Minibar Delivery alcohol marketplace picks up $5 million in funding

Minibar Delivery , a marketplace for wine, beer and spirits, has today announced the close of a $5 million funding round led by Corigin Ventures, with participation from Female Founders Fund, Winklevoss Capital, LaunchCapital and RiverPark Ventures.

Minibar Delivery launched back in 2013, trying to give liquor stores an ecommerce outlet and users the ability to buy booze with the click of a button. The company has since expanded to 37 markets across the country and has started to test shipping for new markets.

Shipping essentially allows Minibar users outside those 37 markets to place an order on the platform and receive their order via the mail.

Liquor stores have back-end control over their inventory and prices, and users have the option to shop by liquor type, brand, or even stores in their area. Liquor stores, in turn, handle order placement, picking, packing and delivery.

Minibar Delivery cofounder Lindsey Andrews says that a big portion of minibar deliveries are wines, and the company is working with vineyards nationwide to offer shipping for their wines and broader access to wine for users.

“We’ve been growing quickly, but the majority of the population hasn’t heard of Minibar,” said Andrews. “Part of the challenge is getting the word out there and letting consumers know that wine, spirits and beer are moving into ecommerce.”

Competition in the space hasn’t slowed down a bit, with bigger players like Postmates and Amazon moving more aggressively into alcohol delivery.

But Minibar, armed with a fresh $5 million, is ready to take other players to the mat.