2019 was a crazy year for online grocery, according to our new report

4.5% — according to a new report we’ve just published at Fabric, that’s what the online share of grocery sales was in the U.S. in 2019. That may not sound like a very impressive number, especially when you compare it to other industries that have been wildly disrupted by the digital age. For example, according to Evercore ISI, roughly 40% of consumer electronics, 35% of toys, and 25% of clothing were bought online in 2019. 4.5% is peanuts in comparison.

What these numbers alone don’t tell you is that a storm is brewing in the grocery industry. Though online grocery is still in its nascency, the industry has undergone a dramatic shift in just two short years and in fact has already passed its tipping point. Now, online grocery is no longer a question of “if,” but “how fast?”

This was all kicked off by Amazon, who in 2017 shook the industry when it announced that it would acquire Whole Foods. Fearing an oncoming grocery apocalypse, grocers took unprecedented steps to roll out their own online offerings. This spirit of innovation rolled over into 2019, and now same-day grocery pickup and delivery are now ubiquitous in America.

Our new 27-page report on the state of online grocery in the U.S. in 2019 covers all this and more, including:

• The roll-out of curbside pickup and same-day delivery
• 2019 market leaders
• Industry growth and where we’re headed
• The biggest threat to grocery retailers (it may surprise you)

Over the next few weeks, I’ll share more insights on our proprietary research and findings here on LinkedIn. In the meantime, download the report and please let me know what you think.