Gopuff's SNAP Expansion Reaches Food Deserts

SNAP turns Gopuff from a premium convenience app into a utility for routine grocery access. Once EBT works in checkout, Gopuff can serve households that buy around benefit cycles, need staples instead of impulse items, and may live far from a full supermarket. That matters because Gopuff already runs small local fulfillment sites built for fast delivery, so it can reach neighborhoods where traditional grocery density is weak and demand is tied to necessity rather than discretionary spend.

• The customer mix changes in a concrete way. Gopuff said SNAP customers placed roughly two more orders per month than non SNAP customers, bought 62% more units per order, and spent 22% more. That suggests a steadier staples workflow, not just late night convenience purchases.
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• Food desert access is visible in the early data. Gopuff said 17% of SNAP deliveries from January 1, 2025 to June 8, 2025 went to people living in food deserts. USDA defines these areas as low income census tracts with many residents far from supermarkets, often with limited car access.
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• This also pushes Gopuff closer to a digital CVS or 7-Eleven than a full supermarket marketplace like Instacart. The dark store model works best for a few thousand fast moving items, especially pantry and household goods, while Instacart relies on existing grocers and broader store selection.
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The next step is that EBT and membership together can make demand more predictable by anchoring Gopuff in recurring household refill behavior. If more of the order mix comes from benefit funded grocery trips in underserved neighborhoods, Gopuff gets a stronger reason to densify coverage, widen fresh selection, and build a larger business around essential repeat purchases.