Walgreens Expands Reach With DoorDash Deal

Walgreens customers in several major cities are now able to order products for home delivery through a partnership with the delivery service DoorDash, adding to the drugstore chain’s recent expansions in its offerings.

The delivery option became available in Chicago, Atlanta and Denver July 16 and will expand to markets including Cincinnati, Cleveland, Minneapolis, Oklahoma City, Phoenix, Sacramento and Seattle by the end of the summer, according to a Walgreens news release.

The DoorDash partnership follows the announcement of a $1 billion deal between Walgreens Boots Alliance and VillageMD to open 500 to 700 primary care offices in Walgreens’ stores during the next five years, including in medically underserved areas. The primary care partnership was rolled out nationwide after a trial with five in-store clinics in the Houston, Texas area, began in November.

Items available through the new delivery service so far include some over-the-counter medications along with thousands of household and convenience items typically found at Walgreens stores. The number of products available is expected to double, from about 2,300 to more than 5,000, by the end of the summer, and all the products can be ordered through DoorDash’s app or its website.

Stefanie Kruse, vice president for digital commerce and omni-channel at Walgreens, said the collaboration is the latest example of how Walgreens is improving its customer experience with safe and convenient options.

“We continue to offer additional ways to get essential retail products into the hands of customers at their door stoop or wherever and whenever is most convenient for them,” Kruse said.

Fuad Hannon, head of new verticals at DoorDash, also emphasized that the partnership is a way for customers to stay safe while getting the products they need amid the ongoing pandemic, which has led some people to increase their reliance on delivery services for health reasons.

“Walgreens offers an unmatched assortment of health and beauty, grocery and convenience essentials, and we look forward to continuing our growth beyond food to offer millions of Americans access to thousands of Walgreens items on-demand,” Hannon said. “In light of the ongoing crisis, we will continue to provide customers with access to the supplies they need to maintain a well-cared for and healthy at-home environment.”

Customers can also use DashPass, the DoorDash subscription service for unlimited free delivery, on Walgreens orders of $12 or more.

Walgreens is part of the Retail Pharmacy USA Division of Walgreens Boots Alliance, Inc. and operated nearly 10,000 drugstores nationwide as of August 2019.