DoorDash Launches On-Demand Grocery Delivery
Aiming to expand the products and services it offers to local businesses amid the pandemic, San Francisco-based DoorDash is teaming with grocery stores across United States to introduce on-demand grocery delivery via the DoorDash app for the first time.
Now customers in the Bay Area, Los Angeles, Orange County, Sacramento, San Diego and the Central Coast can order from Smart & Final, while items from Meijer and Fresh Thyme are available to shoppers in Chicago, Cincinnati, Milwaukee, Detroit and Indianapolis. In the near future, DoorDash plans to add selection across the country with such grocers as Hy-Vee and Gristedes/D’Agostino, with the aim of providing more than 75 million Americans access to a grocery store through DoorDash.
“DoorDash provides another convenient way for customers to get the value, selection and quality that Smart & Final offers, especially at a time when some are looking to limit trips outside their homes,” noted Navin Cotton, director of digital commerce at Commerce, California-based Smart & Final. “DoorDash’s on-demand grocery service is a nice addition to our online shopping options, and with delivery in under an hour, we know Smart & Final customers are going to appreciate it.”
The launch follows several years of the DoorDash Drive offering, the company’s white-label fulfillment service that powers direct delivery for grocery chains like Walmart, Hy-Vee, ShopRite and Coborn’s, in addition to many regional and local grocery stores throughout the country.
“This latest announcement by DoorDash is another tool that allows our customers timely access to the fresh offerings that we provide at Hy-Vee,” said Tom Crocker, SVP, e-commerce at the West Des Moines, Iowa-based grocer. “In today’s ever-changing environment, customers want quality products delivered in an efficient manner straight to their homes. This new service helps us grow our grocery business while meeting the needs of our shoppers who are on the go.”
The grocery stores on DoorDash are available on an on-demand basis, which means, according to the company, no scheduling required, no queues and no waiting. More than 10,000 grocery items, including dairy and eggs, local produce, and fresh meat and fish, can be delivered from participating grocery stores in under an hour. The grocery partners have been added onto DashPass, DoorDash’s subscription service offering members unlimited free delivery fees and lower service fees.
Additionally, for those seeking a quick, convenient meal from a nearby grocer, DoorDash enables them to order ready-to-heat or ready-to-eat offerings from such food retailers as Wegmans, Hy-Vee, Gelson’s, Kowalski’s, Big Y World Class Markets, Food City, Village Supermarkets, Save Mart, Lucky, Lucky California and Coborn’s.
“We promise to ‘make great meals easy,’ and it doesn’t get any easier than this,” observed Erica Tickle, e-commerce director at Rochester, New York-based Wegmans. “What’s unique about Wegmans Meals 2GO is the variety of delicious menu options. Since teaming up with DoorDash last year, we listened and learned, and fine-tuned a menu that has something for everyone at home or at work. We’re excited to expand our partnership with DoorDash by bringing our restaurant-quality meals to the DoorDash Marketplace.”
To have groceries delivered in less than an hour, consumers should look for a banner at the top of the DoorDash app to find out which grocery stores offer delivery near them. Contactless delivery ensures a safe and seamless experience for every customer. Further, during the week of Aug. 24, the company will offer new and existing DashPass members $15 off their next order from all grocery and convenience stores. The company also urged customers to check the DoorDash platform often for updates on added grocery stores and items available.
DoorDash has also recently revealed new or expanded partnerships with drug store chains CVS and Walgreens, and convenience operators like Casey’s, 7-Eleven, Circle K and Wawa.
Operating 9,277 drug stores, with a presence in all 50 states, the District of Columbia, Puerto Rico, and the U.S. Virgin Islands, along with its omnichannel business, Walgreens.com, Walgreens is No. 4 on The PG 100, Progressive Grocer’s 2020 list of the top food and consumables retailers in North America, while CVS Health is No. 6, Hy-Vee is No. 33, Wegmans is No. 36 and Smart & Final is No 57 on the list.
