Albertsons launches virtual store to sell popular private brand

Albertsons Cos. has launched O Organics Market, an Instacart grocery delivery service-powered virtual store where customers can find organic, natural, and other better-for-you foods, beverages and grocery items. O Organics is Albertsons’ popular organic store brand that recently achieved $1 billion in sales and is adding about 450 new products this year.

The virtual store will also sell Albertsons’ Open Nature private brand, a line of natural foods, and other branded organic and natural products.

The initial launch of the O Organics Market is in San Francisco and Washington, D.C., with plans of expanding to additional cities in the future. O Organics Market caters to an important segment of Instacart shoppers seeking organic and natural products, and deepens Boise, Idaho-based Albertsons’ commitment to expanding its digital footprint, the companies stated in a press release.

“With nearly 3,800 items from O Organics, Open Nature, and other organic and natural brands, O Organics Market is another important step in our strategy to deliver customers what they want, when they want it,” said Shane Sampson, Albertsons’ chief marketing and merchandising officer, in a statement. “With such a broad selection of organic and natural products, customers will be able to order from exclusive items like Open Nature Sockeye Salmon and O Organics Mission Figs, to more commonplace products, like Dave’s Killer Bread and Annie’s Organic Fruit Snacks.”

O Organics and Open Nature are sold exclusively in Albertsons’ stores, including Albertsons, Safeway, Vons, Jewel-Osco, Acme, Shaw’s, United Supermarkets and others. O Organics provides USDA-certified organic purity at a great value, according to Albertsons. Open Nature provides minimally processed products for the well-being of customers’ family, pets, friends and the environment, the retailer noted.

"We are excited to expand our partnership with Albertsons by powering the O Organics Market," said Nilam Ganenthiran, Instacart chief business officer. "Their forward-thinking approach to meeting customer demand is exactly where the grocery industry is headed."

Albertsons is the fourth-largest food retailer in the U.S. and operates stores in 35 states.