DoorDash Enters Exclusive Negotiations to Purchase Instacart

DoorDash is holding exclusive discussions to buy Instacart, according to sources familiar with the matter. The parties have not disclosed a price or the structure of a potential deal, and both companies said they could not comment at this time. The report follows earlier coverage that first revealed Instacart’s sale process and noted that Uber had previously shown interest, a prospect that later appeared to lose momentum.

Analysts said a merger would combine Instacart’s grocery-delivery focus with DoorDash’s restaurant-delivery network, potentially forming a delivery giant. Instacart is valued at roughly $12 billion, and a conservative premium could place a sale price near $15 billion, while DoorDash’s market capitalization stands at about $75 billion.

The grocery and home-delivery sector remains highly competitive, with Amazon and Walmart exerting significant pressure on traditional grocers. Some observers suggest the combined entity might avoid antitrust scrutiny under the current administration’s relatively permissive stance on large mergers, although they note that a shift in political leadership could lead to stricter reviews.