Publix opens virtual convenience storefront
A regional Southeastern grocer is partnering with a well-known online delivery platform to make essential items available for fast delivery.
Publix is partnering with Instacart to roll out a new online storefront called “Publix Quick Picks.” Available across Publix’s entire seven-state footprint, the new storefront allows customers to shop from Publix’s assortment of fresh groceries, pantry and household essentials, meals, snacks and more, for delivery in as fast as 30 minutes with Instacart’s Priority Delivery service.
Publix Quick Picks first launched in September 2021 in Tampa. Following a successful pilot, the companies expanded the service across Publix’s operating footprint ahead of the holiday season, enabling rapid delivery from Publix the first time ever.
Items available via the storefront include premade meals such as fried chicken tenders, Italian pinwheels and sushi; to convenience essentials like soda, chips, ice cream, candy, beer, wine and hard seltzers, and other products. Publix and Instacart first partnered in 2016 to launch same-day delivery in as fast as one hour.
The service is available to customers via the Publix e-commerce site and the Instacart Convenience Hub, a new Instacart marketplace product feature designed to streamline convenience shopping. Kroger recently partnered with the Instacart Convenience Hub to open its own online convenience store with 30-minute delivery, known as Kroger Delivery Now.
“Customer demand for convenience and rapid delivery continues to grow, and both speed and selection have become fundamental to grocery e-commerce. We’re proud to expand our partnership with Publix to bring the in-store express lane online with Publix Quick Picks, offering customers incredible choice paired with fast delivery to meet all of their last-minute needs through this busy holiday season and beyond,” said Chris Rogers, VP of retail at Instacart. “Whether trying to satisfy a craving, needing a forgotten ingredient for a family dinner or looking for a quick lunch option, Publix Quick Picks gives customers access to nearly the entire store so they can get exactly what they want, when they need it.”
“Since launching Publix Quick Picks on Instacart, we’ve seen rapid customer adoption. Our store locations and wide assortment, combined with Instacart Priority Delivery in as fast as 30 minutes, creates a winning solution for our customers,” said Erik Katenkamp, Publix VP omnichannel & application development. “Our strong relationship with Instacart continues to unlock capabilities to meet the changing needs of our customers, and we look forward to continuing to grow our portfolio of time-saving services – like Publix Quick Picks – to give customers more ways to get what they need from Publix.”
Publix is the largest employee-owned company in the United States. It has more than 225,000 associates and currently operates 1,283 stores in Florida, Georgia, Alabama, Tennessee, South Carolina, North Carolina and Virginia. It recently announced plans to enter Kentucky, opening a store there in 2023.
Instacart partners with more than 700 national, regional and local retailers to deliver from more than 65,000 stores across more than 5,500 cities in North America. Instacart’s platform is available to over 85% of U.S. households and 90% of Canadian households.