M&M Food Market expands Instacart delivery

Canadian frozen food retailer M&M Food Market has launched Instacart same-day delivery at 216 stores across the country.

The national expansion comes after a more than four-month pilot of Instacart’s service at 18 M&M stores in London, Ontario, and Calgary, Alberta. According to Mississauga, Ontario-based M&M, whose retail network includes 321 stores in all 10 Canadian provinces plus the Yukon and Northwest Territories, the test launch generated a strong response from customers and boosted sales and profitability.

“We partnered with Instacart for our first-ever delivery program, and the reaction has been fantastic. Customers are telling us they love what we’ve done, and the business outcomes have exceeded our expectations,” M&M Food Market CEO Andy O’Brien said in a statement. “So growing the partnership with Instacart was a no-brainer. We’re pleased that our strategy is paying off and we’re looking forward to giving Canadians even greater access to our food and, of course, the M&M Food Market brand.” 

M&M Food Markets, which in 2016 changed its name from M&M Meat Shops, sells flash-frozen foods with a focus on providing convenient meals, in both individual and family-size portions. Its more than 400 items run the gamut from prepared meals, meat, seafood and vegetables to soup, appetizers, side dishes, baked goods and desserts. Offerings include gluten-free and vegetarian foods as well. Stores also sell sauces, spices and other condiments, along with kitchenware.

Related:Shoppers Drug Mart goes national with Instacart grocery delivery

Since announcing the partnership with Instacart in early May, M&M said it has seen average order sizes nearly double those of purchases typically made in-store, and at much higher than average margins. The retailer noted that its team saw positive feedback from shoppers and franchise partners as well as promising new-customer acquisition.

“Instacart orders require no extra effort for the busy people running our stores, and our data shows that customers are now connecting the convenience of our food with that of delivery,” O’Brien explained. “We’ve offered online ordering and a one-hour guarantee for years, and our team does a great job at both. Home delivery is yet another example of how we’re fully committed to exceeding our customers’ expectations and increasing value to our franchise partners.”

To use the Instacart service, M&M customers place orders online at Instacart.ca or via the Instacart mobile app. An Instacart personal shopper picks, packs and delivers the orders in as soon as one hour or at a time scheduled up to five days in advance. For orders of $35 or more, delivery costs $3.99. Customers can sign up for an Instacart Express membership at $9.99 per month or an annual fee of $99 to get unlimited free delivery on all orders over $35.

Related:Walmart Canada goes nationwide with Instacart delivery

Plans call for M&M and Instacart to expand the service to more stores through the end of 2019 and into next year as Instacart expands its footprint in Canada. A spokesman for M&M said the retailer will also look at partners that can extend its reach in areas where Instacart isn't currently available. 

“We’re proud to expand our partnership with M&M Food Market to bring easy-to-prepare and ready-made meals to even more customers in as fast as an hour,” stated Chris Rogers, vice president of retail for San Francisco-based Instacart. “By extending the reach of our partnership to more stores across Canada, we’re supporting the continued growth of M&M Food Market’s e-commerce business and bringing the convenience of same-day delivery to more loyal M&M Food Market customers across the country.”

Instacart now partners with over 300 retailers in North America, providing delivery from more than 20,000 stores in 5,500-plus cities. The service reaches more than 70% of Canadian households and over 80% of U.S. households. Instacart currently has five retail partners in Canada covering over 500 stores, including Walmart Canada, Loblaw (12 retail banners), M&M Food Market, Pusateri’s and Staples.