DoorDash is in advanced talks to acquire grocery-delivery platform Instacart in a deal that could value the company at approximately $17 billion.
The deal could be finalized as soon as Wednesday, although talks are ongoing and no agreement has been reached, according to reports. The Wall Street Journal first reported the discussions. Talks between Instacart and Uber are no longer active, according to the reports. Instacart had previously explored a possible sale and held preliminary discussions with both DoorDash and Uber.
Investors reacted differently to the news. Instacart shares rose about 8% in regular trading Monday, while DoorDash shares fell around 6%. Maplebear, Instacart’s parent company, had a market value of approximately $13 billion at Friday’s close. The potential $17 billion transaction would represent a significant premium to that valuation.
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The reported discussions come as delivery companies seek new sources of growth beyond restaurant orders. DoorDash has been expanding into grocery and retail delivery, while Instacart has established relationships with grocery retailers and built a marketplace connecting customers with stores. If completed, the acquisition could allow the companies to combine their strengths and expand their customer bases.
DoorDash has also acquired British delivery company Deliveroo. Companies in the sector are seeking growth opportunities in other markets as the surge in online delivery during the COVID-19 pandemic fades. They also face rising labor costs, tighter regulations governing delivery workers and increasing competition.
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Instacart said in regulatory filings Monday that it would wind down its Caper smart shopping cart business by the end of the second quarter of 2027. The company expects pretax charges of between $55 million and $80 million related to the decision.
Nick Smith, co-founder of growth strategy consultancy Manifesto Growth Architects, said DoorDash appeared to be a natural fit for Instacart because the companies offered complementary strengths.
“For Uber, the opportunity would be to deepen its position as an everyday convenience platform.
But an acquisition only makes sense if it delivers incremental customer value and profitable growth — not simply greater scale,” he added.
The deal remains uncertain. If completed, it could mark a major consolidation in the U.S. food and grocery delivery industry.