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Smart & Final launches Instacart-powered app

Warehouse grocery chain extends reach of same-day delivery service

Russell Redman

April 26, 2018

2 Min Read
Supermarket News logo in a gray background | Supermarket News

Building on its partnership with Instacart, warehouse grocery chain Smart & Final Stores Inc. has launched the Shop Smart & Final App.

Smart & Final said late Wednesday that the Instacart-powered app enables users to set up deliveries for groceries — including household- and club-sized items — in two hours or less and get real-time updates on order fulfillment.

Customers receive push notifications as stages of their order are completed. After the transaction is processed, they can track their order’s location on its way to their doorstep. Delivery costs $5.99 for two-hour service and $7.99 for one hour with a $35 minimum order.

TShop_Smart_Final_app_device_0.jpghe Shop Smart & Final App enables users to set up deliveries for groceries in two hours or less.

Also through the Shop Smart & Final App, customers can communicate directly with personal shoppers via a live chat feature. The tool allows customers to make changes to their order up until payment.

Other features of the app, available for download at the Apple App Store, include the ability to create and save custom shopping lists for faster reorders as well as set up group carts. Smart & Final said the latter function enables household shoppers, business owners and nonprofit organizers to add products to a shared cart, which streamlines inventory for block parties, restaurant events or little league tournaments.

“We’re always looking to improve the customer experience for both household and business customers,” Smart & Final chief marketing officer Eleanor Hong said in a statement. “It’s important that we adapt to and adopt shopping models that can help Smart & Final customers save time and money on meals both in-store and on the go, without sacrificing taste and quality. The Smart & Final App is the next step to doing just that.” 

Commerce, Calif.-based Smart & Final first teamed up with Instacart in March 2015 to pilot same-day grocery delivery. The retailer said the strong response from customers led the companies to expand their partnership last August with the launch of on-demand grocery delivery chainwide via the shop.smartandfinal.com website.

Smart & Final operates 323 grocery and foodservice stores under the Smart & Final, Smart & Final Extra! and Cash & Carry Smart Foodservice banners in California, Oregon, Washington, Arizona, Nevada, Idaho, Montana and Utah. The retailer also is part of a joint venture that operates 15 stores in northwestern Mexico.

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

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