Instacart, Publix Join Forces on Quick Delivery

Instacart and the supermarket chain Publix have joined forces on Publix’s virtual convenience offering, which lets customers choose products from Publix and have them delivered by Instacart.

Announced on Thursday (Nov. 4), Publix Quick Picks is a new storefront available across Publix’s seven-state footprint, allowing customers to shop for groceries, household items, meals and snacks, all available within 30 minutes through Instacart Priority Delivery.

According to a news release from the two companies, Publix rolled out a pilot of the service in Tampa in September. In light of its success, the chain has decided to expand the offering throughout the southeastern U.S. in time for the winter holidays.

“Customer demand for convenience and rapid delivery continues to grow, and both speed and selection have become fundamental to grocery eCommerce,” said Chris Rogers, vice president of retail at Instacart, in the news release. “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.”

Read more: Ultra-Fast Grocery Delivery Companies Expect a Future of Consolidation

Research from PYMNTS’ report, What Consumers Expect From Their Grocery Shopping Experiences, produced in collaboration with ACI Worldwide, found that 34% of grocery shoppers buy online, while 18% say eCommerce is their preferred shopping method.

This census-balanced survey of more than 2,300 U.S. consumers, carried out in June 2021, also found that 76% of consumers who have been buying their groceries online more often are doing so because they believe it is easier and more convenient, while 57% said they do so because it is faster.

Erik Katenkamp, Publix’s vice president of omnichannel and application development, said the launch has been met with “rapid customer adoption” from people looking to save time.

The program is available through Instacart’s Convenience Hub and on delivery.publix.com.

Publix and Instacart’s partnership dates back to 2016, when the two companies collaborated on same-day delivery.