DoorDash has officially launched in Auckland, marking the third New Zealand service to have the service in just over a year.
Beginning in May 2022, Doordash started up in Wellington before swiftly moving to Christchurch, and is now in New Zealand's largest City. Auckland is set to be the biggest launch for the on-demand delivery service in any city around the world, with over 1000 merchants signing up to the platform before opening day.
DoorDash general manager for Australia, New Zealand, and Canada, Rebecca Burrows, said it was not a small launch by any stretch.
"Our New Zealand business has been hugely successful in terms of international expansion. We are seeing the ability to bring new customers to restaurants. We will definitely be bringing new business to the service, and bringing new cases and incrementality to each of the brands,” said Burrows.
The new service branches across the Auckland region, from Drury to the North Shore and from East to West. Burrows said it was a reasonably broad launch, which allows for a much wider customer base.
The expansion to Auckland has always been on the cards. Burrows said that when first launching in New Zealand, Auckland was too big of a market to test the waters, with Wellington being the perfect size market. With a focus on New Zealand businesses and local cuisine, it was important for DoorDash to form a base before branching out further.
DoorDash has a merchant-first strategy in place, which assists merchants who sell through the platform. The programme is aimed at continuing relationships between DoorDash and merchants and showcasing what the service can do for restaurants and why it could be an integral part of operating in the future.
There was also a support element of the merchant-first strategy, which provides merchants with all the tools to thrive on the platform. This can range from exploring different shift times, which results in optimal capacity, to crafting new menu options that would be specific to consumer needs. Burrows said it is an understanding necessary for merchants to come on board.
"It's about what is important to you and what is important to us. Having brands that consumers love and can discover and enjoy, but make sure that there is more than one structure for merchants to adapt to. We understand the different needs of every merchant."
Burrows added that some merchants might be looking for growth while some could be struggling with capacity needs. The merchant-first strategy was one of the core values of the business.
Mitchell Baker, the director spokesperson for vegan burger company, Wise Boys, said they were stoked to be part of DoorDash's highly anticipated launch into Auckland.
"By joining forces with DoorDash, we can get our delicious vegan burgers into the hands of even more people, furthering our mission to promote animal and planet-friendly food options," said Baker.
The merchant first strategy offers a point of difference in the competitive food delivery service market, with DoorDash opting for a localised approach, hence setting up a local account management team in New Zealand and being more accessible for merchants.
DoorDash has a wide range of options for consumers in Auckland, from local restaurants and small cafes to fast food giants like McDonald's and Kentucky Fried Chicken.
