Instacart announced a new, publicly available application programming interface (API) to allow third parties to integrate Instacart functionality into their websites and apps. The grocery technology company said in a press release that its new program, called Instacart Developer Platform (or IDP), will give third parties access to same-day fulfillment of more than a billion unique products in as soon as 30 minutes.

The first version of the new Instacart API went live March 27.

Instacart launches new API

Instacart Developer Program will enable third parties to access a network of more than 85,000 available national, regional and local retailers. It also gives access to Instacart’s item catalog, which includes ingredient and nutrition information, among other attributes. Additionally, it gives customers a better idea of what’s on shelves at their local retailers.

The API will “supercharge third-party digital experiences across food, health, wellness, and many other spaces,” Instacart said, adding that “for retailers and brands, IDP is a zero-cost way to attract new customers, drive incremental order volume, unlock new surfaces for targeted ad placements, and connect with new customers at the moment they’re looking to make purchases.”

Over time, Instacart said, developers will have access to catalog, search, cart-building, fulfillment and self-service tools.

Instacart said it has partnered with more than a dozen launch partners, including:

• New York Times Cooking
• WeightWatchers
• GE Appliance

“With the launch of the Instacart Developer Platform, we’re taking over a decade of technology we’ve built to power the Instacart marketplace and top retailer storefronts, and offering it to a broader range of businesses, turning discovery-centric apps into full service experiences that can also deliver tangible goods,” said Daniel Danker, chief product officer and head of online grocery at Instacart. “This enables mainstream services as well as new products born out of emerging AI capabilities to offer truly complete experiences for their customers.”

Instacart finds its way into different aisles

Instacart is also expanding its relationship with Associated Wholesale Grocers (AWG) to offer same-day delivery and smart shopping carts at more of the grocer’s locations. This comes after Instacart also announced it would introduce same-day delivery for Hy-Vee, another grocery chain. It also follows news from Costco, where chief financial officer Richart Galanti said in a recent earnings call with investors that Instacart orders represent about 1.5% of total U.S. Costco sales.

Costco ranks No. 6 in the Top 1000, and Hy-Vee ranks No. 199. The Top 1000 database is Digital Commerce 360’s ranking of the largest North American online retailers by web sales.

In February, Instacart announced Whole Foods availability in select Canadian metro areas.

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