Kroger and Instacart are deepening their partnership with the launch of an AI-powered feature called Cart Assistant, now integrated into Kroger’s iOS app. The feature enables users to plan meals, find recipes, and build shopping carts based on past purchases using conversational prompts — a significant step in digital grocery personalization.
The expanded partnership also cements Instacart’s role as Kroger’s primary fulfillment partner, handling delivery from over 2,700 stores across more than 20 banners. Express Delivery, which promises groceries delivered in as little as 30 minutes, will also be scaled across Kroger locations following strong customer adoption.
Kroger’s EVP and Chief Digital Officer, Yael Cosset, highlighted that this AI tool is designed to help shoppers make more informed choices while saving time. The integration not only simplifies grocery planning but also enables greater personalization by analyzing shopper habits and preferences.
Instacart CEO Chris Rogers emphasized that Kroger is one of Instacart’s most deeply integrated retail partners. The collaboration also opens doors for consumer packaged goods (CPG) brands to engage with customers via in-app promotions and retail media offerings — blending personalization with monetization.
This move illustrates the growing role of AI in grocery retail, particularly in improving order accuracy, fulfillment speed, and tailored promotions.
For omnichannel stakeholders, it reinforces the trend of tech-enabled meal planning and real-time commerce, positioning both companies to better meet rising consumer expectations for convenience and speed.
