Instacart opens grocery platform to third-party developers

Instacart is releasing a public application programming interface (API).

The grocery technology company is launching the Instacart Developer Platform (IDP), a publicly available API program enables third parties to integrate the functionality of Instacart inside their websites and apps. 

Over time, Instacart says IDP will offer third-party developers access to the following features:

• Same-day fulfillment of more than one billion unique products in as fast as 30 minutes from 85,000 stores across more than 1,500 national, regional, and local retail banners.
• Instacart’s item catalog, which includes attributes like ingredient and nutrition information and size, which the company says can be used to create customizable meal plans, recipes, and shopping lists.
• Real-time shelf-level data from individually targeted stores.

As a sample result, a third-party recipe app could use IDP to integrate Instacart store location, ingredient shopping, and same-day delivery functionality for its users.

• Instacart is collaborating with more than a dozen launch partners who will launch IDP integrations over the coming months, including:
• WeightWatchers will connect its digital “What to Eat” feature to IDP, enabling app users to directly add the ingredients they need for their WeightWatchers recipes to their shopping list and Instacart cart for home delivery.
• The New York Times Cooking site will use IDP functionality to ingredients they need delivered to their door in as fast as 30 minutes.
• GE Appliances will integrate IDP into its SmartHQ app to let consumers who generate shoppable custom recipes with the Flavorly AI tool use Instacart ordering and same-day delivery. Instacart ordering and same-day delivery will also be available for the shoppable recipes on the LCD touchscreen of select GE wall ovens and slide-in ranges, starting in fall 2024.

The first version of the Instacart Development Platform is live as of Wednesday, March 27, 2024 and is accepting partner applications. Instacart has been extending its functionality to other retailers via solutions such as the FoodStorm order management system and the Storefront e-commerce platform.

"Right now, there is an explosion of innovative developers and companies doing different, interesting things in food and other spaces – from meal planning and cooking inspiration to navigating dietary and health needs to interactive beauty apps," said Daniel Danker, chief product officer, Instacart, in a corporate blog post. "While many of these new companies are able to leverage emerging tech like generative AI to create compelling products, most don’t have a way to build functionality that gets people the food, household items, and other essentials they need to turn the guidance and inspiration they’re getting into action."