US grocery retailer Kroger has extended its partnership with Instacart, a grocery technology company, to further develop its digital shopping network across the country.
Under the new agreement, Instacart will continue as Kroger’s primary delivery fulfilment partner, supporting around 2,700 stores under more than 20 retail banners through the retailer’s website and app.
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The two companies began working together in 2017 and have since introduced several digital initiatives including nationwide delivery, Express Delivery, AI-powered Caper Carts and fuel-points integration within their platforms.
Kroger and Instacart said the expanded partnership will also provide new options for consumer packaged goods companies to connect with customers through improved retail media and marketing tools.
Kroger executive vice-president and chief digital officer Yael Cosset said: “Agentic shopping has the potential to change the way American families shop and eat.
“Interacting with an AI agent makes shopping and meal planning as simple as a conversation, helping customers build their basket or offering meal suggestions, truly understanding what matters most to them.”
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By GlobalDataAs part of the latest phase, Kroger will add Instacart’s AI-based Cart Assistant to its iOS app.
The feature is intended to help customers search for meal ideas, build shopping lists and plan meals through a personalised interface.
Both companies stated that they are working to increase delivery speed and order accuracy by using AI-based systems and operational improvements.
Instacart’s fulfilment technology will continue to support faster order completion directly from stores.
The partnership also includes wider access to Express Delivery through Kroger’s website, offering delivery of groceries and ready-to-eat meals in around 30 minutes.
Instacart CEO Chris Rogers added: “For more than a decade, we have helped grocers compete with enterprise-grade technology and fulfilment capabilities built specifically for the grocery industry.
“Kroger is one of our most deeply integrated partners, and they have doubled down on Instacart as their primary fulfilment and delivery provider across all Kroger’s digital properties, including Kroger.com, because we enable consistent, fast and high-quality grocery delivery at scale.”
Kroger employs around 400,000 people and serves more than 11 million customers daily through its retail stores and online platforms.
Last month, the company announced plans to hire more than 18,000 employees across its family of companies in preparation for the upcoming holiday period and beyond.
Instacart works with more than 1,800 retailers across nearly 100,000 stores in North America.
In September, UK supermarket chain Morrisons announced it will deploy Caper Carts at one store in early 2026, with plans for a broader rollout.
