Price Chopper, Tops expand omnichannel presence via Instacart

Price Chopper/Market 32 and Tops Friendly Markets are growing their omnichannel presence through the expansion of a partnership with delivery service Instacart, the delivery platform announced Tuesday.  

Schenectady, New York-based Northeast Grocery, Inc., the parent company of the two grocery chains, said it is introducing new e-commerce solutions via the Instacart Platform service and establishing a new retail media network using Instacart’s Carrot Ads.  

The new tech will utilize machine learning technologies to provide custom coupons and personalize recommendations for shoppers, enabling them to reorder items they’ve purchased in the past. 

"We’re proud to expand our partnership with Instacart, demonstrating our commitment to evolving the online shopping experience,” said Diane Colgan, SVP of marketing at Northeast Grocery Inc., in a statement. "Through the Instacart Platform, we’re able to introduce innovative e-commerce features that enhance the customer experience with a more personalized experience, while our cutting-edge retail media network, powered by Carrot Ads, helps us connect brands directly with customers at the point of purchase." 

Price Chopper/Market 32 and Tops, which operate nearly 300 stores in New York, Vermont, Connecticut, Pennsylvania, Massachusetts and New Hampshire, began its partnership with Instacart in 2017 and has used its Storefront Pro technology since 2019. 

The retail media network will allow brands to advertise directly on Price Chopper/Market 32 and Tops online portals and mobile apps. The Carrot Ads service enables retailers to offer display ads and brands to position targeted banners to increase basket sizes.  

"Through our longstanding partnership with Price Chopper/Market32 and Tops, we're proud to have helped them build their e-commerce footprint from the ground up," said Chris Rogers, chief business officer at Instacart, in a statement. “Now, as we expand our relationship to include Instacart's ad technology, we are opening up even more exciting possibilities for them to continue to grow their businesses while creating a more compelling and personalized experience for their customers as they browse the digital aisles.”  

The announcement is the most recent effort by Northeast Grocery, Inc., to grow the digital capabilities of its operations. Earlier this month, Price Chopper/Market 32 expanded its rewards program by allowing customers to earn loyalty points by switching their energy service provider to Green Mountain Energy and adopting the company’s Community Solar Program. 

Price Chopper also released a mobile game in March called Daily SurPRIZE, Frozen Food Frenzy that allows shoppers to earn points by playing. 

Meanwhile, Tops Friendly Markets announced in May that it expanded its relationship with Instacart to include delivery service to eight more of its 149 stores. It was the grocer’s 14th expansion with Instacart, Jillian Sirica, manager, digital marketing for Tops Friendly Markets, said in a statement.