5 Services Bringing Alcohol to Consumers
By Steve Holtz on May 24, 2017CHICAGO -- The internet is slowly becoming a go-to place to purchase beer, wine and liquor as more and more delivery options become available, according to recent research from global market research firm Technavio, London.
“The internet is becoming a popular tool for sales and marketing activities in the alcohol-beverage industry,” said Technavio researcher Manjunath Reddy. “It was the fastest-growing retail channel for alcohol sales in 2015. Online retailing has helped smaller business units like craft beer and craft spirits to expose their brands to a larger consumer base.”
Here’s a look at five alcohol-delivery services that may be putting a dent in convenience-store traffic …
1. Drizly
The Drizly mobile app is slowly expanding its services to new markets, providing on-demand delivery of beer, wine and spirits.
Adults of legal drinking age can download the mobile app or visit Drizly.com to shop for hundreds of products right from their smartphones or computers. Drizly partners with local retailers that deliver orders within one hour or at a conveniently scheduled time. There is no price markup on products, according to the company.
Based in Boston, Drizly’s service is currently available in 69 cities in 23 states.
2. Minibar
Similarly, Minibar is an app/website that offers free delivery of wine and spirits within an hour by connecting users with nearby vendors. The shops pay Minibar, New York, a small fee per order.
Minibar’s service is currently available in 35 cities throughout the United States.
3. Thirstie
New York-based Thirstie also provides on-demand delivery of beer, wine and spirits, but aims to be more to its customers.
The app/website wants to be “the singular destination for everything wine, beer and spirits. Regardless if you're looking to discover a new brand or restock an old favorite, Thirstie is your go-to resource for expert drinking guidance—anytime, anywhere,” the company said on its website.
“Thirstie is like having a sommelier and mixologist in your pocket and provides you with best in class tools to become a master whether you're entertaining at home or out for the night.”
4. Vroom
Vroom Delivery is an online platform for convenience and liquor stores, markets and other businesses that want to do on-demand alcohol and food delivery, with a focus on alcohol delivery in Ohio and Texas.
Cincinnati-based Vroom is a centralized online marketplace, available through both a website and an app. It provides free web-based software to all of the stores on its platform to receive, track and manage all orders and afford them complete control of their online menus, delivery areas, fees, promotions and more. The service also gives the stores access to historical sales analytics to help them understand trends in their customer demand.
Vroom is working to partner with alcohol brands and distributors to promote their products across the platform.
5. Bud-E Fridge
Finally, St. Louis-based Anheuser-Busch introduced the Office Bud-E Fridge. Designed to support office managers, the commercial-size “smart fridge” is intended to make sure ice-cold beer is always available for team meetings, happy hours and Fridays at 5 p.m.
The Office Bud-E Fridge holds 180 beers and knows when stock is running low. It then can automatically place a beer order with a local delivery partner (e.g., Minibar).
The refrigerator itself is free and currently available to offices in New York City, Chicago and Los Angeles. It is available in six beer-brand designs: Bud Light, Budweiser, Shock Top, Goose Island, Blue Point or Golden Road.