Grocery delivery platform Instacart is now valued at $14 billion after raising $225 million in a new funding round led by DST Global and General Catalyst.
What Happened: Instacart plans to use its new cash to support shoppers and partners and expand initiatives in advertising and enterprise.
The COVID-19 pandemic created a "massive shift" in the grocery industry space and it will change the importance of on-demand services like Instacart offers, the company said in a press release.
"Overnight, Instacart became an essential service for millions of families across North America," the company said.
Instacart last raised funds in 2018 when it was valued at $8 billion.
Why It's Important: Instacart's new capital raise comes at a time when its market share of the grocery pickup/delivery space rose from 30% in February to 55% by the end of May, according to research firm Second Measure.
However, some analysts are concerned the recent surge in demand could reverse course as more regions continue opening up their economies, according to CNBC.
The timing of Instacart's funding also follows growing unrest from its drivers who pressured Instacart to provide added protection and benefits that full-time essential workers are entitled to, such as health insurance.
What's Next: Instacart had to hire 300,000 new workers between March and April to address surging demand and the company needs to still hire another 250,000 more.
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