Instacart Launches Catering Delivery
Instacart has integrated FoodStorm's order management system (OMS) with the delivery platform’s app to make it easier for grocers to offer online ordering and delivery of catering items.
Independent grocer Uncle Giuseppe's Marketplace is the first retailer to connect FoodStorm OMS directly with the supermarket’s Instacart storefront. This enables shoppers across New York and New Jersey to easily place catering orders online, while also streamlining the process for store associates to manage orders.
"Catering represents one of the highest margin categories for grocers, driving meaningful incremental growth for their business as consumer demand increases. In the first half of 2022, we've seen nearly a 20% increase in customers searching for 'catering' on Instacart compared to the same period last year," said Jeanette Barlow, vice president of product at Instacart, in a news release.
FoodStorm can now be integrated with the Instacart app further extending Carrot Order Ahead, an Instacart Platform solution. Carrot Order Ahead enables various fulfillment options, including next-day or scheduled-in-advance delivery and pickup, so grocers can offer their customers a more convenient way to order catering and prepared foods on their Instacart app storefront or white-label e-commerce storefront.
The integration between FoodStorm and the Instacart app now means customers can order grocery items — such as beverages, paperware or side dishes — directly alongside their catering order for delivery all at once.
"Instacart Platform technology has helped more customers discover our catering selection, resulting in incremental sales for this important part of our business," said Russell McVeigh, catering director at Uncle Giuseppe's Marketplace, in the release. "The Instacart app and FoodStorm OMS have both been important to supporting our e-commerce business."
"During the busy holiday season when catering and prepared foods are in peak demand, we've been able to grow our online sales by nearly 62% by having the right infrastructure in place to handle that volume without crippling our in-store operations or without having to scale our staff," McVeigh added.