Photos: Instacart

Instacart shopper Kara Pete scrolls through Tricia Carr’s grocery list on her smartphone as she fills the customer’s order at Whole Foods in Sherman Oaks.

Whole Foods cashier Jason Ellsworth rings up groceries purchased by Instacart shopper Kara Pete. The supermarket chain is partnering with start-up Instacart to deliver groceries to shoppers’ doorsteps.

Instacart shopper Kara Pete delivers groceries to the home of Tricia Carr. Carr’s job as director of mixology for Southern Wine & Spirits in Southern California requires frequent trips to the supermarket for ingredients for cocktails. With Instacart, she makes fewer of those trips.  (Robert Gauthier / Los Angeles Times)

Tricia Carr of Burbank unpacks groceries she ordered through Instacart. She says she has saved hours every week since discovering the service.  (Robert Gauthier / Los Angeles Times)