Instacart grocery deliveries expand to Dutchess County

Mid-Hudson Valley residents will soon have a new option for receiving groceries without needing to visit a store.

Instacart, a same-day grocery delivery service, will extend its coverage area to include several Dutchess County municipalities starting Jan. 10, according to a press release from the company.

Shoppers using the services can purchase food and other items from stores such as Tops Friendly Market, CVS, ACME Market and Price Chopper.

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Instacart will cover more than 51,000 households in the central and western Dutchess County areas.

"Over the past year we’ve seen incredible demand in the Poughkeepsie area," said Dave Osborne, senior regional director at Instacart. "We work with a variety of local retailers to provide the freshest, highest quality groceries to our customers. Expansion into Poughkeepsie gives us an opportunity to expand service in the New York market."

Instacart could provide greater access to food for residents without easy access to the grocery store, including people who can't drive or don't live near a bus route. It could also provide convenience to the elderly and people with mobility issues.

Similar services already are available to area residents through Peapod, which delivers groceries from Stop & Shop, and Hudson Valley Concierge Service.

"I used Peapod when I broke my foot," Colleen Lambert, of Hillside Lake said. "I (live on the) top level in a condo complex, and they were a lifesaver. "

Instacart allows customers to order same-day deliveries or scheduled deliveries up to five days in advance, according to the press release.

Delivery costs start at $5.99 for orders of $35 or more. The cost of delivery varies based on order size and other factors, though customers can get free deliveries by paying for a monthly membership.

The complete list of areas Instacart will serve, according to a release, includes Poughkeepsie, Pleasant Valley, Billings, Hillside Lake, Crown Heights, Red Oaks Mill, Arlington, Myers Corner, East Fishkill, Shenandoah, Castle Point, Chelsea, Wappingers Falls, New Hamburg, Hughsonville, Wappinger, LaGrange, Union Vale, Spackenkill, Hyde Park and Fairview.

Visit instacart.com for more information.

Geoffrey Wilson: gwilson@poughkeepsiejournal.com, 845-437-4882, Twitter: Geoff_LW