Instacart rolls out new subscription service

Don’t do a double take. Instacart isn’t entering the streaming wars, but the grocery-delivery service yesterday did announce its new subscription service, Instacart+, which will replace Instacart Express.

The deets: Subscribers to the new service will have access to a slate of shopping features, including family accounts and family carts for households to share and collaborate on the cart-building process.

• The service also offers free delivery on orders over $35, reduced fees, and a 5% credit on some pickup orders.

“With today’s launch, we’re making Instacart+ the most cost-effective way for families to buy groceries and essentials with Instacart, delivered in as fast as 30 minutes,” Daniel Danker, head of product at Instacart, said in a statement.

Instacart is attempting to ensure users keep using the platform while sales for e-grocers have tapered off as shoppers return to normal shopping habits, Grocery Dive noted. Instacart said that, on average, its subscribers last year spent nearly 2x more each month than non-subscribers.

• Last month, the company also upgraded its customer ratings system and rolled out new features, like a section in the app that gives users info on batch accuracy.

Zoom out: Instacart recently confidentially filed paperwork for an IPO, despite stock-market declines and struggles for the company over the past year, which included losing three top execs. In March, Instacart also slashed its valuation from $39 billion to $24 billion.—KM