DoorDash on Monday (Dec. 6) debuted direct delivery of groceries and convenience store items from DashMart locations across New York, starting with the store in Chelsea and adding more in the next few months across New York and other U.S. cities.
The move gives hundreds of bodegas and local retailers new ways to reach customers online through the DoorDash Marketplace. The company also introduced DashCorps, a branch focused on logistics and management, to open more employment opportunities across the company.
“As we begin to provide this new level of convenience and access to New Yorkers, we are committed to doing so in a sustainable, responsible way that delivers on DoorDash’s mission: to grow and empower local economies,” said DoorDash in the company announcement.
“We are growing economic opportunities for small business owners, expanding access to food through donating excess produce to the Chelsea Community Fridge & Cupboard, and providing more earning opportunities for New Yorkers,” the announcement says. “To do that, we are partnering with community stakeholders with the goal to make New York an even stronger and more dynamic place for workers and local businesses alike.”
DoorDash plans to expand its ultra-fast delivery service to more small businesses and bodegas through partnerships with DashCorps. The company also unveiled the New York Small Business Advisory Council, a group of small business owners and leaders from civic and small business organizations aiming to help DoorDash grow in relevance across New York City.
Related news: DoorDash and Grubhub Race to Offer Restaurants the Most Flexible Fulfillment
Last month, DoorDash incorporated flexible fulfillment into its self-delivery product to allow restaurants to utilize either DoorDash’s drivers or their own delivery staff depending on their needs.
PYMNTS’ “The Bring-It-to-Me Economy: How Online Marketplaces and Aggregators Drive Omnichannel Commerce,” created in collaboration with Carat from Fiserv, found that 58% of consumers are ordering restaurant food online more often than prior to the start of the COVID-19 pandemic’s spread in the U.S. in March 2020.
The study also found that 46% of consumers are ordering food from restaurants using aggregator services more than they were before the start of the pandemic.