DoorDash is in advanced talks to acquire Instacart in a deal that ​could value the grocery technology specialist at around $17 billion, according to a report by The Wall Street Journal.

An agreement could be reached as soon as tomorrow. Separately, Instacart said in a regulatory filing on ⁠Monday that it ​would wind down its Caper Cart smart cart ​business by the end of the second quarter of 2027, expecting pre-tax charges of $55 million to $80 million related to ​the move.

The plan is to reinvest any savings into strategic growth initiatives, which includes other in-store solutions like smart price tags and computer vision technology to help grocers track in-store inventory.

Just call Ocado

If a deal does materialise, DoorDash should immediately call Ocado Group, according to Brittain Ladd, a supply chain consultant and former Amazon executive.

In a LinkedIn post, he said: "The value of Instacart to DoorDash is not the delivery volume. It is the access Instacart provides: relationships with nearly every major grocer in the country, insight into what American households buy to cook at home, and an advertising business built on that data. Combined with DoorDash’s restaurant, convenience and international businesses, that access becomes a platform for entering markets that delivery companies have never been able to reach."

Many grocers work with Instacart because it is not DoorDash, Ladd argues. The most effective way to retain them is to offer what Instacart never did: automation. DoorDash should secure exclusive US rights to Ocado’s store-based automation for third-party fulfilment and offer it to grocers as a service. Grocers would gain automated fulfilment without the capital outlay, and DoorDash would become a partner they depend on rather than one they tolerate.

It should also use the acquisition to expand into new areas. This is where the deal becomes transformational, Ladd believes.

"Automated DashMarts can carry a full grocery assortment, turning DoorDash into a grocer in its own right. With nearly four billion orders a year, DoorDash would know what consumers buy, substitute and cannot find, before any grocer does." he said.

"The largest opportunity in food is delivering meals priced below what it costs consumers to buy the ingredients and cook at home. DoorDash would have the demand data, purchasing scale, automated kitchens and delivery density to do it better than anyone."

Following Waymo’s model, the company can also build a fleet of vans and robots that it owns, controlling the cost of an order from the shelf to the doorstep. Meanwhile, data from restaurant, grocery and convenience orders, linked to purchases in physical stores, would make it one of the most valuable channels for consumer brands.

Ladd concluded: "Instacart drew a red line around owning inventory and left automation on the other side of it. DoorDash’s first move should be to cross it."

2026 RTIH Innovation Awards

Automation will be a key focus area at the 2026 RTIH Innovation Awards.

The awards, which celebrate global retail technology innovation in a fast moving omnichannel world, have now closed for entries. Our winners will be revealed at the 2026 RTIH Innovation Awards Ceremony, taking place at The HAC in Central London on Wednesday, 4th November.

Check out our 2026 shortlists and finalists here.

We received a record number of entries this year and many fantastic examples of technology excellence driving transformative change across the global retail sector.

Congratulations to all those who made it through the initial submission process! It’s now over to our star studded judging panel who will decide the winners to be announced at the 2026 RTIH Innovation Awards Ceremony, taking place at The HAC in Central London. 

The event will be held on Wednesday, 4th November and consist of a drinks reception, three course meal, awards ceremony presided over by award winning stand-up comedian, presenter, actor and broadcaster, Aurie Styla, and after party until 1am.

Click here to book your place at the 2026 RTIH Innovation Awards Ceremony on Wednesday, 4th November.