revamped with new capabilities in October 2023 and September 2024, to its in-store kiosk ordering and kitchen display system.
These improvements are designed to help grocers modernize their fresh food service departments – including deli counters, bakers, and prepared foods sections – by capturing additional sales during busy periods when staff are occupied nd expand their online customizable ordering options.
In addition, the FoodStorm-enabled kiosks provide customers with an interactive browsing experience and real-time ordering tracking via SMS or email. They also deliver smart upselling features for premium ingredients and add-ons.
Other upgrades to the kitchen display system software let grocers display orders as active, upcoming or complete; provide notifications when new orders enter the queue; allow departments to temporarily go offline during busy periods; and enable multiple departments to work on the same order simultaneously with an intuitive touchscreen interface.
FoodStorm – an overview
FoodStorm technology streamlines the manual process of customers calling in or placing in-store orders for prepared food by enabling multi-channel order (e-commerce, phone or in-store kiosk) management payment and fulfillment.
The solution also integrates with a large variety of third-party systems, including POS solutions, and offers CRM capabilities that help grocers collect feedback, market their offerings and leverage promotional features.
Instacart made FoodStorm a part of Connected Stores — a bundle of new and existing Instacart Platform technologies intended to help grocers build a unified, seamless and personalized experience — online and in-store, in September 2022.
In February 2023, FoodStorm began supporting items sold by weight, including all fresh food and prepared items typically found at deli and meat counters. Instacart followed up in June 2023 by enabling direct omnichannel fulfillment of made-to-order items via FoodStorm, and released a public API in March 2024.
[READ MORE: Instacart opens grocery platform to third-party developers]
