Instacart Adds Whole Foods Same-Day Grocery Delivery Service in Boston; Expands Service Area

CAMBRIDGE, MA--(Marketwired - Jan 8, 2014) - Instacart (www.Instacart.com), the only service that can deliver groceries from multiple local stores within an hour, announced today that it has added Whole Foods delivery in Boston. Beginning today, customers can order from both Shaw's and Whole Foods, and combine items from both stores into one order for delivery in as little as one hour. Instacart has also expanded its service area to encompass 10 additional zip codes: 02135 (Brighton), 02130 (Jamaica Plain), 02125 (North Dorchester), 02120 (Mission Hill), 02119 (Roxbury), 02446/02445 (Brookline), 02163 (Soldier's Field/Lower Allston) and 02144/02140 (Davis Square).

Originally launched in San Francisco and later expanded to Chicago, Instacart has disrupted the traditional grocery delivery space with its crowdsourced labor force dubbed "Personal Shoppers" who shop for and deliver grocery orders using their own vehicles in as little as one hour. This eliminates the need for costly infrastructure such as warehouses, trucks and full-time drivers. Instacart is not affiliated with the stores; its model is to connect customers with Personal Shoppers who shop on their behalf.

Instacart founder and CEO Apoorva Mehta said the company has experienced swift growth in Boston since its December launch, with sales growing by 30 percent weekly as an increasing number of people switch to Instacart for their weekly grocery shopping. Instacart decided to add Whole Foods delivery after being deluged with customer requests, and conducting a survey that found 73 percent of Boston customers wanted it. "Whole Foods delivery has been our #1 request from customers," said Mehta. "We've had great success delivering from Whole Foods Market in Chicago and San Francisco, and know it will be a great addition to our Boston service."

Instacart has opened an office at 585 Mass Ave in Cambridge and now employs two full-time Boston employees plus dozens of contracted personal shoppers.

Instacart serves most neighborhoods in Boston proper including: Back Bay, Beacon Hill/West End, Financial District, Theatre District, North End, Kenmore/Fenway, Allston/Brighton, the Seaport, South End, South Boston, Dorchester, Mission Hill, Roxbury, Jamaica Plain and Brookline plus Cambridge, Charlestown and Somerville. In the coming months, it plans to expand its service area, as it continues to do in both San Francisco and Chicago. For a full map of Instacart's current Boston-area coverage, visit https://www.instacart.com/locations/boston.

Customers can open an Instacart account and receive free delivery on their first order by visiting www.Instacart.com.

About Instacart
Instacart is the only service that can deliver groceries from multiple local stores within an hour, and is often less expensive for consumers than a personal, time-consuming trip to the grocery store. Customers can choose from a variety of local stores including Safeway, Whole Foods, Shaw's and Costco, and can mix items from multiple stores into one order. Instacart is disrupting the traditional grocery delivery business with its approach, which utilizes a crowdsourced model for Personal Shoppers and needs no warehouses or trucks. Learn more at www.Instacart.com.