DoorDash expands alcohol deliveries, along with ad options for liquor brands

DoorDash is expanding its commitment to alcohol deliveries with a new lineup of retail partners, including select Giant, Food Lion, and Hannaford locations, as well as liquor store chains such as Spirits Unlimited and Stew Leonard’s Wines and Spirits.

The expansion is part of an ongoing initiative to become a leader in alcohol delivery, which can be controversial, depending on where you live. Fuad Hannon, VP of new verticals, said in a statement that the total number of liquor stores on the platform jumped 60% in 2023, and that today, “DoorDash is the US category share leader for third-party liquor store delivery sales.”

The company first got into alcohol deliveries back in 2021. They’re now available in 32 states, with more than 100,000 beverages on tap from stores such as Walgreens and Total Wine. According to DoorDash survey data, alcohol pickup and delivery orders recently increased 54% year over year. It also committed to a “safe alcohol delivery experience for consumers” by embracing “industry-leading safety features.”

• Rival Uber Eats earlier this year shutteredits alcohol delivery service, Drizly, but later started offering it through its main platform in eight states through a partnership with Rite Aid. In addition, a wave of consolidation underway in the DTC wine space is creating some new major players, such as Full Glass Wine.

DoorDash also introduced several retail media solutions for alcohol brands. These include offering sponsored products at the point of sale, planning branded campaigns around special events such as the Super Bowl and Cinco de Mayo, and creating carousel ads, similar to in-store end caps with a shoppable selection of products.

In addition, the delivery platform is integrating with e-commerce and analytics platform MikMak, so that brands can, with a single click, “activate DoorDash as a buying option across all channels, including brand websites, social media, search, QR codes, video, CTV, programmatic advertising, and more,” MikMak shared in a press release.