For Pensacolians and Gulf Coast residents weary of long supermarket checkout lines, online grocery home delivery service Instacart is launching in Pensacola and throughout much of Northwest Florida next week, the company announced Thursday.
The mobile-app-based service will begin making deliveries July 20 from stores including Whole Foods Market, Publix, and ABC Fine Wine & Spirits, according to the company.
(Instacart/Special to The Pulse)
The app allows customers to order and pay for products online and have them delivered to their homes in as little as one-hour by “shoppers” who sign up to work through the app in an arrangement similar to ride-hailing apps Uber and Lyft.
“Over the past year we’ve seen incredible demand on the Gulf Coast,” said Nick Friedrich, Instacart General Manager. “We work with a variety of local retailers to provide the freshest, highest quality groceries to our customers. Launching our service into Pensacola and the Gulf Coast area gives us an opportunity to expand our service.”
Instacart officials announced they are offering customers a free one-year subscription of Instacart Express, which offers unlimited free grocery delivery for orders over $35. An Instacart Express membership normally costs $149 per year — which is about $12.50 per month.
Instacart’s expansion into the Gulf Coast market should provide employment opportunities for more than 100 people, according to the company.
When it launches, the home delivery service will be available in Pensacola, Gulf Breeze, Fort Walton Beach, Destin, Santa Rosa Beach, Panama City Beach, Okaloosa Island, Niceville, Hulburt Field, Valparaiso, Eglin Air Force Base, Duke Field, Shalimar, Miramar Beach, Freeport, Rosemary Beach, and Panama City.