Save Mart rolls out Instacart in-store, digital solutions

Save Mart banners are using Instacart Caper Carts (Image: Instacart).

The Save Mart Companies is streamlining in-store shopping and enhancing its e-commerce capabilities.

The California-based grocer, which operates approximately 200 stores under the banners of Save Mart, Lucky, and FoodMaxx in California and Western Nevada, first partnered with Instacart in 2019 to support online delivery. 

Now, The Save Mart Companies is deploying the Instacart Caper Carts, FoodStorm, and Storefront Pro solutions. Highlights of each implementation follow:

• The grocer will roll out Instacart  Caper Carts, which use computer vision and AI to automatically identify items as they are placed in the cart, at select Save Mart and Lucky stores in the coming months, followed by a broader rollout later this year. Caper Carts feature an interactive screen that engages customers, tracks spending for budget management, and incorporates a loyalty program for direct access to coupons and deals. For customers who are building their shopping list within the Save Mart or Instacart app, Caper Carts sync seamlessly to the feature and check items off the list as they are dropped into the basket. They also enable brands to connect with customers via targeted promotions directly in the aisles.
• Save Mart is also implementing the Instacart FoodStorm order management system across Save Mart and Lucky stores. FoodStorm enables Caper Cart customers to place orders for made-to-order items like fried chicken or custom cakes and pies directly on the Caper Cart screen while they shop, and receive a notification once it’s ready for pickup.
• By upgrading to Storefront Pro, all three banners within The Save Mart Companies have gained access to e-commerce features like customizable homepage and merchandising layouts, self-serve marketing tools, analytics, a dedicated Instacart support team, and support for third-party integrations such as coupons and loyalty programs. This upgrade also provides access to Instacart Carrot Ads, allowing Save Mart, FoodMaxx, and Lucky to create their own retail media networks. The Save Mart Companies previously used the Instacart Storefront e-commerce platform for all of its banners.

“As a seasoned grocer with deep California roots, we’re committed to delivering fresh, local, and quality products at affordable prices. Our collaboration with Instacart has significantly expanded our online presence, reinforcing these core values within our local communities,” said Tamara Pattison, chief digital officer at The Save Mart Companies. “Embracing new revenue streams through Storefront Pro offers us a solid foundation to enhance our business online. By introducing Caper Carts and FoodStorm, we’re allowing customers to access what they love most about shopping online and bringing those elements into our stores. Whether it’s accessing coupons and deals on the carts or easily ordering the ‘farm-to-fork’ foods they know and love, we’re creating seamless experiences for our customers across online and in-store.”

“We’re committed to giving grocers the technology they need to better serve their customers, no matter how they choose to shop,” said Chris Rogers, chief business officer at Instacart. “We’re proud to partner with The Save Mart Companies on innovative in-store and online solutions that enable them to create a truly omnichannel experience that helps their business grow and makes shopping more unified, engaging, and personalized for their customers.”

The Save Mart Companies, a Kingswood Capital Management, LP portfolio company and a California-based grocer, operates approximately 200 Save Mart, Lucky, and FoodMaxx stores in California and Western Nevada. In addition to its retail operation, the Company also operates SMART Refrigerated Transport and is a partner in Super Store Industries (“SSI”), which owns and operates a distribution center in Lathrop, and the Sunnyside Farms dairy processing plant in Turlock, Calif.

Headquartered in San Francisco, Instacart partners with more than 1,500 national, regional, and local retail banners to facilitate online shopping, delivery and pickup services from more than 80,000 stores across North America on the Instacart Marketplace.