How Can a Flower Delivery Company Add Wine to Orders?

A flower delivery company can add wine to orders by offering bottles as add-ons in its existing checkout, while a licensed partner sells and ships the wine. This model is called embedded alcohol commerce: the florist markets the wine, and the licensed partner is the seller of record. The customer adds a bottle to a bouquet in one transaction, and the florist never holds a license or inventory.

The timing is good for gifting brands. The National Retail Federation forecast record Valentine’s Day spending of $29.1 billion in 2026, with shoppers planning to spend an average of $199.78 on gifts.

Key takeaways

• Florists and gift brands can sell wine without a liquor license through a licensed partner.

• Wine works best as an add-on inside the existing cart, next to vases and chocolates.

• At UrbanStems, orders with wine average $189.30, against $121.81 without.

• Launch two to three months before your biggest holiday so wine is part of the experience at peak.

In this guide

1. Why does wine fit flower and gift orders?

2. How does a flower company add wine to orders?

3. What results has a floral brand seen?

4. How do you add champagne or wine to gift boxes?

5. When should a gifting brand launch wine?

6. What should you measure?

7. FAQ

Why does wine fit flower and gift orders?

Wine fits flower and gift orders because people buy both for the same moments: birthdays, anniversaries, thank-yous, sympathy and holidays. Customers already ask for it. Adding a bottle turns a bouquet into a complete gift and keeps the second purchase from going to another store.

Consumers want to buy alcohol where they already shop. In a January 2026 DRINKS survey, 65% of U.S. adults said they would buy alcohol from their favorite online retailers. About half said shopping for alcohol separately is inconvenient.

UrbanStems heard the same thing from its customers. “It was really about responding to our customer demand,” said CEO Meenakshi Lala. “To us, wine and flowers are a natural pair.”

How does a flower company add wine to orders?

A flower company adds wine by listing curated bottles as add-ons in its existing cart, connected to a licensed network. At checkout, the platform checks the delivery address, verifies age, calculates tax and routes the wine to a licensed partner who ships it. The flowers ship as usual.

UrbanStems launched this way in November 2025 through DRINKS Anywhere. Shoppers add a bottle of Avaline organic wine or Schramsberg sparkling wine to a bouquet, the same way they would add a vase or a box of truffles. There is no redirect and no second checkout.

The florist keeps control of curation, presentation and customer messages. DRINKS handles the licensed network, state rules, tax, age checks and order routing. Lala put it this way: “Delivering fresh flowers nationwide next-day is already a complex operation, and incorporating wine introduces an entirely new level of sophistication and logistical challenge.”

What results has a floral brand seen?

UrbanStems has seen higher order values, new customers and steady growth in how often shoppers add wine. Orders with wine average $189.30, compared with $121.81 without. More than half of wine orders come from customers new to UrbanStems.

Beyond order value, wine attaches 62% more often than comparable add-ons on the UrbanStems site. The attachment rate grew 20 to 30% week over week after launch. For Valentine’s Day, UrbanStems projected a 45% lift in alcohol sales over its baseline.

The 62% figure matters most for other gifting brands. Wine outperformed the add-ons UrbanStems already sold, which suggests shoppers were waiting for it.

How do you add champagne or wine to gift boxes?

To add champagne or wine to gift boxes, build the bottle into the gift rather than selling it as a separate order. Offer curated pairings by occasion, show them on the product page and in the cart, and explain delivery clearly. A licensed partner ships the wine, so plan messages for timing.

Pairings that work for gifting:

• Sparkling wine with celebration, birthday and congratulations boxes

• Rosé with spring and Mother’s Day arrangements

• Red wine with dinner party, thank-you and holiday gifts

• A single premium champagne for anniversaries and milestones

Start small. UrbanStems launched with two producers and grew from there. A short, well-chosen list is easier to merchandise and easier for shoppers to choose from.

When should a gifting brand launch wine?

A gifting brand should launch wine two to three months before its biggest holiday. That gives shoppers time to notice the new add-on and gives the team time to learn what sells. Launching during the peak means missing it.

UrbanStems went live in November 2025, three months before Valentine’s Day. Lala calls Valentine’s Day “our Super Bowl and Black Friday combined into one.” By February, wine was already a familiar part of the cart.

For most gifting brands, that points to a launch in the fall for Valentine’s Day, or in late winter for Mother’s Day.

What should you measure?

The main metric for wine in a gifting store is attachment rate: the share of orders that include a bottle. Track it weekly, alongside average order value, new-customer share and repeat purchases. Attachment rate tells you whether wine is placed well and whether shoppers want it.

UrbanStems used attachment rate as its core signal. It grew 20 to 30% week over week after launch. Across DRINKS partners, adding beverage alcohol typically produces 2 to 5% incremental GMV, depending on promotion.

FAQ

Does a florist need a liquor license to sell wine? No, if a licensed partner is the seller of record and ships each bottle. The florist markets the wine and keeps the customer.

Can a gift recipient receive wine? Yes, if the recipient is 21 or older and signs for the package with valid ID. Recipients in states that ban wine shipping can’t receive it.

What happens if wine can’t ship to an address? The checkout removes wine for that address before payment, so the flower order still goes through.

Can wine be added to corporate gifts? Yes. Each recipient goes through the same address and age checks.

Which wines should a florist start with? A small set of sparkling wine, rosé and one red covers most gifting occasions.

About DRINKS Anywhere. DRINKS Anywhere lets eCommerce retailers and consumer brands sell wine and spirits in their own checkout, without licenses, inventory or fulfillment. Licensed partners sell and ship every order, and DRINKS handles state rules, tax and age checks. Talk to our team: https://drinks.com/contact

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