Instacart

North America's largest online grocery marketplace and a top-tier retail media network with closed-loop purchase attribution

Instacart operates North America's largest online grocery marketplace, partnering with more than 1,400 retail banners across over 80,000 stores in the United States and Canada. Consumers use the platform to order groceries for same-day delivery or pickup, while Instacart's technology powers white-label e-commerce storefronts for many of those retail partners through its Instacart Platform suite. Founded in 2012 and headquartered in San Francisco, the company went public on Nasdaq in September 2023 under the ticker CART. Instacart has built a fast-growing retail media business called Instacart Ads, which allows CPG brands to reach high-intent grocery shoppers through sponsored product listings, display ads, shoppable video, and off-platform placements. Because purchases happen directly on the platform, Instacart can close the loop between ad exposure and actual basket data, making it a compelling performance-marketing channel for food, beverage, household, and personal-care brands. The retail media network competes directly with Amazon Advertising, Walmart Connect, and Kroger Precision Marketing. Beyond advertising, Instacart generates revenue through delivery fees, subscription memberships (Instacart+), and transaction fees charged to retail partners. Its Carrot Ads product also enables retail partners to monetize their own digital properties using Instacart's ad-tech infrastructure, extending the platform's media reach beyond its own app and website. The combination of first-party purchase data, a large active shopper base, and closed-loop measurement positions Instacart as a significant player in the retail media and commerce-media landscape.