Ambev's Zé Delivery out-delivered the delivery apps with its own beer channel

In August 2016 Ambev launched Zé Delivery, its own beer delivery service: order by site or app, enter a CEP, and beer arrives in up to an hour—until late at night, paid by card or cash, with meat, ice and charcoal also offered in some regions. Rather than paying third-party apps a commission, the brewer built the channel on its own distribution network, with nearby points of sale acting as micro-warehouses.

The model scaled fast. In the first half of 2021 Zé logged 29 million deliveries, making it Brazil's second-largest delivery program and the world's biggest beverage delivery, with a record 55,000 orders in a single hour during a World Cup match. From 35 cities in 2019 it reached 720 cities by 2024, covering every Brazilian municipality with over 30,000 inhabitants.

In 2025 Zé Delivery closed the year with 10 million active buyers, 67 million orders and R$4.7 billion in GMV, up 13%, and is present in more than 850 Brazilian cities. Ambev calls it its direct sales channel to the consumer—and a key strategy for staying relevant with younger drinkers.