By KATY SAVAGE
[email protected]
CLAREMONT — Residents can now get fresh groceries delivered to their door without leaving the couch.
The San Francisco based start-up company called Instacart started delivering groceries to 21,000 households in the Claremont area on Thursday.
Instacart works similarly to Uber, the popular transportation service. Residents can go to Instacart’s website or download the mobile app and pick the groceries they want. A shopper employed by Instacart accepts the order, goes to the grocery store and delivers within a designated timeframe.
Residents can request delivery within one hour, two hours or within five days in advance.The cost of delivery is $5.99 on orders $35 and up or free with a $149 yearly membership.
Instacart has expanded to more the 180 markets in the past six months. It’s currently available in the Burlington, Vt. area and throughout cities in New Hampshire, including Concord and Portsmouth. Part of the Claremont expansion area includes Etna, Hanover, Lebanon, Meriden, Newport, Plainfield and West Lebanon.
Instacart General Manager Walker Dieckmann said Claremont was a logical choice for expansion, given the demand and demographic data.
“Over the past year we’ve seen incredible demand in the Claremont area,” said Dieckmann in a press release. “We work with a variety of local retailers to provide the freshest, highest quality groceries to our customers. Launching in Claremont gives us an opportunity to expand service in the New Hampshire market.”
Instacart’s New England Senior Operations Manager Kyle Carnes said Instacart started recruiting shoppers in Claremont a couple weeks ago. Instacart plans to hire 100 people who go to the grocery stores and shop for Instacart customers on their own schedules, similar to Uber drivers.
Instacart started in 2012 to improve the grocery shopping experience.
“You can save time, you can save money you don’t have the same impulse purchases,” Carnes said.
The company is partnering with grocery chains like BJ’s Wholesale Club, Price Chopper, Shaw’s, and CVS.
Shaw’s customers can purchase groceries through Instacart at shaws.com.
Shaw’s Integrated Communications Director Lynda Friesz-Martin said the grocery chain has worked with Instacart since November.
“Customers can shop how, when and where they choose,” she said.
First time Claremont users can enter the code HICLAREMONT at Instacart’s checkout and get $20 off an order of $35 or more, plus a free first-time delivery.
You can go to www.Instacart.com to start shopping or download the mobile app.
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