Publix to expand Instacart chainwide

Publix said this week it intended to “dramatically” expand its relationship with on-demand grocery ordering and delivery service Instacart, with plans to service all of its stores by 2020.

Instacart began offering delivery service in select Publix markets in Florida last July and currently is available in Florida (Daytona Beach, Fort Lauderdale, Fort Myers, Jacksonville, Melbourne, Miami, Naples, Orlando, Sarasota, St. Petersburg, Tallahassee, Tampa and West Palm Beach), Georgia (Atlanta), South Carolina (Columbia), North Carolina (Charlotte, Durham and Raleigh) and Tennessee (Knoxville and Nashville).

Over the next five months, Instacart will be available to Publix shoppers in Alabama (Birmingham, Dothan, Huntsville, Mobile and Montgomery); Florida (Cape Coral, Crestview, Fort Pierce, Gainesville and Panama City); Georgia (Albany, Augusta, Macon and Savannah); North Carolina (Asheville, High Point, Wilmington and Winston-Salem); South Carolina (Charleston, Greenville, Hilton Head Island, Myrtle Beach and Spartanburg); Tennessee (Chattanooga); and Virginia (Richmond). Shoppers at all Publix stores are expected to have the service available by 2020. Publix currently operates 1,148 locations.

Instacart, based in San Francisco, has been expanding rapidly this year as retailers seek cost-effective means to meet consumer demand for more convenient grocery shopping. The company now serves 60 U.S. markets — about twice the number it did at the end of last year — with plans to expand by 100 U.S. markets by year-end.

"We selected Instacart because we knew their approach and expertise would deliver a high-quality experience for our customers," Laurie Douglas, SVP and chief information officer for the Lakeland, Fla.-based retailer, said in a statement. "The overwhelming response of our customers has proven that Instacart and Publix are a strong and dynamic team. We are excited to take the next steps in building our unique relationship to dramatically grow the service in our markets."