Kroger to Start Delivering Wine to Customers' Doors

The Kroger Co. is boosting its grocery delivery capabilities through a new partnership that will provide home delivery of wine in certain markets.

The Cincinnati-based grocer is teaming with Drinks Holdings, a Los Angeles-based wine delivery service, to begin offering the service in 14 states, Bloomberg has reported. It plans to expand into new markets following the launch.

Kroger is one of several grocers in recent months to begin or expand delivery of wine to shoppers' doorsteps. In June, Texas grocer H-E-B started delivering beer and wine to doorsteps throughout Texas, offering free delivery in 30 cities through Labor Day. A few months later, Midwestern mass-merchandiser Meijer began delivering beer and wine to shoppers in Ohio through the retailer's grocery ecommerce service. The service expanded on the one already available in Michigan.

Kroger's move is also a bet against Amazon, which already delivers beer and wine to various areas of the United States via its Prime Now super-fast delivery service. Cities include, but are not limited to, Chicago; Cincinnati and Columbus, Ohio; Los Angeles; Minneapolis, New York; Phoenix; Portland, Ore.; San Francisco and Seattle.

Kroger operates nearly 2,800 stores under a variety of banner names across the United States. The company ranks No. 2 on Progressive Grocer’s Super 50 list of the top grocers in the United States.