SAN FRANCISCO, CA--(Marketwired - Nov 18, 2013) - Instacart (www.Instacart.com), the only service that can deliver groceries from multiple local stores within an hour, announced today its First Annual Virtual Food Drive to benefit the San Francisco and Marin Food Banks, the Second Harvest Food Bank and the Greater Chicago Food Depository. From Nov 18 through Dec 2, Instacart customers can add donations to their orders as they place them online, and 100 percent of those proceeds will be directed to their local food bank.
Instacart will provide suggested donations -- for instance, a $1 donation will provide three meals for a child, and a $10 donation will provide Thanksgiving dinner for a family. Instacart has developed technology to ensure that donations are directed to the food pantries based on donor zip code, so that contributions go right to their local community.
Instacart currently offers its same-day grocery delivery service in the San Francisco and Chicago metro areas. The company has many thousands of customers. As part of its ongoing commitment to community service, Instacart staff and personal shoppers will also dedicate personal time to volunteering in the San Francisco and Marin Food Banks, the Second Harvest Food Bank and the Greater Chicago Food Depository in 2014. Customers will be invited to participate as well; Instacart will share details with account holders via email.
Instacart founder and CEO Apoorva Mehta said, "Giving back to the community is a core value for Instacart. Given the type of business we are in, donating to this important cause seemed like a perfect fit for us. We're looking forward to making this an annual event in all the cities we serve."
Originally launched in San Francisco and later expanded to Chicago, Instacart has disrupted the traditional grocery delivery space with its crowdsourced labor force dubbed "Personal Shoppers" who shop for and deliver grocery orders using their own vehicles in as little as one hour. This eliminates the need for costly infrastructure such as warehouses, trucks and full-time drivers. Instacart is not affiliated with the stores; its model is to connect customers with Personal Shoppers who shop on their behalf. The company has plans to expand to at least nine additional cities by the end of 2014.
Consumers can open an account at www.Instacart.com and get free delivery on their first order ($35 minimum).
About Instacart
Instacart is the only service that can deliver groceries from multiple local stores within an hour, and is often less expensive for consumers than a personal, time-consuming trip to the grocery store. Customers can choose from a variety of local stores including Safeway, Whole Foods and Costco, and can mix items from multiple stores into one order. Instacart is disrupting the traditional grocery delivery business with its approach, which utilizes a crowdsourced model for Personal Shoppers and needs no warehouses or trucks. Learn more at www.Instacart.com.
Contact Information:
For information, contact:
Michelle G. Faulkner
Big Swing Communications
+1 617-510-6998