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Instacart ramps up alcohol delivery

Beer, wine and spirits now available online via nearly a third of retail partners

Russell Redman

March 12, 2019

3 Min Read
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Following a gradual rollout, Instacart has expanded same-day delivery of alcohol through grocery retailers and liquor and beverage stores in 14 states and the District of Columbia.

Instacart said Tuesday that customers can now have beer, wine or spirits delivered in as soon as an hour from supermarket chains such as Albertsons, Kroger, Publix, Schnucks and Stater Bros. as well as specialty stores like BevMo!, Binny’s Beverage Depot and Total Wine & More in select locations.

Instacart_app_alcohol_delivery_Albertsons.pngThe San Francisco-based online grocery provider originally began alcohol delivery with a small number of retail partners but noted that it has expanded the service substantially over the past year.

Instacart alcohol delivery is now offered in the states of California, Connecticut, Florida, Illinois, Kentucky, Massachusetts, Minnesota, Missouri, North Carolina, Ohio, Oregon, Texas, Virginia and Washington, along with Washington, D.C. The company said it will launch alcohol delivery in more states, where permitted.

With the expansion, alcohol delivery via Instacart now reaches more than 40 million households nationwide and is available from almost a third of Instacart’s 300-plus retail partners.

“Part of grocery shopping for many people goes beyond getting fresh produce, meats and pantry staples and includes picking up the perfect bottle of wine for a dinner party or their favorite beer to sip while watching the big game,” Nilam Ganenthiran, chief business officer at Instacart, said in a statement. “By working alongside our retail partners to add alcohol to the marketplace, we’re offering customers more choice and making it easier for Instacart to be their ‘one-stop shop’ to get the groceries they need — including beer, wine and spirits — from the retailers they love.”

Related:Under fire, Instacart changes personal shopper pay model

In states where alcohol delivery is enabled, Instacart customers also will now see a new in-app banner that facilitates shopping directly from beer, wine and spirit “aisles” of select retailers on the Instacart marketplace.

To buy alcohol through Instacart, shoppers go to Instacart.com or open the Instacart mobile app, select their city and store, and search for beer, wine or spirits to add to their online basket. For select retailers providing alcohol delivery, customers can visit specific beer, wine and spirit “aisles” straight from the retailer storefront on the Instacart website or mobile app. Customers ordering alcohol via Instacart must be age 21 or older and present a valid government ID upon delivery. 

Instacart_alcohol_delivery_table.png

“We couldn’t be more excited to work with Instacart’s extensive delivery network to create a fantastic customer experience,” said Jewel Hunt, group vice president of e-commerce at Albertsons Cos. “Now customers have the convenient option of rush delivery straight to their doorsteps for all of their grocery needs, from everyday essentials to fresh produce to that favorite bottle of wine for a special dinner.”

Related:Instacart Pickup set to go national

Instacart said customers in Nebraska and Michigan can expect to have access to alcohol delivery through its marketplace in the coming months. In states where alcohol delivery is already offered on the marketplace, the company plans to work with current and new retail partners to add alcohol inventory to their Instacart storefront throughout the year.

“By partnering with Instacart, BevMo! is able to bring our customers a flexible and convenient way to have the drinks they love delivered directly to their door,” said Tamara Pattinson, chief marketing and information officer for BevMo!, which has 166 wine, beer and liquor stores in California, Arizona and Washington. “Instacart’s broad reach has enabled BevMo! to offer one-hour, same-day and next-day delivery to more customers than ever before.”

About the Author

Russell Redman

Senior Editor
Supermarket News

Russell Redman has served as senior editor at Supermarket News since April 2018, his second tour with the publication. In his current role, he handles daily news coverage for the SN website and contributes news and features for the print magazine, as well as participates in special projects, podcasts and webinars and attends industry events. Russ joined SN from Racher Press Inc.’s Chain Drug Review and Mass Market Retailers magazines, where he served as desk/online editor for more than nine years, covering the food/drug/mass retail sector. 

Russell Redman’s more than 30 years of experience in journalism span a range of editorial manager, editor, reporter/writer and digital roles at a variety of publications and websites covering a breadth of industries, including retailing, pharmacy/health care, IT, digital home, financial technology, financial services, real estate/commercial property, pro audio/video and film. He started his career in 1989 as a local news reporter and editor, covering community news and politics in Long Island, N.Y. His background also includes an earlier stint at Supermarket News as center store editor and then financial editor in the mid-1990s. Russ holds a B.A. in journalism (minor in political science) from Hofstra University, where he also earned a certificate in digital/social media marketing in November 2016.

Russell Redman’s experience:

Supermarket News - Informa
Senior Editor 
April 2018 - present

Chain Drug Review/Mass Market Retailers - Racher Press
Desk/Online Editor 
Sept. 2008 - March 2018

CRN magazine - CMP Media
Managing Editor
May 2000 - June 2007

Bank Systems & Technology - Miller Freeman
Executive Editor/Managing Editor
Dec. 1996 - May 2000

Supermarket News - Fairchild Publications
Financial Editor/Associate Editor
April 1995 - Dec. 1996 

Shopping Centers Today Magazine - ICSC 
Desk Editor/Assistant Editor
Dec. 1992 - April 1995

Testa Communications
Assistant Editor/Contributing Editor (Music & Sound Retailer, Post, Producer, Sound & Communications and DJ Times magazines)
Jan. 1991 - Dec. 1992 

American Banker/Bond Buyer
Copy Editor
Oct. 1990 - Jan. 1991 

This Week newspaper - Chanry Communications
Reporter/Editor
May 1989 - July 1990

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