Waima Alcohol Delivery, the on-demand alcohol retail platform backed by Meituan, has surpassed 2,400 operating front warehouses nationwide, underscoring the rapid expansion of China’s instant retail model.
According to the company, as of March 2026 the platform operates across 23 provinces, covering more than 200 city- and county-level markets, and has served over 30 million consumers.
Expansion is set to continue. The company plans to enter 48 new cities across seven additional provinces and autonomous regions this year, signalling a deeper push into lower-tier markets.
Founded in 2021, Waima Alcohol Delivery represents a key pillar of Meituan’s strategy in on-demand alcohol retail. Its model, built on a self-operated supply chain, front warehouses and proprietary delivery network, is designed to compress fulfilment times to around 15 minutes.
Scaling supply and control
On the supply side, particularly in wine, the platform is pursuing a dual-track strategy.
It combines established global brands such as DBR Lafite, Penfolds and Montes to build consumer trust and drive conversion, while simultaneously developing private-label offerings under its “Waima Global Selection” range. These include value-driven formats such as bag-in-box wines, low-cost domestic canned products and standard appellation labels, aimed at improving margins as the business scales.
From planned purchase to instant consumption
Traditionally, consumers relied on neighbourhood tobacco and alcohol shops, often purchasing in advance through familiar relationships. Price, distribution channels and personal connections defined the transaction.
That model is now being replaced by app-based purchasing, where price transparency and delivery speed are the primary drivers. In the process, alcohol consumption is shifting from planned procurement to on-demand behaviour.
Cheng Ming, general manager of Waima Alcohol Delivery, previously disclosed that the company’s gross merchandise value (GMV) is expected to exceed RMB 6 billion in 2025, doubling its revenue a year ago.
Rival Jiuxiaoer has reported similar scale, with GMV also surpassing RMB 6 billion (approximately US$830 million). According to its website, the platform operates more than 2,200 front warehouses across 19 provinces and over 580 cities, placing it close behind Waima.
Growth with pressure on margins
Yet rapid growth is coming at a cost.
Aggressive discounting and platform subsidies have helped drive user activity and sales volumes, but have also pushed down end-market prices, compressing margins for both brands and distributors.
As pricing becomes increasingly transparent, the stability of traditional price structures is eroding, with some products already experiencing price inversions.
If price competition continues to intensify without restraint, the sector risks entering a cycle of expanding scale but declining profitability, a concern now widely shared across the industry.
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