Gopuff Releases Its INs and OUTs Report Recapping 2023 Instant Commerce Trends and 2024 Predictions

In celebration of the new year, Gopuff is releasing its INs and OUTs Report. Analyzing Gopuff orders across the country, the report unveils the items that lived rent-free in customers’ heads in 2023 and predicts 2024’s biggest Instant Commerce trends.

“As we reflect on the Instant Commerce landscape of 2023, our customer trends have unveiled an interest in adventurous flavor choices, a call for health-conscious substitutions and an unwavering love of long-standing classics,” said Daniel Folkman, SVP of Business at Gopuff. “We will continue to leverage our unique insights to drive assortment decisions and strategy in 2024, staying ahead of major trends to bring customers more of what they love.”

2023 Breakdown 

From timeless staples like bottled water and bananas to spicy cravings for hot fries, and the ongoing allure of ice cream, these Gopuff bag heroes define 2023 Instant Commerce shopping trends. 

Nationwide Bag Staples: From LA to NYC, and everywhere in between, these were the top five products sold on Gopuff across the country. 

• Basically, Purified Water 

• Chester's Flamin' Hot Fries

• Smucker's Frozen Uncrustables PB & Grape Jelly on Wheat

• Simply Lemonade Raspberry

• Bananas

Your City’s Flavor Profile: We took a look to see what some of the nation’s biggest cities were ordering and found the priorities of people from coast to coast. 

• Party People

  • Miami, FL: Vodka, tequila, and hard & spiked drinks

  • Los Angeles, CA: Hard & spiked drinks, vodka and sparkling water

  • Denver, CO: Soda, vodka, and lager beer

  • Philadelphia, PA: Chocolate, Ice cream and hard & spiked drinks

• Grocery Getters

  • New York City, NY: Fresh fruit & vegetables, fresh meat, frozen meat

  • Boston, MA: Fresh fruit & vegetables, frozen fruit & vegetables, fresh seafood

  • Chicago, IL: Fresh fruit & vegetables, fresh meat, frozen meat

• Health Nuts

  • Rochester, NY: Jerky, dried fruit, nut, & seed mixes, electrolyte boosts 

  • Baltimore, MD: Kombucha, immunity boosters, coconut water

  • Milwaukee, WI: Dried fruit, nut, & seed mixes, tonics, kombucha

• Snacking Cities

  • Phoenix, AZ: Salty snacks, soda, and sports drinks

  • Dallas, TX: Salty snacks, ice cream and soda

  • Washington D.C.: Salty snacks, candy, and juice

Gopuff is Givingggggg (Literally): Gopuff’s gifting service was used to deliver tens of thousands of thoughtful surprises to loved ones in minutes.  

Customers turned to Gopuff as a “Get Well Soon” gift giver frequently delivering curated bags of Ramen Chicken Noodle Soup, Gatorade, and PB&J Uncrustables. On Valentine’s Day, customers tapped Gopuff as a cupid replacement sending roses and chocolates as two of the most popular gifted items in 2023.

2024 INs and OUTs

Customer Instant Commerce preferences from 2023 serve as a compass for the trends of 2024. By reviewing purchasing habits over the last year, Gopuff is poised to anticipate and cater to the evolving needs of customers this year and beyond. 

INs

Flamin’ Hot Pairings:  What’s hot, got even hotter in 2023 – and will continue to heat up!

An impressive one in every 10 Gopuff customers added Chester’s Flamin’ Hot Fries to their bag in 2023. Common pairings with Hot Fries include Sour Patch Kid Candies, Twix Caramel Bars, Slim Jim Meat Sticks and Sprite! In 2024, customers will continue snacking on spicy favorites making unexpected flavor duos. 

Loud Budgeting: Customers are staying in their bag while adding to their bag.

Over the last year, tighter budgets drove consumers to shop online, where they could more easily compare prices and search for deals. In 2023, “sale” was a top search term on Gopuff indicating the ongoing focus on finding the best deals and discounts on everyday essentials. In 2024, these cost-conscious spending habits are expected to increase as value remains a key driving factor when making purchasing decisions. 

Spirits-Free Substitutions:  The bullish trend continues to rise as customers look to healthier alternatives to alcoholic beverages.

Over the last few years, there has been an uptick in the popularity of non-alcoholic alternatives, and 2023 was no exception as the category saw a 57% increase in sales. The beverage industry has responded to growing customer interest with a wide variety of new, alcohol-free options. 

Ice Cream Cravings: Fan favorites continue to top the list of most popular ice cream flavors of the year. 

“Ice Cream” was the number 1 search term on Gopuff in 2023. When it comes to the most popular ice cream flavors, customers are sticking to go-to favorites with flavors like cookie dough, strawberry cheesecake, and traditional cookie sandwiches topping the list. 

As Seen on TikTok: Social-driven commerce soars.

In 2023, beauty gurus took social media by storm wearing pimple patches day and night. Meanwhile, in Gopuff’s beauty category, acne patches were the number 2 top-selling item – only topped by Q-tips. We’ve seen an increased interest for trending and emerging brands - from Graza Olive Oil to Immi Ramen and freeze-dried candy – and expect social media to further influence purchasing habits on Gopuff and beyond into 2024. For customers who are #influenced by social media trends, Gopuff created a Latest and Greatest category which is regularly updated to align with evolving customer cravings. 

OUTs

Fruit-Flavored Candy Favorites: The verdict is in. Customers are opting for sour over sweet. 

Recent data trends reveal a notable shift in consumer preferences towards sour flavors over traditional, fruit-flavored chewy candies.  In 2023, there was an uptick in customer cravings for sour candies like sour Skittles, Trolli Brite Sour gummy candies and Sour Patch Kids – and a decrease in orders of classic fruit-flavored snacks. This shift indicates a growing appetite for tangy and acidic profiles as people gravitate towards a more nuanced and adventurous palate. 

Sipping on Sugar: Soda alternatives take the beverage industry by storm.

While many classics like Sprite, Diet Coke and Dr. Pepper remain fan favorites, customers have also shown an increased interest in health-conscious sodas, tonics, and kombuchas. In 2023, the unit volume for this subcategory increased by 54% compared to last year, featuring growing brands like Olipop, Poppi, and Baloo. 

Bland Bites: In the chip flavor face-off, customers want bold options. 

Customers are saying goodbye to classic tortilla chips and salted potato chips, and instead saying hello to spicy, tangy and savory flavors. In the crunch category, there was a battle amongst the top 10 chip flavors with spicy flavors like sweet chili, hot fries and chili limon coming out on top. Coming in close second were savory flavors like Garden Salsa and barbecue, all followed by tangy classics like sour cream and onion. All-in-all one thing remains true: Gopuff customers don’t do bland.

Want to hop on the latest trends too?

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