Whole Foods Market is joining forces with delivery service Instacart to enable mobile shoppers to order Mother’s Day bouquets, reflecting how consumers are increasingly turning to delivery options on mobile.

The brands recognize that millions of consumers will be searching for the perfect bunch of flowers to send to their mothers on the national holiday, and hope that the exclusive partnership will help unbundle some of the hassle that comes with ordering flowers. Bouquets may be delivered in as little as one hour, and also come with a slew of personalization options.

“Based on the success of our Valentine’s Day collaboration with Whole Foods Market, we have high expectations for our Mother’s Day event,” said Andrew Nodes, business development lead at Instacart, San Francisco. “People love the convenience of Instacart delivery, especially people who wait until the last minute to take care of gifts.

“What’s exciting for Mother’s Day in particular is that, unlike traditional floral delivery, this partnership allows customers to order both flowers and other thoughtful items sent in the same delivery, and for a very affordable price.”

Mobile delivery
As Amazon rolls out its Prime Now delivery service, which also drops off purchased items at customers’ homes in less than an hour, to more cities, other brands are clamoring to keep up with demand for mobile-enabled options.

“A substantial and growing proportion of Instacart orders are placed via mobile device – it’s a key channel for us to reach customers,” Mr. Nodes said.

With approximately 54 million American households set to purchase flowers around Mother’s Day, this promotion may also help relieve stress from Whole Foods Market employees nationwide.

Consumers interested in receiving flower delivery between May 1 and 10 can visit the Instacart mobile app for iOS or Android devices, or go to the Instacart.com Web site. There, they may choose from the two pre-selected Whole Foods bouquets, and tap the “note” feature to indicate their preferred color.

They may also attach a personal message that will be superimposed on a handwritten card. Customers are also able to pick a delivery time of within one hour, two hours or at another scheduled time, up to six days in advance.

While delivery fees typically begin at $3.99, Instacart waives the fees for first-time users, a tactic that is sure to bring in additional mcommerce.

The two flower selections are a bouquet of 20-stem tulips available in a variety of colors for $24.99, or a dozen Whole Trade roses, also in a plethora of colors, for $29.99.

Added convenience
Whole Foods fans seeking gifts and food items for their Mother’s Day activities may also use the Instacart mobile app’s “aisle” feature to purchase products such as chocolates, candles and teas to add on to their delivery orders.

All available items have been curated by Whole Foods Market experts, and may come with the bouquet to ensure a streamlined, convenient shopping experience.

Whole Foods delivery from Instacart is currently available in fifteen markets, including San Francisco, Philadelphia, Portland, Atlanta, Boston, New York City, Los Angeles and more.

Any food, beverage and gift marketers seeking to ramp up Mother’s Day sales should attempt to emulate Whole Foods Market’s footsteps and team up with a mobile-enabled delivery service to ensure that even time-strapped consumers can receive all of the materials necessary to have a great holiday.

“An event like Mother’s Day with a hard deadline is a great chance for customers to try Instacart delivery for the first time,” Mr. Nodes said. “Our aim is to delight them with that first interaction so that they keep coming back to us for regular grocery orders from Whole Foods Market and our other retail partners.”

Final Take
Alex Samuely is an editorial assistant on Mobile Commerce Daily, New York