Instacart's Turnaround

Instacart’s journey under CEO Fidji Simo has been nothing short of remarkable.

When Simo took the reins in 2021, the company faced questions about its future. Fresh off the pandemic-induced surge in grocery delivery, Instacart found itself at a crossroads, struggling to sustain growth and profitability.

However, with her visionary leadership and impressive resume, Simo set out to transform the company from a grocery delivery service into a full-fledged grocery technology powerhouse.

Before taking the helm at Instacard, Simo spent more than a decade at Meta where she ultimately became Head of the Facebook App. She was instrumental in launching key products like Facebook Live and the News Feed.

Her roles on the boards of OpenAI and Shopify reflect her deep involvement in the future of commerce and artificial intelligence, two areas she would soon bring to bear on Instacart’s operations.

In a recent interview at Groceryshop, Simo reflected on the early days of her tenure.

"When I came into the role, it was very clear that Instacart was much more than just a grocery delivery app," she said. "My vision was to turn it into a grocery technology company and build the technology that can power any grocery transaction."

This vision encompassed both online and in-store operations, helping retailers deliver a seamless omnichannel experience for their customers.

Simo’s plan to pivot from a delivery app to a retail enablement company required a shift in both strategy and execution.