ALDI and Instacart Reveal Major New Collab
Two of the fastest-growing businesses in the industry are expanding their partnership and their collective global footprint. Grocery tech company Instacart and ALDI SOUTH Group are teaming up to introduce Instacart’s Connected Stores technologies across ALDI stores in the United States and test smart carts in a European market.
Through this enhanced collaboration, ALDI locations in the United States will leverage Connected Stores’ physical store and e-commerce capabilities. Omnichannel solutions include Instacart’s In-store mode that allows shoppers to see what’s in stock, sort items by aisle and access in-store promotions and discounts through the Instacart app, among other features. ALDI operators can also use Carrot Tags to help customers find products easier by choosing an item on their phone and watching for a corresponding shelf label to flash.
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Technologies will also be put into place to improve e-commerce experiences. The retailer will use Instacart’s technologies to power order fulfillment, streamlining the process for store associates and making pickup faster and easier for shoppers.
The partnership is international in scope, too. According to Instacart, ALDI SOUTH Group will pilot the tech company’s Caper Carts at stores in Austria, the first time those smart carts will be launched outside of the United States.
Company leaders say the new deployments reflect their mutual commitment to service and operational success, which dates to their first partnership in 2017 for same-day e-commerce solutions.
“Retailers like ALDI SOUTH Group value Instacart’s omnichannel solutions, which help them provide even more personalized and convenient shopping experiences for their customers,” said David McIntosh, VP and GM of Connected Stores at Instacart. “With a large portion of customers preferring a blend of in-store and online experiences, ALDI SOUTH Group is enabling the best of both worlds to its customers through our technologies. We’re thrilled that ALDI SOUTH Group is the first retailer to test Caper Carts in Europe, enabling us to bring Instacart’s leading grocery technology to the region for the first time. Since launching Caper Carts with other retailers in the U.S., we’ve seen an incredibly positive response from customers of all ages and we’re excited to begin scaling globally.”
Scott Patton, VP of national buying at ALDI U.S., noted that the tools are ultimately centered on shoppers. “By integrating Instacart’s Connected Stores technologies nationwide, we are creating a seamless shopping journey for the millions of customers that shop with us every day,” he remarked. “Whether shopping online, through mobile app, or visiting our stores, customers can manage their weekly grocery shopping through multiple touchpoints both quickly and affordably.”
With more than 2,300 stores in 38 states, Batavia, Ill.-based ALDI U.S. is No. 28 on The PG 100, Progressive Grocer’s 2024 list of the top food and consumables retailers in North America. PG also named the company Retailer of the Year for 2023 and among the 10 Most Sustainable Grocers in 2024. Instacart teams with more than 1,500 national, regional and local retail banners to facilitate online shopping, delivery and pickup services from 85,000-plus stores across North America on the Instacart Marketplace.
