Semafor reports that DoorDash is in exclusive acquisition talks with Instacart
The report said the deal is far from certain and the talks could fall apart. The price or deal structure under discussion could not be determined. Instacart declined to comment, and DoorDash did not immediately respond to a request for comment.
Earlier, The Information reported that Instacart was exploring a possible sale and had held preliminary discussions with potential buyers including Uber and DoorDash. Semafor said Uber had shown interest, but Bloomberg later reported that the interest had cooled. DoorDash had previously held acquisition talks with Instacart in 2021, when the valuation was higher, and the talks collapsed over price and antitrust concerns.
Original sources:
Title: Exclusive / DoorDash in exclusive talks to acquire Instacart Publisher: Semafor Publication date: 2026-10-26 URL：https://www.semafor.com/article/10/26/2026/doordash-in-exclusive-talks-to-acquire-instacart Nature of source: media report (exclusive) Verification status: read in this session (2026-10-26) Supporting content: DoorDash is in exclusive acquisition talks with Instacart; the deal is far from certain; the price or structure could not be determined; Instacart declined to comment
Title: Instacart in talks with DoorDash and Uber for sale, The Information reports Publisher: Reuters Publication date: 2026-10-23 URL：https://www.reuters.com/business/instacart-talks-sale-information-reports-2026-10-23/ Nature of source: media report Verification status: read in this session (2026-10-26) Supporting content: Instacart is exploring a sale and held preliminary discussions with Uber and DoorDash; the information came from The Information
ABAB AI Insight
Semafor's report describes the talks between DoorDash and Instacart as “exclusive,” a step beyond The Information's earlier report of “preliminary discussions.” The information comes from people familiar with the matter, and neither company has confirmed it.
The deal remains uncertain. Semafor explicitly said the deal is far from certain, the talks could fall apart, and the price or structure could not be determined. Instacart's current market value is about $12 billion, and Semafor mentioned a possible valuation of about $15 billion under a conservative premium, but this is a market estimate rather than disclosed terms.
DoorDash and Instacart previously held acquisition talks in 2021, when the potential valuation was in the $40 billion to $50 billion range, and the talks collapsed over price and antitrust concerns. The current regulatory environment and company valuations have changed.
Together, they would create a home delivery platform covering restaurant and grocery delivery. Instacart relies mainly on relationships with grocery retailers, while DoorDash is centered on its restaurant delivery network. Antitrust risk was one of the obstacles in the earlier talks, but Semafor said related concerns may be different in the current environment.
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The talks between DoorDash and Instacart have moved from preliminary discussions to the exclusive stage, but the deal is far from certain.
Neither company has confirmed the talks, and the price and structure have not been determined.