Instacart, a North American online grocer, and C&S Wholesale Grocers, the largest US wholesale grocery supplier, have formed a new partnership. The companies will offer eCommerce and same-day delivery solutions to more than 3,000 C&S independent grocery retailers across the US.
The partnership shows both companies commitment to supporting independent grocers across the country and the diverse communities these retailers serve.
“Connecting local grocers to their customers online is incredibly important to Instacart. Today the need for this is more important than ever,” said Chris Rogers, Vice President of Retail at Instacart.
“It’s critical that families have access to groceries and goods from the retailers. By partnering with C&S, we’re able to bring more independently-owned grocers online. This ensures the communities they serve can more easily access the household essentials they need.”
Partnership to help grocers grow
As part of the partnership, C&S will help bring their network of independent grocers onto the Instacart marketplace. The companies will work closely to help retailers establish an eCommerce and delivery offering to meet the needs of customers.
Once the grocer is live on the Instacart marketplace, customers can visit the Instacart website or download the mobile app. Users can then enter their city, select their store, and begin adding items to their Instacart grocery cart. An Instacart personal shopper will pick and deliver the order within the customer’s designated time frame — same-day.
Alternatively, for convenient scheduling, up to two weeks in advance. All Instacart orders default to “Leave at My Door Delivery” to ensure customers receive their deliveries safely. Retailers can also maintain social distancing guidelines.
Maintaining existing customer relationships
Instacart and C&S both play integral roles in supporting independent grocery stores across the country. A study conducted by Dr Robert Kulick of NERA Economic Consulting showed Instacart allows grocers to maintain existing customer relationships and attract new ones. It also protects and creates jobs at brick and mortar stores. By helping grocery retailers grow, Instacart is strengthening the grocery industry and local US economies. Similarly, C&S is continually evolving to offer new and cost-efficient products, services and solutions where retailers need it most.
C&S supplies more than 7,700 independent supermarkets, chain stores, military bases and institutions with over 137,000 different products. Instacart today partners with more than 350 national, regional and local retailers. The platform delivers from over 25,000 stores across more than 5,500 cities in the US and Canada.
Enterprise Times: What this means for business? ,
The online grocery marketplace has been one of the few winners during the Covid-19 pandemic. Consumers have increasingly embraced the idea of buying their groceries at the click of the button. Now more than ever before, shoppers need the safety and convenience of online shopping and home delivery. Smaller groceries, without an eCommerce offering, have managed to survive, but possibly not thrive in the current environment.
The new partnership between Instacart and C&S Wholesale Grocers makes perfect sense. The partnership gives more than 3,000 independent grocers access to same-day grocery delivery solutions to better serve and support communities. Expect similar partnerships to be announced among comparable businesses in the UK and the rest of Europe.
