Online grocery delivery and pick-up service Instacart has acquired smart cart and automated checkout solutions provider Caper as part of its expanding “B2B2C” retail technology strategy. Instacart stated that it is paying around USD 350 million, in a combination of cash and shares, for the acquisition.

Caper’s team will be joining Instacart. The acquisition would enable Instacart to provide a unified online and in-store commerce solution for retailers, further expanding its services of Instacart marketplace, grocer ecommerce solutions, fulfillment technology, and last-mile delivery.

Caper (having raised USD 13 million to date) provides smart carts and checkout counters. Smart carts are equipped with interactive displays, a card swiper, and an object recognition system that identifies and tallies items placed in a cart, with a virtual basket displayed on the screen; checkout counters employ tech that recognizes items by utilizing five built-in cameras, AI, and computer recognition. Currently, Caper’s smart carts are deployed at many convenience stores, including Sobeys (Canada), as well as North American retailers (and Instacart partners) Kroger and Wakefern.

Instacart provides online grocery delivery services across the US and Canada, having partnered with more than 600 retailers. The company delivers from nearly 55,000 stores across more than 5,500 cities in North America.