Instacart wheels into Baltimore

As hinted at last month, Baltimore is getting another player in the online delivery space today.
Instacart is set to go live Thursday for people who want to order groceries in downtown, Canton, Fells Point and South Baltimore.
The San Francisco-based company hinted at an expansion with the announcement that it would be bringing a partnership with Whole Foods in Baltimore. Users can also order from PriceRite, BJ’s Wholesale Club, Safeway and Harris Teeter. For you pet lovers out there, Petco is also on the list.
After customers place an order through their app, the service dispatches personal shoppers to pick up the goods and bring them to you. Users can pick when they want their items to be delivered.
Instacart generated lots of buzz with a $2 billion valuation last year. It has faced business model doubts, but has shown profits in some cities. CEO Apoorva Mehta said in a statement that Baltimore was a “natural” expansion market since the service is already in other East Coast cities (like Philadelphia). The company enters a market that also has Postmates, Relay Foods and Amazon’s Prime Now.

Instacart’s initial coverage area. (Screenshot)