Why Instacart must automate to survive

Online grocery shopping exploded during the pandemic. But without automation, it won't be able to compete in the long run, says Professor of Supply Chain Management Elliot Rabinovich.

Online grocery shopping exploded during the pandemic. But without automation, it won't be able to compete in the long run.

In this story published Aug. 2, 2021, in Entrepreneur:

The current Instacart business model, while highly successful, is ultimately a stopgap strategy in the digital transformation of the grocery business. The industry is facing major disruptions that will result in more automation and even a reshaping of the grocery store itself.

– Elliot Rabinovich, professor of supply chain management and the co-director of the Internet Edge Supply Chain Lab