Kroger said Thursday it is expanding its home delivery partnership with Instacart to cover more than half its stores.
The same-day delivery service is available starting today in Knoxville, Oak Ridge, Sevierville, Pigeon Forge, Seymour, Harriman, Farragut and Lebanon.
Kroger also expanded the service to the Nashville and Memphis areas, Atlanta; Augusta, Georgia; Little Rock, Arkansas; and others.
By October, Kroger will expand the service from 45 to 120 metropolitan markets across the country, covering 1,600 stores. Same-day delivery is available within as little as two hours.
In March, Kroger expanded the service to Cincinnati, where the cost is a flat $11.95 per order. Tipping the Instacart shopper is optional.
Kroger customers will be able to use the new service via the supermarket's web site or mobile app. Customers choose items they want to purchase then arrange to have it delivered to their home.
Under pressure by digital juggernaut Amazon, which delivers a selection of groceries, Cincinnati-based Kroger has ramped up its home-delivery options with a series of distribution services.
While Kroger has signed Uber and Shipt to provide delivery in some markets, the latest deal makes Instacart the grocer's major delivery service.
Previous reporting: Kroger delivers groceries to your home in 45 cities, including Cincinnati