Independent retail platform Rosie has been acquired by grocery tech delivery giant Instacart for undisclosed terms, and the two companies are joining forces to give local independent grocers access to a broader range of technology and fulfillment capabilities.
The move is intended to deepen Instacart’s commitment to serving grocers and expand its eCommerce offerings, according to a Wednesday (Sept. 7) press release. Under the acquisition deal, Rosie will bring its eCommerce and talent pool of experts to Instacart to drive tech access to local independent grocers, per a company blog post.
“Our focus is on creating technology solutions that are tailor-made to meet the online and in-store needs of all grocers — whether they’re national chains or independently-owned and operated,” said Chris Rogers, chief business officer at Instacart.
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Headquartered in Ithaca, New York, and founded in 2012 by CEO Nick Nickitas, Rosie partners with retailers in more than 45 states. The company now focuses on grocery store retailers and has spent nearly a decade building relationships and supporting local and independent retailers across more than 40 states.
“Local and independent grocers are so important to the grocery ecosystem,” Rogers said. “They have loyal customers, create meaningful job opportunities and serve as cornerstones of their communities. The Rosie team understands these grocers better than anyone, and that’s why we’re proud to welcome them to Instacart.
“Together, we’ll build more technologies that help independent grocers accelerate their pace of innovation so they can continue to compete, grow, and serve their customers however they choose to shop.”
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After acquiring Rosie, Instacart is moving forward to introduce new eCommerce solutions built specifically for local and independent retailers. The new solutions are intended to complement the company’s existing Instacart Platform offerings.