Peapod pioneered online grocery delivery with its launch in 1989. Founded by brothers Andrew and Thomas Parkinson in the Chicago area, the company offered a computer-based way to select groceries for home delivery—years before web shopping became mainstream.
Early Peapod customers used proprietary software and dial-up connections rather than a modern website. Peapod partnered with Jewel supermarket in the Chicago area, with the store supplying the groceries while Peapod handled ordering and delivery. The company later expanded through partnerships with chains including Kroger, Randall’s, and Safeway.
A common mix-up is the timing: Peapod was founded and began its pioneering service in 1989, but its website launched in 1996. Instacart arrived much later, in 2012, while Webvan was a highly publicized late-1990s competitor that eventually failed. Peapod’s significance lies in demonstrating that grocery shopping could be organized digitally and delivered to a customer’s home before widespread consumer internet access.