Sponsored By

Instacart campaign turns spotlight on its personal shoppers

Online grocery giant gives 59 of its shoppers a year of free groceries

Russell Redman

April 28, 2021

3 Min Read
Instacart_personal_shopper-loading_car.jpg
Called “Beyond the Cart: A Year of Essential Stories,” the campaign highlights the Instacart shopper community’s role in getting groceries to consumers during the COVID-19 pandemic.Instacart

On-demand delivery provider Instacart has launched “Beyond the Cart: A Year of Essential Stories,” a campaign highlighting the Instacart shopper community’s role in getting groceries to consumers during the COVID-19 pandemic.

For the campaign, announced yesterday, San Francisco-based Instacart is sharing the lives, backgrounds and stories of 59 personal shoppers — one from each U.S. state and Canadian province where Instacart is available — as a way to honor the collective efforts of its shopper base.

Each shopper recognized received a year’s worth of free groceries, Instacart said. The company also is thanking more than 10,000 of its most-active shoppers — who have supported the most households amid the coronavirus crisis — with a $200 grocery credit.

Instacart-Beyond_the_Cart_campaign-Amanda_Kloots.png

For the campaign, Instacart has partnered with TV personality Amanda Kloots, who said she's been a regular Instacart delivery user during the pandemic.

 

“This past year, hundreds of thousands of shoppers played an essential role in communities across North America, helping millions of people safely and seamlessly get the groceries and goods they need delivered to their home,” Instacart CEO and founder Apoorva Mehta said in a statement. “From college students and retirees to busy moms and dads, Instacart shoppers make up a diverse and inspiring community of individuals who stepped up and served as household heroes in the midst of the COVID-19 pandemic. We’re incredibly grateful for every shopper and are inspired by their stories and the extraordinary service they provide to customers every day. Today, we celebrate all Instacart shoppers and the important role they’ve played for so many people this past year.”

Related:Instacart continues to expand beyond grocery in partnership with Michaels

With the pandemic triggering a boom in online grocery shopping, Instacart added more than 300,000 personal shoppers since March 2020. Currently, the company has over 500,000 active shoppers on its platform.

The 59 shoppers spotlighted in the “Beyond the Cart” campaign offer anecdotes and personal stories that reflect COVID-19’s impact across North America, from people finding new earnings opportunities after losing their jobs, to saving up to buy a house and to looking for a way to give back during a challenging year, according to Instacart.

Partnering with Instacart on the campaign is lifestyle expert Amanda Kloots, co-host of CBS-TV’s “The Talk,” who is helping the company raise awareness of essential workers like Instacart personal shoppers and appreciation for their efforts.

“I’m proud to join Instacart in paying tribute to the essential role the shopper community has played in people’s lives, including mine, over the past year,” Kloots stated. “As a single mom who hasn’t set foot into a grocery store in over a year, Instacart has enabled me to stay safe for my son, and I’m so grateful for the peace of mind these shoppers have given me. I applaud the service they’ve provided to countless others, from senior citizens, to people with health risks, to families who want to limit exposure, and more. The Instacart shopper community has been a lifeline to millions of people, and this campaign is a moment to say thank you.”

Related:Instacart reaches $39 billion valuation with new funding round

Instacart reported that its has paid more than $4.2 billion in earnings to personal shoppers since March 2020. The company said average shopper earnings have risen by as much as 40% year over year. Instacart also has distributed more than 750,000 health and safety kits to shoppers and spent more than $30 million in shopper safety.

Overall, Instacart partners with almost 600 national, regional and local retailers on same-day delivery and pickup services from more than 45,000 stores — including grocery and other retail sectors — in over 5,500 cities in North America. The company’s delivery service is available to more than 85% of U.S. households and 70% of Canadian households.

About the Author

Russell Redman

Senior Editor
Supermarket News

Russell Redman has served as senior editor at Supermarket News since April 2018, his second tour with the publication. In his current role, he handles daily news coverage for the SN website and contributes news and features for the print magazine, as well as participates in special projects, podcasts and webinars and attends industry events. Russ joined SN from Racher Press Inc.’s Chain Drug Review and Mass Market Retailers magazines, where he served as desk/online editor for more than nine years, covering the food/drug/mass retail sector. 

Russell Redman’s more than 30 years of experience in journalism span a range of editorial manager, editor, reporter/writer and digital roles at a variety of publications and websites covering a breadth of industries, including retailing, pharmacy/health care, IT, digital home, financial technology, financial services, real estate/commercial property, pro audio/video and film. He started his career in 1989 as a local news reporter and editor, covering community news and politics in Long Island, N.Y. His background also includes an earlier stint at Supermarket News as center store editor and then financial editor in the mid-1990s. Russ holds a B.A. in journalism (minor in political science) from Hofstra University, where he also earned a certificate in digital/social media marketing in November 2016.

Russell Redman’s experience:

Supermarket News - Informa
Senior Editor 
April 2018 - present

Chain Drug Review/Mass Market Retailers - Racher Press
Desk/Online Editor 
Sept. 2008 - March 2018

CRN magazine - CMP Media
Managing Editor
May 2000 - June 2007

Bank Systems & Technology - Miller Freeman
Executive Editor/Managing Editor
Dec. 1996 - May 2000

Supermarket News - Fairchild Publications
Financial Editor/Associate Editor
April 1995 - Dec. 1996 

Shopping Centers Today Magazine - ICSC 
Desk Editor/Assistant Editor
Dec. 1992 - April 1995

Testa Communications
Assistant Editor/Contributing Editor (Music & Sound Retailer, Post, Producer, Sound & Communications and DJ Times magazines)
Jan. 1991 - Dec. 1992 

American Banker/Bond Buyer
Copy Editor
Oct. 1990 - Jan. 1991 

This Week newspaper - Chanry Communications
Reporter/Editor
May 1989 - July 1990

Stay up-to-date on the latest food retail news and trends
Subscribe to free eNewsletters from Supermarket News

You May Also Like