Instacart powers in-store and online technology for growing number of independent US grocers
Instacart reports that a growing number of independent grocers across the US are adopting its enterprise technology offerings, including Caper Carts, Storefront Pro, and FoodStorm.
“Independent grocers have always been passionate about the communities they serve and now they’re leading the charge in retail innovation to give their customers a more seamless, easy, and affordable shopping experience," says Nick Nickitas, General Manager of Independent Grocery and Mid-Market Retail Partnerships at Instacart.
“Instacart empowers grocers to deliver the best experience possible for their guests while streamlining operations, driving incremental revenue, and strengthening their competitive edge both in-store and online.”
Big Bunny Market in Massachusetts and Stewart’s Marketplace in Utah are the latest to roll-out Caper Carts.
These let customers track their spending and check out directly on the cart. Using NVIDIA Jetson technology, the carts feature AI powered sensors that guide customers as they scan and place items into the basket. As items are scanned in, they identify them instantly, helping customers stay aware of their total as they shop.
"We’ve served our community for generations, and Caper Carts are a great way to bring convenience to our aisles," says Jonathan Cournoyer, Owner at Big Bunny Market. “Our customers will love how the carts make it enjoyable to shop and save money. It’s a win-win for our team and our customers."
“We’re constantly exploring new ways to improve our customers' shopping experience and help them save on groceries,” says Frank Shaw, Manager of Marketing at Stewart’s Marketplace. "By introducing the Caper Carts, we’re giving our customers the option to use smart technology to speed up and enhance their shopping trips while saving money each time.”
In California, Luke’s Local Grocery is leveraging FoodStorm, the Instacart order management system, to streamline its deli made-to-order business.
"We’re always looking for ways to make great food simpler - for our customers and our team,” says Luke Oppenheim, Founder of Luke’s Local. “FoodStorm lets us handle made-to-order and prepared food in real- time, without losing the hands-on quality we care about. It’s already making a difference behind the counter and online."
S&C Foods in Tennessee is enhancing its digital footprint with Storefront Pro, Instacart’s end-to-end e-commerce solution custom designed for grocers of all sizes. This offers grocers the ability to build out a fully branded and customisable shopping experience from discovery, with features like weekly ad integration and AI powered personalisation, to delivery by offering versatile fulfillment options.
Storefront Pro also gives grocers the tools to manage their own promotions including integration to loyalty programs to engage customers. The white-label e-commerce solution unlocks new retail media capabilities by giving grocers access to Instacart’s Carrot Ads, enabling retailers to monetise digital and physical footprints through a unified network
“Storefront Pro will make it easy for us to create a best-in-class online platform that maintains our local identity that our customers know and love,” says Shane Means, Operations Manager, S&C Foods. “It will offer a modern digital experience without having to build everything from scratch ourselves - freeing up our team to focus on serving our community in store.”
2025 RTIH INNOVATION AWARDS
Grocery technology was a key focus area at the 2025 RTIH Innovation Awards.
We received a record number of entries and many fantastic examples of the continued resilience and dynamism of the retail space during hugely challenging times.
For a full rundown of all of the shortlisted entries, click here.
Our 2025 hall of fame entrants were revealed during a sold out event which took place at The HAC in Central London on 16th October and consisted of a drinks reception, three course meal, and awards ceremony presided over by award winning comedian, actress and writer Tiff Stevenson.
In his welcome speech, Scott Thompson, Founder and Editor, RTIH, said: “This is the awards’ fifth year as a physical event. We started off with just 30 people at the South Place Hotel not far from here, then moved to London Bridge Hotel, then The Barbican, and last year RIBA’s HQ in the West End.”
“But I’m conscious of the fact that, to quote the legend that is Taylor Swift, You’re only as hot as your last hit, baby. So, this year we’ve moved to our biggest venue yet, and also pulled in our largest number of entries to date and broken attendance records.”
He added: “This year’s submissions have without doubt been our best yet. To quote one of the judges: The examples of innovative developments across both traditional and digital retail spaces were truly remarkable.”
Congratulations to our winners, and a big thank you to our sponsors, judging panel, the legend that is Tiff Stevenson, and all those who attended our 2025 gathering.
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