Publix Quick Picks Virtual C-Store Launches Across Grocer’s Market Area

Expanded partnership with Instacart provides deliveries in as fast as 30 minutes

11/4/2021

Publix Quick Picks Virtual C-Store Launches Across Grocer’s Market Area

Publix Quick Picks was successfully piloted in Tampa, Fla., before expanding across Publix's seven-state market area.

Publix Super Markets and grocery platform Instacart have teamed up on a virtual convenience offering, Publix Quick Picks. Available across Publix’s entire seven-state market area, the new storefront enables customers to shop from the grocer’s vast assortment of fresh groceries, pantry and household essentials, meals, snacks and other products for delivery in as fast as 30 minutes via Instacart Priority Delivery.

Publix Quick Picks first rolled out as a pilot in September in Tampa, Fla. Following the success of the pilot, the service has now expanded across the retailer’s footprint ahead of the holiday season, allowing millions of households in the Southeast to receive rapid delivery from Publix for the first time ever.

“Customer demand for convenience and rapid delivery continues to grow, and both speed and selection have become fundamental to grocery e-commerce,” said Chris Rogers, VP of retail for San Francisco-based Instacart. “We’re proud to expand our partnership with Publix to bring the in-store express lane online with Publix Quick Picks, offering customers incredible choice paired with fast delivery to meet all of their last-minute needs through this busy holiday season and beyond. Whether trying to satisfy a craving, needing a forgotten ingredient for a family dinner or looking for a quick lunch option, Publix Quick Picks gives customers access to nearly the entire store so they can get exactly what they want, when they need it.”

“Since launching Publix Quick Picks on Instacart, we’ve seen rapid customer adoption,” noted Erik Katenkamp, Publix, VP omnichannel and application development. “Our store locations and wide assortment, combined with Instacart Priority Delivery in as fast as 30 minutes, creates a winning solution for our customers. Our strong relationship with Instacart continues to unlock capabilities to meet the changing needs of our customers, and we look forward to continuing to grow our portfolio of time-saving services — like Publix Quick Picks — to give customers more ways to get what they need from Publix.”

Available to customers via Instacart’s Convenience Hub, a marketplace product feature that aims to simplify the convenience shopping experience, as well as on delivery.publix.com, Publix Quick Picks offers customers quick access to essentials when they need just a few items to supplement their weekly grocery shop.

Publix and Instacart first teamed up in 2016 to provide same-day delivery in as fast as one hour. Currently, the companies also offer curbside pickup from nearly all of Publix’s stores, along with alcohol delivery and pickup in Alabama, Georgia, Florida, North Carolina, Tennessee and Virginia. The partnership also supports EBT SNAP payment integration across all Publix e-commerce properties powered by Instacart.

Instacart has partnered with more than 700 national, regional and local retailers to deliver from more than 65,000 stores across more than 5,500 cities in North America. The company’s platform is available to more than 85% of U.S. households and 90% of Canadian households.

Privately owned and operated by its more than 225,000 employees, Lakeland, Fla.-based Publix has 1,281 stores in Florida, Georgia, Alabama, Tennessee, South Carolina, North Carolina and Virginia. The grocer is No. 11 on The PG 100, Progressive Grocer’s 2021 list of the top food and consumables retailers in North America.