The Save Mart Cos. and Instacart have expanded their omnichannel partnership featuring several Instacart in-store solutions such as Caper Carts and FoodStorm, an order management system that powers foodservice and catering experiences for grocery.
The Save Mart Cos. will also upgrade to Instacart's Storefront Pro, bringing e-commerce capabilities with advanced advertising options to its business, according to a news release. This expanded partnership will aim to improve the shopping experience for customers at nearly all 200 Save Mart, FoodMaxx, and Lucky locations, the release said.
"We're committed to giving grocers the technology they need to better serve their customers, no matter how they choose to shop," Chris Rogers, chief business officer at Instacart, said in the news release. "We're proud to partner with The Save Mart Cos. on innovative in-store and online solutions that enable them to create a truly omnichannel experience that helps their business grow and makes shopping more unified, engaging and personalized for their customers."
The Save Mart Cos. has long partnered with Instacart to enhance its omnichannel strategy. Now, with the debut of Instacart's Caper Carts, FoodStorm and Storefront Pro, the online and in-store shopping experience for customers is further connected, the company said.
"As a seasoned grocer with deep California roots, we're committed to delivering fresh, local, and quality products at affordable prices," Tamara Pattison, chief digital officer at The Save Mart Cos., said in the release. "Our collaboration with Instacart has significantly expanded our online presence, reinforcing these core values within our local communities."
"Embracing new revenue streams through Storefront Pro offers us a solid foundation to enhance our business online," Pattison added. "By introducing Caper Carts and FoodStorm, we're allowing customers to access what they love most about shopping online and bringing those elements into our stores. Whether it's accessing coupons and deals on the carts or easily ordering the 'farm-to-fork' foods they know and love, we're creating seamless experiences for our customers across online and in-store."
The Save Mart Cos. first partnered with Instacart in 2019 to launch same-day delivery across its banners, and are now deploying a number of technologies to digitize its stores and serve its customers.
Caper Carts — Instacart's artificial intelligence-powered smart carts — will roll out at select Save Mart and Lucky stores in the coming months, followed by a broader rollout later this year, the release said. Caper Carts feature an interactive screen that engages customers, tracks spending for budget management and incorporates a loyalty program for direct access to coupons and deals, and more.
For customers who are building their shopping list within the Save Mart or Instacart App, Caper Carts sync to the feature and check items off the list as they are dropped into the basket. They also offer advertising opportunity, allowing brands to connect with customers – who spend an average of more than 30 minutes shopping with a Caper Cart – directly in the aisles, the release said.
FoodStorm, Instacart's order management system that helps streamline retailers' food service, perimeter offerings and catering operations, will roll out across Save Mart and Lucky stores. FoodStorm and Caper Cart customers can now place orders for made-to-order items like fried chicken or custom cakes and pies directly on the Caper Cart screen while they shop, and receive a notification once it's ready for pickup, the release said.
By upgrading to Storefront Pro, all three banners within The Save Mart Cos. now have access to premium e-commerce features like customizable homepage and merchandising layouts, robust self-serve marketing tools, in-depth analytics, a dedicated Instacart support team and support for third-party integrations such as coupons and loyalty programs, the release said.
This upgrade also unlocks access to Carrot Ads, allowing Save Mart, FoodMaxx, and Lucky to create their own retail media networks, the release said.