Online recipes have become a strategic advantage for grocery retailers navigating today’s competitive digital shelf. More than just meal ideas, recipes act as a content-commerce bridge connecting inspiration with instant action. Whether driving conversions online or boosting basket size in store, smart recipe programs now power deeper engagement across every shopper touchpoint.
There's proof that recipes drive digital conversion. 81% of U.S. adults cook more than half of their meals at home, and a significant portion search online for recipes, according to National Frozen & Refrigerated Foods Association (NFRA).
Shoppers who engage with recipes convert 3x more often than those who don’t, and on average (Supermarket News, 2022), recipe-based shopping experiences result in 20%+ larger basket sizes than standard search-driven ones (Chicory Insights, 2023).
According to Facebook, 87% of shoppers are searching recipes all over the internet prior to shopping online. Grocery Shopii even states that recipe shopping increases a shopper’s likelihood to checkout by 500%.
This article explores how leading retailers like Kroger, Walmart and Instacart are turning recipe content into performance driven strategy.
Today’s grocery shopper isn’t just looking for ingredients, they want meal solutions. Recipes help bridge that gap. They allow customers to visualize how products fit into their daily lives and inspire them to try something new. Retailers that offer helpful, shoppable recipe content aren’t just offering convenience—they’re earning loyalty.
Nearly 50% of shoppers are likely or very likely to purchase groceries directly from online food content, such as digital recipes and social media posts. And the retail industry has seen an 88% year-over-year increase in QR code creation, facilitating the connection between physical products and digital recipes.
Shoppers are more likely to buy when they can clearly see how to use a product. Digital recipes streamline e-commerce journeys by making cart-building intuitive. And for in-store shoppers, recipes increase basket size and aid discovery. The best platforms make this process effortless across all touchpoints.
Kroger connects its recipe engine with loyalty card data, enabling personalized recommendations that align with shopper behavior. Kroger's recipes are tagged by theme—such as "Budget Meals" or "Better for You"—making it easier to find the right fit. With click-to-cart functionality that adjusts by store inventory, Kroger delivers a truly localized and shoppable recipe experience.
This level of personalization is made possible through their analytics arm, 84.51°, which uses machine learning and predictive models to surface relevant recommendations and even prompt forgotten items in-cart.
Learn more in this Kroger case study on personalized grocery experiences.
Walmart leans on recipe content to drive conversions across both Walmart.com and Walmart+. Seasonal and family-friendly meal ideas, often created with influencer partners like SideChef, help the brand build authenticity and reach a wider audience. SideChef played a key role in helping Walmart implement custom recipe integrations that promote private-label brands and blend inspiration with commerce.
Through strategic partnerships with the platforms SideChef and BuzzFeed's Tasty, Walmart introduced shoppable recipes that allow users to add entire ingredient lists to their grocery carts for pickup or delivery. This innovation enhances convenience and closes the gap between content and purchase.
Learn more in this Walmart case study on shoppable recipe experiences.
Instacart has been making recipes easier to shop for a while now with its “shoppable recipes” feature, which lets people instantly add ingredients from online recipes to their Instacart cart. Recently, they’ve taken it up a notch by partnering with New York Times Cooking. Now, if you're browsing NYT Cooking and see a recipe you like, you can click to have the ingredients delivered through Instacart — no jumping between apps or writing out grocery lists.
They're also offering perks like a free year of NYT Cooking for Instacart+ members and discounts the other way around. It’s part of Instacart’s push to make meal planning and shopping more seamless, turning recipe browsing into a more instant, do-able dinner.
So, what separates a good recipe experience from a great one? To build a recipe program that truly resonates with shoppers and drives conversions, successful retailers often rely on a strong recipe platform strategy. Here are four key elements that set high-performing programs apart:
Curious about more essential elements for success? Read The 7 Building Blocks of a Successful Recipe Platform, covering tech setup, content strategy, community, growth tactics and personalization.
We'll now outline the steps modern recipe teams can follow to streamline ideation, creation, and performance measurement using AI tools from keyword research to final publishing.
Retailers are amplifying their recipe reach with omni-channel tactics. This includes email campaigns, in-store QR codes, mobile app prompts, and paid ads on search or social platforms. Recipes become not just content but a campaign asset.
To go a step further, many retailers are embedding recipes into shoppable newsletters, making it easy for readers to act immediately.
Truly successful retailers will also publish a printed recipe magazine. It utilized in-store traffic and boost awareness. Allerhande, Albert Heijn's culinary magazine, has been a staple in Dutch kitchens for over 40 years, evolving from a simple print publication into a comprehensive digital platform. The magazine has also embraced digital transformation, now offering over 22,000 recipes online, with a readership of 4 million per issue and 5 million visitors to its website.
Similarly so, one of UK's top retailers Marks & Spencer has launched their in-store recipe magazine. The magazine is available for £2 in-store, but Sparks loyalty members can snag a free copy by scanning their card at checkout. This initiative is part of M&S's broader food strategy, with the entire online recipe hub being fully powered by SideChef.
Retailers that leverage loyalty data can serve up relevant content that speaks directly to shopper habits. For example, a customer who frequently buys plant-based products might see vegan recipes featured on their homepage. This type of personalization increases both engagement and purchase likelihood.
Influencers play a critical role in humanizing retailer content. From quick TikTok demos to Instagram Reels, creators help showcase real-life product use and build trust. Retailers gain reach, while also capturing valuable engagement data for future optimization. Even without food influencer partnerships, retailer can leverage social channels for distributing engaging content.
Trader Joe's does a great job in promoting food products in recipes, such as with this Strawberries & Crème Pancake & Waffle Mix YouTube video.
Smart retailers are connecting online recipe experiences with in-store moments. Whether it’s recipe cards near key products, QR codes in aisles, or demo stations offering taste tests, these touchpoints reinforce brand experience and deepen the shopper journey.
Once your recipe program is up and running, it's essential to track the right KPIs to understand performance. Marketers must look beyond impressions and measure what truly drives shopper action. Here are the metrics that matter:
See how Foodpanda used recipe data to power engagement and conversions.
Recipes aren’t just a nice-to-have—they’re a strategic driver of modern grocery marketing. When built with data, optimized for convenience, and embedded across channels, they become a powerful tool for shopper engagement and brand loyalty. By blending inspiration with functionality, these programs increase loyalty, drive basket size, and position grocery stores as helpful partners in home cooking.
Partner with SideChef to craft digital recipe strategies that drive content, commerce, and customer connection. Reach out to our team to explore the opportunities.
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