DoorDash Teams With Forage to Expand SNAP/EBT Acceptance

DoorDash has teamed with Forage to expand SNAP/EBT acceptance on its delivery platform.

DoorDash began supporting Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) Electronic Benefits Transfer (EBT) payments in 2023, with more than 1.1 million customers having added their SNAP/EBT cards to DoorDash.

With the help of payments processor Forage, the company can now accelerate the USDA authorization process for merchants on DoorDash, lowering the time it takes for them to start accepting SNAP/EBT on the app, the companies said Tuesday (June 25).

The partnership will allow consumers to order SNAP-eligible groceries from more merchants while using their SNAP benefits on DoorDash, the companies said in a news release provided to PYMNTS.

“We’re thrilled to partner with DoorDash and expand on-demand grocery delivery for SNAP shoppers,” said Ofek Lavian, co-founder and CEO of Forage. “This collaboration is at the heart of our mission, and we’re extremely proud to play a role in removing as many barriers as possible when it comes to increasing access to food for low-income Americans.”

The companies say their collaboration is designed to widen food access for more than 14 million Americans living in “food deserts,” and the 40 million-plus people who live in communities where upwards of 10% of households receive SNAP/EBT benefits.

“Our partnership with Forage supports our commitment to increase access to food for vulnerable communities,” said Fuad Hannon, VP of New Verticals at DoorDash.

“Growing the acceptance of SNAP/EBT payments can help families meet childcare and work obligations, relieve seniors of the potential stress of going to the grocery store, and support people with disabilities who face mobility issues. We’re thrilled to further broaden access to food with on-demand delivery via DoorDash.”

The partnership follows a similar collaboration between Uber Eats and Forage announced in April. As noted here at that time, PYMNTS Intelligence has found that shoppers who struggle financially are the ones most likely to purchase their groceries exclusively online.

Although 7.2% of all consumers shop for groceries exclusively online, that figure climbs to 10.4% for people who live paycheck to paycheck and have  issues paying their bills, according to “Changes in Grocery Shopping Habits and Perceptions.”

There is an audience for digital food delivery services among SNAP/EBT recipients, Forage’s Lavian said in a 2022 interview with PYMNTS CEO Karen Webster. Many of these recipients live in communities where healthy foods aren’t available at nearby stores, and they are disproportionately likely to have disabilities, making delivery options all the more crucial.