Instacart

Corporate brand

A grocery delivery, pickup, retail-media, and commerce-technology platform serving customers and retailers in the United States and Canada.

Last updated November 4, 2026

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Overview

Instacart is the consumer-facing brand of Maplebear Inc., a San Francisco-based grocery-commerce and retail-media company. Its principal service connects consumers with participating supermarkets, warehouse clubs, pharmacies, specialty grocers, and other retailers through a website and mobile application. Customers select products online, while an Instacart shopper or, increasingly, the retailer's own staff picks and packs the order for delivery or pickup. Alcohol delivery is also available in jurisdictions where local law and retailer participation permit it. The business was founded in 2012 by Apoorva Mehta, who had experienced the difficulty of buying groceries without a car while growing up in Canada. Max Mullen and Brandon Leonardo subsequently became co-founders. The company initially concentrated on a limited number of urban markets and used independent shoppers to fulfill orders from local stores. Its marketplace model allowed retailers to offer online ordering and same-day fulfillment without building a complete digital operation themselves. Instacart expanded nationally in the United States and entered Canada in 2017 through a partnership with Loblaw Companies. Over time, it broadened its service beyond delivery into pickup, memberships, advertising, retailer software, pricing tools, inventory and e-commerce technology, and consumer packaged-goods marketing. The company describes its retail-media business as a way for brands to reach shoppers at the point of purchase, while its retailer technology products support digital storefronts and fulfillment operations. Important consumer offerings include the Instacart marketplace, same-day delivery and pickup, alcohol delivery where permitted, and Instacart+, a paid membership formerly known as Instacart Express. Instacart+ provides benefits such as reduced or waived delivery fees on qualifying orders, with terms depending on the order and market. In 2022, the membership was renamed and expanded with family-oriented shopping features, including shared membership access and collaborative carts. The COVID-19 pandemic substantially increased demand for grocery delivery. Instacart introduced contactless delivery, safety guidance, protective-equipment programs, and temporary assistance measures for shoppers, while rapidly adding hundreds of thousands of shoppers during the initial surge. The period also intensified scrutiny of shopper pay, employment classification, workplace safety, and the relationship between platform labor and retailer fulfillment. Instacart became a public company in September 2023 under the legal name Maplebear Inc. Its initial public offering raised approximately $660 million and valued the company at roughly $10 billion at pricing, according to contemporary reports. Apoorva Mehta moved from chief executive to executive chair in 2021 and left the company after the IPO. Fidji Simo became chief executive in 2021 and later became chair. Chris Rogers was appointed chief executive effective August 2025 after Simo's planned move to OpenAI, according to the supplied reference material. Instacart continues to operate as a two-sided marketplace while developing software and advertising products for retailers and consumer brands.

History

Instacart began in 2012 after Apoorva Mehta identified a need for grocery access among people without cars. The early company used a marketplace model: consumers ordered from local stores, and independent shoppers purchased and delivered the goods. Mehta initially missed the Y Combinator application deadline but obtained a meeting after using an early version of the service to deliver beer to a Y Combinator partner. Instacart joined Y Combinator's 2012 batch, raised early funding, and brought in Max Mullen and Brandon Leonardo as co-founders. The service launched in San Francisco and expanded across the United States. It added an annual membership called Instacart Express in 2013 and introduced alcohol delivery in permitted areas that year. The company later developed partnerships with major retail banners and entered Canada in 2017, initially working with Loblaw in Toronto and Vancouver. By 2018, it had expanded to additional Canadian markets. Changes to service fees and shopper compensation during this period generated criticism from customers and shoppers, illustrating the tension between platform economics, delivery prices, tips, and worker earnings. Instacart acquired Unata in 2018, bringing in a white-label digital platform for grocers. In 2019, it added more flexible on-demand work options for shoppers and expanded same-day alcohol delivery. Whole Foods ended its United States partnership in 2019 as its relationship with Amazon developed, although Instacart later announced a Whole Foods service in Canada in 2024. The pandemic transformed the scale and visibility of the business. Instacart introduced contactless delivery, safety protocols, protective kits, and assistance programs. It added roughly 300,000 shoppers during the initial spring 2020 demand surge. It also formed or expanded partnerships with Rite Aid, Walmart, C&S Wholesale Grocers, Staples, and other retailers. At the same time, shoppers and regulators raised questions about protective equipment, sick pay, hazard compensation, worker classification, and the balance between independent contractors and retailer employees. After the pandemic surge, Instacart broadened its strategic scope. Caper AI, acquired in 2021, added smart-cart and checkout capabilities. Eversight supplied AI-based pricing technology, while Rosie expanded tools for independent retailers and wholesalers. The company launched Instacart Platform in 2022 and developed advertising, health-related food tools, recipe commerce, streaming and content partnerships, and other integrations. Instacart+ replaced the Instacart Express name in 2022 and added family-shopping functions. Instacart's valuation reached approximately $39 billion in a 2021 private financing context, before declining technology and growth-company valuations affected the eventual public-market debut. Fidji Simo became chief executive in July 2021, with Mehta moving to executive chair. Simo was also designated to become chair after the IPO. Maplebear Inc. went public in September 2023, raising approximately $660 million and listing on Nasdaq as CART. Mehta left after the listing. Subsequent partnerships included Peacock, Uber Eats, and The New York Times Cooking. In 2025, Chris Rogers succeeded Simo as chief executive, according to the supplied reference material. The company remains a marketplace and a provider of retail software and advertising infrastructure.

2025
Chris Rogers takes over as chief executive
[1]Instacarten.wikipedia.org
Chris Rogers became chief executive and joined the board after Fidji Simo's departure.
2023
Maplebear becomes publicly traded
[1]Instacarten.wikipedia.org
Maplebear Inc., operating as Instacart, completed its Nasdaq initial public offering under ticker CART.
2022
Instacart+ and Instacart Platform launched
[1]Instacarten.wikipedia.org
Instacart renamed Express as Instacart+, added family features, and introduced a broader technology platform for retailers.
2021
Leadership transition and Caper AI acquisition
[1]Instacarten.wikipedia.org
Fidji Simo became chief executive, Apoorva Mehta became executive chair, and Instacart acquired smart-cart company Caper AI.
2020
Pandemic-scale expansion
[1]Instacarten.wikipedia.org
Demand surged during COVID-19. Instacart added hundreds of thousands of shoppers and introduced contactless delivery and safety programs.
2018
Unata acquired
[1]Instacarten.wikipedia.org
Instacart acquired Toronto-based Unata, a white-label digital platform for grocers.
2017
Canadian expansion begins
[1]Instacarten.wikipedia.org
Instacart entered Canada through a partnership with Loblaw Companies in Toronto and Vancouver.
2013
Instacart Express and alcohol delivery introduced
[1]Instacarten.wikipedia.org
The company launched an annual membership and began alcohol delivery in locations where the service was lawful.
2012
Company founded and admitted to Y Combinator
[1]Instacarten.wikipedia.org
Apoorva Mehta founded Instacart, later joined by Max Mullen and Brandon Leonardo. The company entered Y Combinator's 2012 batch and began developing its grocery marketplace.

Products and positioning

Convenient, flexible digital grocery commerce combining local-retailer selection, same-day fulfillment, membership benefits, and technology services for retailers and consumer brands.

Grocery delivery and pickup · 2012
Instacart Marketplace
The core website and mobile-app marketplace lets customers browse participating retailers, assemble baskets, pay digitally, and select delivery or pickup. Orders may be fulfilled by Instacart shoppers or by retailer personnel, depending on the retailer's operating model.
Membership · 2013
Instacart+
Instacart+ is the company's paid membership program, renamed from Instacart Express in 2022. It offers delivery-fee benefits on eligible orders and includes family-oriented features such as shared membership access and collaborative shopping tools, subject to applicable terms.
Retail technology · 2022
Instacart Platform
Instacart Platform provides retailers with digital commerce capabilities, including online storefronts, fulfillment support, advertising, and related operational tools. It represents the company's expansion from a consumer marketplace into infrastructure for retailers' online grocery businesses.
Retail media
Instacart Ads
Instacart's advertising business enables consumer packaged-goods companies and other brands to promote products within a grocery-shopping environment. The offering uses marketplace search, browsing, and purchase contexts to connect advertising with retail conversion.
Specialty delivery · 2013
Alcohol delivery
Instacart supports delivery of beer, wine, spirits, and other alcoholic beverages from participating retailers where permitted. Availability, age verification, product scope, and delivery rules vary by jurisdiction.

Controversies

2026
Instacart reaches $5 million settlement over worker discrimination allegations
The U.S. Department of Justice said it reached a $5 million settlement with Maplebear Inc., which operates Instacart, resolving allegations that the company discriminated against U.S. workers based on country of origin. Under the settlement, Instacart is required to establish a $4 million applicant compensation fund and pay $1 million in civil penalties. Instacart said it maintained that its practices complied with applicable laws and regulations.
Source
2026
FTC inquiry into personalized pricing and compensation
The U.S. Federal Trade Commission launched an inquiry into whether Delta Air Lines, United Airlines, JetBlue, Lyft, Uber, DoorDash, Instacart, Target and Walmart use consumers' or workers' personal data to set prices or compensation. As part of the inquiry, the FTC ordered the companies to provide information. Instacart was among the companies named in the inquiry.
Source
2022
Instacart donates to family of shopper killed in shooting
In February 2022, Instacart donated $50,000 to a GoFundMe account established to cover funeral costs for shopper Justin Krumbah. Krumbah was killed in a shooting at a Fred Meyer store in Richland, Washington. The donation was reported in connection with the incident, and the funds were directed to the family through the crowdfunding account.
Source
2020
Reported exposure of customer account data
Information linked to an estimated 278,531 accounts was reportedly offered on dark-web marketplaces. Instacart denied a direct systems breach and said credential stuffing was responsible, while outside researchers disputed or questioned aspects of that explanation.
Source
2020
Instacart announces shopper supplies and a default tipping system
In a controversy note concerning Instacart, the company said it planned to distribute new health and safety supplies to shoppers. Instacart also stated that it had launched a default tipping system intended to help shoppers earn higher, more consistent tips. The announcement addressed the supplies provided to shoppers and the tipping mechanism, describing the default system as a means of supporting shopper earnings through tips.
Source
2020
Instacart workers strike over safety and pay
Some Instacart workers said they were striking on Monday amid concerns about safety and wages during the coronavirus crisis. Strikers and supporters called for hazard pay increases, paid sick leave and better protective measures. The event was reported in connection with the workers' concerns over safety and pay during the pandemic.
Source
2020
Instacart sues Cornershop over alleged intellectual-property theft
Instacart sued Cornershop, alleging that Cornershop stole product images and other intellectual property and modified file names to conceal the origin of catalog images. The allegations are reported as claims made in a lawsuit, not as a determination. The dispute concerns the use of product images and related catalog material.
Source
2020
D.C. sues Instacart over service fees and sales tax
The District of Columbia filed a lawsuit against Instacart alleging that the company misled customers about optional service fees and failed to collect sales tax on those fees. Instacart denied the allegations. The claims are allegations made in the lawsuit and have not been established as fact.
Source
2017
Worker-classification settlement
Instacart agreed to a reported $4.6 million settlement in a class action alleging that personal shoppers had been misclassified as independent contractors and that the company mishandled issues including tips and expense reimbursement.
Source

2025First Super Bowl advertisement
United States
Instacart unveiled its first Super Bowl advertisement, using a high-reach national media event to build awareness for the grocery platform.
Source

Brand decisions

2023
Initial public offeringOther
Background
After years of private-market growth and a reported 2021 valuation of approximately $39 billion, Instacart pursued a public listing.
Action taken
Maplebear Inc. completed an IPO and began trading on Nasdaq under CART.
Aftermath
The company became subject to public-market reporting and governance requirements; the IPO reportedly raised approximately $660 million.
IPO proceeds. $660 million (September 2023)
Source
2022
Instacart Platform launchedProduct launch
Background
Retailers increasingly needed integrated digital ordering, fulfillment, advertising, and operational technology.
Action taken
Instacart introduced a suite of retailer-facing digital and commerce tools.
Aftermath
The move positioned Instacart as both a consumer marketplace and a technology provider to grocery retailers.
Source
2020
Pandemic safety and capacity responseStrategy
Background
COVID-19 sharply increased demand for home grocery delivery and created health risks for shoppers.
Action taken
Instacart introduced contactless delivery, safety guidance, protective kits, sick-pay measures, and rapid shopper recruitment.
Aftermath
The service scaled rapidly, while labor advocates and regulators continued to scrutinize compensation and protections.
Source
2018
Mandatory service fee introducedPrice change
Background
Instacart replaced an optional service fee with a mandatory 5% fee on orders and restored a checkout tipping option with a higher default.
Action taken
The company changed the fee and tipping structure applied to marketplace orders.
Aftermath
The change affected the price transparency and economics of grocery delivery and drew attention from shoppers and customers.
Source

Recent events

2026.10.29
Reported2026.10.29
Instacart agrees to be acquired by DoorDash[11]Instacart同意被DoorDash收购prnewswire.com
Instacart announced that it entered into a definitive agreement to be acquired by DoorDash in a cash-and-stock transaction valuing Instacart at approximately $17 billion in equity value.
2026.10.29
Reported2026.10.29
Instacart reports third-quarter 2026 results[11]Instacart同意被DoorDash收购prnewswire.com
Instacart released financial results for the third quarter ended September 30, 2026, reporting year-over-year growth in GTV and total revenue.
2026.10.29
Reported2026.10.29
Instacart suspends financial guidance amid acquisition agreement[11]Instacart同意被DoorDash收购prnewswire.com
Instacart said that, while the DoorDash transaction is pending, it is suspending its financial guidance and withdrawing previously issued long-term guidance.
2026.10.29
Reported2026.10.29
DoorDash announces planned acquisition of Instacart[12]DoorDash宣布计划收购Instacartcnbc.com
DoorDash announced that it is buying Instacart in a deal valued at approximately $17 billion. The source describes the acquisition as announced, not completed.
2026.10.28
Reported2026.10.29
FTC opens inquiry into personalized pricing and compensation[9]FTC inquiry into personalized pricing and compensationfoxbusiness.com
The FTC launched an inquiry into whether Delta Air Lines, United Airlines, JetBlue, Lyft, Uber, DoorDash, Instacart, Target and Walmart use consumers’ or workers’ personal data to set prices or compensation, and ordered the companies to provide information.
Unconfirmed
Reported2026.10.20
Instacart reaches $5 million settlement over worker discrimination allegations[3]Instacart reaches $5 million settlement over worker discrimination allegationsfoxnews.com
The DOJ said it reached a $5 million settlement with Maplebear Inc., which operates Instacart, resolving allegations that the company discriminated against U.S. workers based on country of origin. The settlement requires Instacart to establish a $4 million applicant compensation fund and pay $1 million in civil penalties. Instacart said it maintained that its practices complied with applicable laws and regulations.
2026.09.22
Instacart plans to integrate grocery shopping into Meta's Muse[13]Instacart宣布计划将生鲜购物接入Musetmtpost.com
Two days after Amazon blocked Muse, Instacart chief technology officer Anirban Kundu announced in a company statement a plan to bring grocery shopping into Muse, saying shopping demand appears in different places and Instacart wants to be present where it appears.
2026.08.10
Reported2026.08.10
Kroger launches combined grocery and prescription delivery service powered by Instacart[14]Kroger推出由Instacart提供支持的杂货与处方药联合配送服务wchstv.com
Kroger launched a new service allowing customers to order eligible prescriptions together with groceries and household essentials for home delivery, available through Kroger's website and mobile app and fulfilled using Instacart's delivery network.
2022.03.18
Reported2022.03.20
Instacart announces temporary fuel surcharge[15]Instacart 宣布临时燃油附加费fox5ny.com
Instacart announced a temporary $0.40 surcharge on customer orders across its marketplace to help offset higher fuel costs; the company said the surcharge would be passed directly to shoppers.
2022.03.16
Reported2022.03.17
Instacart launches Shoppable Recipes integrations[16]Instacart推出可购物食谱整合功能adweek.com
Instacart launched Shoppable Recipes integrations with TikTok, Hearst Magazines properties and Tasty, allowing food creators to make recipes shoppable on Instacart.

Sources87 sources

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