Instacart enables fully custom digital ordering with new FoodStorm features

Ordering custom-made items at the grocery store has been a longstanding challenge for both retailers and customers. The reliance on pen and paper, manual tracking of changes, and associated delays have presented difficulties for the industry over the years.

That’s why today, we’re excited to announce that FoodStorm, Instacart’s order management system (OMS), is introducing new capabilities that simplify the process of selling, managing, and fulfilling personalized made-to-order items. From custom birthday cakes and tailored coffee orders to special floral arrangements, this entirely new functionality within FoodStorm’s OMS streamlines the entire ordering experience. Now, retailers can expand their online assortment, offer customers a more engaging ordering experience, and provide a seamless order management process for their teams. 

Customers can now effortlessly communicate their requests and personalize their orders directly through the platform, both online and in-store. For example, if a customer is placing a custom birthday cake order, they can select the flavor, frosting and even add personalized messages – reducing the need for associates to manually add separate notes to the order. 

This level of customization has already been a game-changer for businesses like Joseph’s Classic Market. While they have long offered a menu of sandwiches for digital ordering, the new features now empower their customers to take personalization to the next level – choosing specific types of bread, toppings, and more.  

“The ability to offer our customers fully customized sandwiches from our deli counter has revolutionized our business,” said John Acierno, Owner at Joseph’s Classic Market. “Not only has it significantly boosted our sales, but it has also transformed our in-store operations, allowing us to fulfill the desires our customers have been longing for. We can now deliver an exceptional and personalized experience that keeps our customers coming back for more.”

FoodStorm’s OMS empowers grocers to seamlessly manage their food service business. By simplifying the process, retailers can expand their products offered and enhance the customer experience – ultimately optimizing in-store operations.

For more information about FoodStorm’s enhanced support, visit www.foodstorm.com/blog/feature-spotlight-enhanced-made-to-order-item-support. To learn more about FoodStorm by Instacart, visit www.foodstorm.com. For more information about the Instacart Platform, visit www.instacart.com/company/platform. 

Rob Hill

Rob Hill joined Instacart as General Manager, Order Ahead in August 2021 as part of the FoodStorm acquisition and leads the cross functional teams enabling order ahead retailer solutions as part of Instacart’s Connected Stores strategy. As the CEO of FoodStorm, Rob led the strategic direction and global growth of the business and is particularly passionate about driving business impact through technology. Rob has extensive experience leading SaaS businesses worldwide, having led multiple startup’s global scale up’s across North America, EMEA and Asia Pacific in industries spanning retail, hospitality, supply chain and education. Rob is a graduate of Swinburne University of Technology’s Bachelor of Information Technology scholarship program, and an alumni of Harvard Business School. He lives in Melbourne, Australia with his wife and two young children.