The Friday Checkout is a weekly column providing more insight on the news, rounding up the announcements you may have missed and sharing what’s to come.
When Instacart named Fidji Simo as its CEO back in 2021, the company still defined itself primarily as a provider of pickup and delivery services for grocery stores. But Simo’s deep experience working for legendary Silicon Valley companies including eBay and Facebook was a clear sign that she would look to recast Instacart as a future-focused technology innovator instead of an e-commerce vendor.
Simo indeed moved quickly to achieve that vision. Instacart bought a smart cart developer weeks after she took over and launched a suite of tech-based services for retailers just a few months later. Since then, the company has continued to focus on helping grocers make the shopping experience more sophisticated. Speaking at Groceryshop last year, Simo emphasized that Instacart’s future growth depends on ensuring that investors view it more as a tech company than as a grocery app.
Simo’s announcement this week that she is preparing to leave Instacart for artificial intelligence powerhouse OpenAI suggests that the company will continue moving down the path Simo laid. In disclosing her impending departure, Simo noted that Instacart intends to name another member of the company’s existing leadership team as her successor. That group includes a host of executives who, like Simo, come with strong tech chops, including a chief technology officer who was formerly head of engineering for Uber and a chief accounting officer who used to work at Lyft and Shutterfly.
Shoppers and retailers will probably always know Instacart as an online grocery company. But as it begins its next act, it’s clear that the firm is in a good place to continue moving well beyond those roots.
In case you missed it
Whole Foods debuts new podcast
The specialty grocer announced at the start of the month the launch of Beyond the Board, a new podcast. The series aims to spotlight a variety of “purpose-driven food industry leaders and changemakers,” including founders of major brands, up-and-coming suppliers, community leaders and policymakers.
The debut episode of Beyond the Board aired on May 1. Whole Foods plans to continue releasing segments regularly, though it did not specify when the next installment will be out.
Gopuff bulks up
The rapid delivery company on Monday launched a new bulk assortment offering called GoXL aimed at helping shoppers stock up and save on groceries.
Gopuff will deliver more than 300 “bulk-sized essentials” from its local micro-fulfillment centers in as little as 15 minutes, including toilet paper, noodle cups, Greek yogurt and Smucker’s Uncrustables peanut butter and jelly sandwiches.
SpartanNash opens newest Supermercado Nuestra Familia
The company recently opened the doors of its fourth Supermarcado Nuestra Familia grocery store in Omaha, Nebraska, according to a Monday press release. The site was previously a Family Fare location that was also owned and operated by SpartanNash.
Supermarcado Nuestra Familia, which was founded in 2013, is one of more than a dozen banners operated by the retail and wholesale company.
Impulse find
Moms love Aldi, and Aldi loves Moms
For one night and one night only, a Chicago metro area Aldi store transformed into “Chez Aldi,” offering an “exclusive, gourmet dining experience” for mothers ahead of Mother’s Day, NBC Chicago reported.
On Wednesday, guests were treated to an adults-only fine dining experience featuring a gourmet meal made with Aldi ingredients and served right in the store’s aisles. Entree options included beef tenderloin, chicken bread and cauliflower steak, each accompanied by salad, bread and butter, and wine service. NBC Chicago noted that the night also included dessert, a nightcap, a full-service bar and a goodie bag of Aldi products.
The Aldi location that hosted the Mother’s Day event is located atthe grocer’s headquarters in Batavia, Illinois, and is primarily used for testing and showcasing products, the TV station reported.
