Food tech companies have a major presence among the fastest growing brands in the U.S. in 2019, according to a new report from Morning Consult Brand Intelligence that ranks brands according to purchasing consideration among consumers.
DoorDash took the number one spot for fastest growing brand in the U.S. this year, while Postmates clocked in at number three and Impossible at four. And those are just the top five. Among the top 20 fastest growing companies in the report, food and beverage companies nabbed 11 of the spots.
According to the report, Morning Consult determines its rankings by which brands “have seen the biggest rise in purchasing consideration this year, how that is playing out across generations and which brands have seen a lift in brand identification, even if it didn’t translate to an increase in purchasing.”
Part of the reason for DoorDash’s top spot is no doubt its expansion strategy. Unlike Postmates or Grubhub and Uber Eats (the latter two also landed in the top 20), DoorDash has focused heavily on not just major metropolitan areas but also suburban areas across the country. It was the first third-party delivery service to become available in all 50 U.S. states and has over the last few years struck deals with major restaurant chains that cater to those areas. Think Chili’s, Outback Steakhouse, and Chick-fil-A. This is the second year in a row DoorDash — which to date has raised over $2 billion — has been ranked fastest growing brand in the U.S. for Morning Consult’s report.
The company was also, among food delivery companies in the report, the only brand to consistently rank at the top across generations, from Generation Z all the way up to Baby Boomers.
Even with high appeal among consumers, DoorDash faces multiple uphill battles going into 2020. The company is still getting backlash over its much-maligned former tipping policy, including recent charges brought by D.C. Attorney General Karl Racine. DoorDash is also one of a few companies that have pledged to fight California Assembly Bill 5, which reclassifies gig workers and in doing so turns the entire model by which third-party delivery services operate on its head — and further erodes the idea of these companies every becoming profitable. Appealing to consumers is a boost for DoorDash in 2019, but it’s appealing to investors that will make or break delivery companies in 2020.
Leave a Reply