NEW HYDE PARK, NY & SAN FRANCISCO, CA - A new, health-focused partnership has popped up on our radar, and it may just fuel produce demand by helping shoppers establish healthy eating habits. Instacart has teamed up with New York health system Northwell Health, which will leverage the industry ally’s platform to expand access to nutritious food and inspire consumers to make healthy, sustainable choices.

“Instacart offers families across the country the convenience of same-day delivery from their favorite stores, reaching over 98 percent of U.S. households. By partnering with Northwell Health, we’re leveraging our scale and Health tools to create impactful nutrition access and education programs that help solve real community challenges,” said Sarah Mastrorocco, Vice President and General Manager of Instacart Health. “Studies show that a healthy diet during pregnancy can greatly improve the health of both moms and babies and reduce the risk of several common complications. By offering our Fresh Funds stipends to give mothers more convenient access to nutritious food, and consumer tools that make Northwell Health’s expert guidance actionable, we’re supporting programs that help make our communities healthier.”

This strategic collaboration scales food as health programs to reach diverse Northwell communities, as Northwell will optimize Instacart Health tools to support unique programs that address social determinants of health including access to healthy food and transportation.

As a press release explained, the first program to launch integrates Instacart Health tools into Northwell’s Center for Maternal Health Maternal Outcomes and Morbidity Collaborative (MOMS) so that moms-to-be who are food insecure have improved access to fresh and nutritious food. With Instacart Health Fresh Funds, category-specific online grocery stipends, and Northwell’s Healthy Choices Storefront on Instacart, Northwell is providing moms-to-be with nutrition guidance and support during their pregnancies. The health organization is particularly focused on addressing maternal health in Black and Brown communities that have long-standing disparities in maternal care.

“We believe that Food is Health. And it’s important to us to meet the needs of the communities we serve, which is why we pursued an Instacart partnership,” said Michael Dowling, Chief Executive Officer of Northwell.

More information about the recent alliance can be found here. With this unique initiative creating healthier eating habits and expanding access to nutritious foods, we predict a rise in produce consumption and purchases.

Stay tuned as ANUK continues to bring you the latest industry news.