Whole Foods teams up with one-hour grocery service Instacart
Whole Foods is aiming to make life for customers in 15 cities a little more convenient. The company has entered into a partnership with grocery delivery service Instacart that enables customers to have Whole Foods Market products delivered to them in one hour.
Customers will soon also be able to place orders via Instacart and pick them up local participating Whole Foods Market stores, making Whole Foods the first national Instacart partner to offer the in-store pickup service.
The two companies are piloting the in-store pickup option at select Austin and Boston stores in the next month. Instacart delivers from Whole Foods Market in all of the 15 cities it currently serves: Atlanta; Austin; Boston; Boulder; Chicago; Denver; Houston; Los Angeles; New York City; Philadelphia; Portland, Oregon; San Francisco; San Jose; Seattle and Washington, DC. In the coming months, Instacart and Whole Foods Market expect to expand the in-store pickup option to all the cities that Instacart serves.
“Instacart makes it extremely easy for our customers to buy Whole Foods Market products from 15 cities and have them quickly delivered — whether buying fresh ingredients for dinner tonight or sending healthy foods to loved ones in another city,” said Walter Robb, co-CEO of Whole Foods Market. “We are thrilled to add this additional convenience for our customers.”
“Instacart and Whole Foods Market are two companies that share a common vision to create great grocery shopping experiences,” said Apoorva Mehta, CEO and founder of Instacart. “Whole Foods Market is our most requested shopping destination, and we’re happy to be working together to create a seamless, quick option for customers with busy lifestyles.”
By ordering at Instacart.com or via the Instacart mobile app, Whole Foods Market customers select their zip code, add items to a virtual cart and then choose a delivery window (within one hour, within two hours or at a scheduled time) and check out. Instacart Personal Shoppers confirm incoming orders on their smartphones, shop for the items at Whole Foods Market stores and then deliver orders to customers in the designated delivery timeframe.
Via Instacart, Whole Foods Market customers can save grocery lists and set up automated ordering of regularly purchased products. Instacart also offers a Whole Foods Market recipe database and other sources with the ability to auto-generate grocery lists for those dishes.
As incentive for customers to try out the new services, Instacart and Whole Foods Market are offering shoppers the chance to win free groceries for one year. Customers will receive hidden game pieces in Instacart delivery bags beginning Sept. 12, with five chances to win.
All Instacart customers receive free delivery on their first order; thereafter, the cost is $3.99 for two-hour delivery or $5.99 for one-hour delivery. Customers can also purchase a $99 annual Instacart Express membership and receive free delivery on any order greater than $35.