Our annual lookahead for Canada highlights some growth areas for brand marketers as well as the mediascape that’s evolving to serve them.

Online grocery startups face fierce competition and other growing pains: Venture capitalists have poured billions into these fast-delivery companies, but their success is far from guaranteed.

Gorillas’ $1 billion raise underscores the market opportunity for last-mile and fast grocery services: The US and EU markets are both heating up, putting pressure on Amazon and Instacart—but is the category sustainable?

Delivery intermediaries like DoorDash, Instacart, Shipt, and Uber will see strong US grocery sales through 2025 even as their growth in the category declines.

US digital grocery sales grew 63.9% year over year during the pandemic in 2020. In 2021, sales will reach $122.39 billion. This report details the emerging trends in digital grocery and the implications for key players in the space.

Instacart's growth exploded in 2020, with sales increasing by 229.7% over 2019, for a total of $23.42 billion. But by the end of 2021, the grocery delivery company's sales will grow by a comparatively small 11.3%, which is in line with market norms.

In the US, three apps accounted for 86% of online engagement with alcohol delivery between March and May 2021, according to ShareThis.

Co-brand card issuers and brand partners have an opportunity to reimagine their offerings in the pandemic’s wake. Leaning on newfound digitization and shifting spending habits can help providers tailor their offerings in ways that widen their net, grow volume, and appeal to the maximum number of customers.

US digital sales of food and beverages from restaurants soared 123.8% last year, per eMarketer estimates. This massive increase was the result of more consumers using delivery services like DoorDash, Uber Eats, and Grubhub amid lockdowns and restaurant closures.

On today's episode, we discuss why Uber is trying to be a one-stop shop and how DoorDash outperformed Uber during the pandemic. We then talk about The New York Times' Q1 subscriber and revenue performance, NBCUniversal's thoughts on regional sports, and what stood out at this year's NewFronts. Tune in to the discussion with eMarketer senior forecasting analyst at Insider Intelligence Eric Haggstrom.

Many mobile app categories saw a boost last year as more consumers spent time with their devices during quarantines. According to our estimates for smartphone app user growth, grocery apps, food delivery apps, and health/fitness apps were the three fastest-growing categories in 2020.

DoorDash is dominating the digital food fight

Food delivery apps like Uber Eats, DoorDash, and SkipTheDishes—a Winnipeg-based homegrown competitor to the US-based services—had already established a foothold before the pandemic. The greater need for delivery last year elevated their influence in food service, even though the fees they charge have raised concerns in the restaurant industry and for regulators.

After a challenging 2020, which saw big shifts in how digital media was consumed and how marketing adapted, we anticipate five developments will have a lasting impact on Canada’s digital economy.

Following increased demand due to the pandemic, digital restaurant marketplace sales are on track to finish the year with $44.94 billion in sales, more than double the $20.08 billion in 2019.

Following protocols and updates suggested by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), most restaurants across the US are adjusting their services to offer takeout and delivery only—relying on services like Caviar, DoorDash and Seamless to help get meals to consumers at home.

Brands have sought after millennials since the segment was identified as a demographic phenomenon reminiscent of the boomers. There’s been heavy investment in the creation of products and services that fit within an evolving consumer culture, one increasingly defined by this influential cohort. Growing independence and earning make this group the most digitally connected of all.

This report will take a look at the key digital habits and personas across age groups in Canada.

eMarketer junior forecasting analyst Nazmul Islam and principal analyst Andrew Lipsman tell us the likelihood that your food delivery driver has eaten some of your meal. How are people using food delivery apps, and how can they make the unit economics work for everyone?