Dive Brief:
- Albertsons and Instacart are expanding their partnership to include nationwide pickup and convenience delivery and to offer same-day delivery from Haggen Food & Pharmacy in Washington state, Instacart announced Wednesday.
- For the convenience delivery, Instacart is powering a virtual store called Albertsons Rapid that offers order delivery in as little as 30 minutes.
- The announcement comes at a time when more c-stores are offering delivery after COVID-19 shifted expectations and needs toward lower-contact shopping.
Dive Insight:
With this, Albertsons joins numerous other grocers in launching quick delivery services that stand to compete with c-stores for small, impulse-driven orders.
Albertsons Rapid, the new virtual convenience store, is available across all Albertsons’ banner stores. Through the service, customers can buy items like prepared foods, snacks, drinks, grocery staples, household essentials and more. Albertsons Rapid service fees are $2.99 per order or free for Instacart+ members.
By the end of August, pickup for orders placed through Instacart will be available from more than 2,000 locations under Albertsons banners including Safeway, Albertsons, Shaw’s, ACME, Jewel-Osco, Randalls and Vons banners. Currently, pickup is available in “hundreds” of Albertsons stores for Instacart orders. Instacart noted that pickup from the Albertsons banners is free.
“[W]e are offering customers another channel to fulfill their shopping needs,” Stephen Menaquale, Albertsons’ senior vice president of e-commerce and fulfillment, said in a statement about the pickup option. “Shoppers are likely driving by one of our stores on their way home from work or after their kid’s soccer practice, and with Instacart pickup services, we are providing a convenient solution for grocery shopping that fits into their busy lives.”
As of today, the convenience delivery and pickup services are not available at United Supermarkets and Haggen Food & Pharmacy, an Instacart spokesperson said.
Instacart said the expanded partnership gives its app customers more grocery choices.
“Whether it’s a full weekly shop or a last-minute need, we’re delivering value and convenience right to your doorstep from your local Albertsons Cos. banner store,” Ryan Hamburger, vice president of retail partnerships at Instacart, said in the announcement.
Instacart and Albertsons first linked up in 2017. Albertsons also has entered e-commerce partnerships with Grubhub, DoorDash and Uber.
