Instacart and Partnership for a Healthier America Connect Families with Over Five Million Servings of Fresh Produce in Under-Resourced Communities Nationwide and Announce New Good Food at Home Cities

Rhea-AI Summary

Instacart (NASDAQ: CART) and Partnership for a Healthier America (PHA) have reached a significant milestone in their joint effort to improve food access in under-resourced communities. They've connected families with over five million servings of fruits and vegetables, progressing towards their goal of 10 million servings by 2025. The organizations have expanded their Good Food at Home program to Chicago, New Orleans, and Wichita, providing more than 1,000 additional families with $60 monthly Fresh Funds for produce purchases.

Results from previous program cities show positive impacts:

• 59% of participants reported eating more fruits and vegetables
• 85% said Fresh Funds allowed them to buy more produce than usual
• 87% reported building healthier eating habits
• 88% liked the convenience of online shopping with Instacart

The program aims to improve food security, encourage healthy eating habits, and create a more equitable food landscape across America.

Positive

• Reached over 5 million servings of fruits and vegetables distributed to under-resourced communities
• Expanded Good Food at Home program to three new cities, serving over 1,000 additional families
• 59% of participants reported increased fruit and vegetable consumption
• 85% of participants were able to buy more produce than they could usually afford
• 87% of participants reported building healthier eating habits
• 88% of participants liked the convenience of online shopping through Instacart
• Increased online ordering using SNAP benefits from 73% to 83% among participants

Negative

• None.

Insights

Public Health Expert

This initiative demonstrates a significant step towards addressing food insecurity and promoting healthier eating habits in under-resourced communities. The program's reach of over five million servings of fruits and vegetables is impressive, showcasing its potential for large-scale impact. The expansion to new cities like Chicago, New Orleans and Wichita indicates growing momentum.

The reported outcomes are encouraging: 59% of participants eating more fruits and vegetables and 87% building healthier habits. These results suggest the program's effectiveness in changing dietary behaviors, which could lead to long-term health benefits. However, it's important to monitor the sustainability of these changes beyond the program's duration.

While the initiative is commendable, it's important to consider complementary strategies like nutrition education and addressing other social determinants of health to maximize its impact on community health outcomes.

Food Technology Analyst

Instacart's collaboration with PHA leverages technology to bridge the gap between food access and under-resourced communities. The high satisfaction rates with online shopping (88% liking the convenience) and increased SNAP benefit usage through the platform (from 73% to 83%) highlight the potential of digital solutions in addressing food insecurity.

The $60 monthly Fresh Funds credits, coupled with free Instacart+ memberships, effectively reduce barriers to accessing fresh produce. This model could set a precedent for future public-private partnerships in the food tech sector. However, it's important to ensure that the digital divide doesn't exclude certain populations from benefiting from such initiatives.

The program's success may accelerate the adoption of similar tech-driven solutions in food assistance programs nationwide, potentially reshaping how we approach food security challenges.

Organizations also share Good Food at Home program impact results from more than 1,100 families served in Denver; Englewood, New Jersey; Milwaukee; and Washington, D.C. and announce expansion to more than 1,000 additional families in Chicago; New Orleans; and Wichita, Kansas

SAN FRANCISCO and WASHINGTON, Aug. 14, 2024 /PRNewswire/ -- Instacart (NASDAQ: CART), the leading grocery technology company in North America, and Partnership for a Healthier America (PHA), the nation's leading nonprofit working to improve the food landscape in pursuit of health equity, today announced that they have connected families with over five million servings of fruits and vegetables, marking a major milestone in their ongoing national effort to connect under-resourced communities with 10 million servings of produce by 2025. Instacart's and PHA's joint commitment was made as part of the White House Conference on Hunger, Nutrition, and Health in 2022.

The organizations also announced program impact results from the most recent Good Food at Home cities, as well as an expansion that provides Instacart Health Fresh Funds through Good Food at Home to more than 1,000 families in three new cities: Chicago; New Orleans; and Wichita, Kansas.

In late 2023, Instacart and PHA launched Good Food at Home in Denver; Englewood, New Jersey; Milwaukee; and Washington, D.C. The program provided more than 1,100 families with $60 in monthly Fresh Funds produce credits for three months, as well as an Instacart+ membership with free delivery, allowing participants to purchase fresh fruits and vegetables online.

Results from the four cities highlighted the program's continued success and positive impact on community health, and indicated that Fresh Funds provided through Good Food at Home empowered under-resourced communities, significantly increased fruit and vegetable consumption and helped families build sustained healthy habits:

• 59% of survey respondents reported that they ate fruits and vegetables more often;
• 85% said Fresh Funds allowed them to buy more fruits and vegetables than they can usually afford;
• 87% said Fresh Funds helped them build a healthy habit of eating more fruits and vegetables;
• And 86% said Fresh Funds empowered them to provide good food for their families, giving them the dignity to choose the items that best fit their unique preferences.

Participants in the program also reported high satisfaction with their experience using Instacart and many plan to continue shopping through Instacart:

• 88% liked the convenience of online shopping;
• 87% liked the overall shopping experience provided on Instacart;
• 80% reported that online grocery shopping through Instacart saved them time;
• Online ordering using SNAP benefits significantly increased (from 73% to 83%) from before to after the program;
• And more than half said they're likely to continue shopping on Instacart because of the benefits the platform provides.

As a result of positive feedback from participants and the impact on food and nutrition security, Instacart and PHA recently expanded the Good Food at Home program to three additional cities across the country, serving more than 550 families in Chicago; 250 families in New Orleans; and 250 families in Wichita, Kansas. In each city, Instacart and PHA will offer families $60/month of Fresh Funds for three months to purchase fresh produce from local grocers available on the Instacart marketplace. The program will also expand to additional cities this fall.

"Instacart is breaking down barriers to food access by empowering 98% of households to get fresh and nutritious food delivered from the local grocers they know and love," said Dani Dudeck, Chief Corporate Affairs Officer at Instacart. "Through our partnership with PHA on the Good Food at Home program, we've seen the clear and lasting impact of Instacart Health Fresh Funds on improving food security and encouraging healthy eating habits. By expanding to more cities this year, we're not just transforming access; we're empowering families to make more informed, healthier choices that will benefit them well into the future."

"Too many families in America don't have access to the fresh, nutritious foods that we know contribute to better health," said Noreen Springstead, President & CEO of Partnership for a Healthier America. "Through our partnership with Instacart, not only are we able to get that nutritious food directly into the hands of families who need it most, but we've also proven that we're empowering healthier habits over the long term. I'm extremely proud of the impact we've been able to achieve so far, and excited to bring Good Food at Home to even more families across the country to achieve PHA's mission of Good Food for All."

"The city of Englewood was honored to be a part of the Good Food at Home program. As someone dedicated to improving hunger and nutrition in my community, I know firsthand the impact that a program like this can have," said Michael Wildes, Mayor of Englewood, New Jersey. "When people have access to nutritious food, it leads to better outcomes not just for them but for their community as a whole."

"My administration is committed to fighting hunger, addressing poverty, and closing healthy equity gaps for Milwaukee families. Public-private partnerships like the Good Food at Home program are a big part of the solution," said Milwaukee Mayor Cavalier Johnson. "As Partnership for a Healthier America and Instacart bring this innovative food access program to the city, we are pleased to see their experience has helped hundreds of families access more fresh produce and build sustainable healthy habits."

PHA's Good Food at Home program is designed to increase access to good food – food that is affordable, sustainable, nutritious, high-quality and culturally connected – and help families build healthy habits. Instacart Health delivers the ingredients for healthier living, leveraging Instacart's platform, products and partnerships to expand access to nutritious food, make healthy choices easier, and scale food-based programs with partners across the country. Instacart today offers online SNAP acceptance from nearly 180 retail banners across 30,000+ stores, reaching nearly 98% of U.S. households enrolled in SNAP. As Instacart and PHA expand the Good Food at Home program, they remain dedicated to working with local organizations to ensure everyone – no matter their zip code – can access the food they need. Together, they aim to create a healthier, more equitable future for all.

About Instacart
Instacart, the leading grocery technology company in North America, works with grocers and retailers to transform how people shop. The company partners with more than 1,500 national, regional, and local retail banners to facilitate online shopping, delivery and pickup services from more than 85,000 stores across North America on the Instacart Marketplace. Instacart makes it possible for millions of people to get the groceries they need from the retailers they love, and for approximately 600,000 Instacart shoppers to earn by picking, packing and delivering orders on their own flexible schedule. The Instacart Platform offers retailers a suite of enterprise-grade technology products and services to power their e-commerce experiences, fulfill orders, digitize brick-and-mortar stores, provide advertising services, and glean insights. With Instacart Ads, thousands of CPG brands – from category leaders to emerging brands – partner with the company to connect directly with consumers online, right at the point of purchase. With Instacart Health, the company is providing tools to increase nutrition security, make healthy choices easier for consumers, and expand the role that food can play in improving health outcomes. For more information, visit www.instacart.com/company, and to start shopping, visit www.instacart.com.

About Partnership for a Healthier America
Partnership for a Healthier America is the premier national nonprofit organization working to create lasting, systemic changes that transform the food landscape in pursuit of health equity. PHA develops evidence-based approaches that are implemented in partnership with the private sector, nonprofits, and government, leveraging PHA's assets and the partner's knowledge to accelerate the pace of transformation. Learn more at www.ahealthieramerica.org.

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SOURCE Maplebear Inc. dba Instacart

FAQ

What is the goal of Instacart and PHA's Good Food at Home program?

The goal is to connect under-resourced communities with 10 million servings of produce by 2025, improving food access and encouraging healthy eating habits.

How much in Fresh Funds do families receive through the Good Food at Home program?

Families receive $60 in monthly Fresh Funds produce credits for three months, along with an Instacart+ membership with free delivery.

Which new cities has the Good Food at Home program expanded to in 2024?

The program has expanded to Chicago, New Orleans, and Wichita, Kansas, serving more than 1,000 additional families.

What percentage of participants reported eating more fruits and vegetables through the program?

59% of survey respondents reported that they ate fruits and vegetables more often as a result of the program.

How has the Good Food at Home program affected online SNAP benefit usage on Instacart (CART)?

Online ordering using SNAP benefits through Instacart increased from 73% to 83% among program participants.