A growing number of independent grocery stores in the United States are turning to Instacart’s technology solutions to enhance both in-store and online shopping experiences. Instacart announced that retailers such as Big Bunny Market, Stewart’s Marketplace, Luke’s Local Grocery, and S&C Foods have adopted its enterprise offerings, including Caper Carts, Storefront Pro, and FoodStorm.
Nick Nickitas, General Manager of Independent Grocery and Mid-Market Retail Partnerships at Instacart, said: “Independent grocers have always been passionate about the communities they serve and now they’re leading the charge in retail innovation to give their customers a more seamless, easy, and affordable shopping experience. Instacart empowers grocers to deliver the best experience possible for their guests while streamlining operations, driving incremental revenue, and strengthening their competitive edge both in-store and online.”
Big Bunny Market in Massachusetts and Stewart’s Marketplace in Utah recently introduced Caper Carts. These smart carts use AI-powered sensors with NVIDIA Jetson technology to help customers track spending and check out directly on the cart. The carts also allow instant item identification as products are scanned into the basket.
According to Instacart, retailers using Caper Carts have seen improvements in customer engagement and coupon redemption rates. One retailer reported that 40% of customers redeemed a discount offer presented on the smart cart for use on an online storefront, with over half using at least one coupon during checkout.
Jonathan Cournoyer, Owner at Big Bunny Market stated: “We’ve served our community for generations, and Caper Carts are a great way to bring convenience to our aisles. Our customers will love how the carts make it enjoyable to shop and save money. It’s a win-win for our team and our customers.”
Frank Shaw, Manager of Marketing at Stewart’s Marketplace added: “Here at Stewart’s, we’re constantly exploring new ways to improve our customers’ shopping experience and help them save on groceries. By introducing the Caper Carts, we’re giving our customers the option to use smart technology to speed up and enhance their shopping trips while saving money each time.”
The rollout of these carts builds on previous launches at other independent grocers like Davis Food & Drug and Soelberg’s Market. Over the past year, nearly three times as many stores now feature Caper Carts across almost 100 cities in 15 states.
In California, Luke’s Local Grocery is utilizing FoodStorm—Instacart’s order management system—to streamline made-to-order deli services. The platform helps manage back-of-house operations while offering an improved customer ordering process both online and offline.
Luke Oppenheim, Founder of Luke’s Local said: “We’re always looking for ways to make great food simpler—for our customers and our team. FoodStorm lets us handle made-to-order and prepared food in real time, without losing the hands-on quality we care about. It’s already making a difference behind the counter and online.”
FoodStorm has seen rapid adoption this year; it is now used by more than 3,000 stores across North America—more than double compared with late 2024.
S&C Foods in Tennessee is expanding its digital reach through Storefront Pro—a customizable e-commerce solution from Instacart that enables grocers to build branded platforms with features like weekly ad integration, AI personalization tools, loyalty program support, versatile fulfillment options such as delivery services—and access retail media opportunities via Carrot Ads.
Shane Means, Operations Manager at S&C Foods Inc., said: “Storefront Pro will make it easy for us to create a best-in-class online platform that maintains our local identity that our customers know and love. It will offer a modern digital experience without having to build everything from scratch ourselves—freeing up our team to focus on serving our community in store.”
S&C Foods joins hundreds of other banners using Storefront solutions throughout North America.
Other independent retailers—including Davis Food & Drugs, Soelberg’s Market,and Geissler’s Supermarkets—are increasingly adopting multiple technologies from Instacart such as Carrot Tags alongside those mentioned above. These integrated systems aim to connect store operations with digital platforms for streamlined workflows,sales growth,and personalized shopper experiences.
Further details about these enterprise technologies can be found at instacart.com/company/connected-stores.
