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Category: Logistics

Retail News Asia is committed to providing both local and global retailers with the latest Logistics news throughout the Asian market. This on a daily base.

  • Deliveroo Riders Can Now Get Same-day Access to Earnings

    Deliveroo Riders Can Now Get Same-day Access to Earnings

    Deliveroo riders in Hong Kong can now get paid quicker as part of a new initiative being introduced by the company. The leading food delivery service has launched ‘Get Paid’, which allows riders to opt to receive their fees as early as the same day at the tap of a button, should they wish to.

    This new feature will help riders manage their finances, to access money in an emergency or simply if they need instant money. Whether it’s a student needing extra cash before their loan arrives, someone with a part-time job needing money to tie them over until their payslip arrives, or a parent needing funds to pay for an unexpected household bill, Get Paid will help ensure riders’ fees have access to their earnings when they need it most.

    Riders in Hong Kong currently receive their earnings on a bi-weekly basis, however they can now also choose to get these earnings more quickly. If they want, riders can get their earnings on the same day if requested by midday, or on the following day if requested after midday; rather than waiting. It is completely riders’ free choice whether they want to make use of this new service.

    This new feature reflects the changing world of work, with more and more people choosing flexible, on-demand ways of working to fit their lifestyle. Just as riders’ work is on-demand, many now also want to be able to access their earnings on-demand.

    This new option for riders cements Deliveroo’s commitment to offering flexible work and attractive earnings. Riders can not only login and logout where and when they want, they can now get paid when they want.

    Brian Lo, General Manager of Deliveroo Hong Kong, said, “Workforce today want flexible work that puts them in control of their hours and earnings, and Deliveroo is proud to continually innovate our offerings to deliver on these demands. ‘Get Paid’ empowers our outstanding fleet of riders, so they can enjoy more control over when and how they get paid. This is great news for riders and it’s an exciting step forward for Deliveroo in our ongoing push to offer the flexible, well-paid work riders want.”

    Since its global launch in March, 70% of Deliveroo’s riders have used Get Paid, and up to 25% of active riders on a given day are using it to access their pay. Deliveroo is also seeing riders Get Paid more than once a week, at an average of every four to five days, with Sundays being the biggest day.

    Mr. Leung, a 28 year-old Deliveroo rider in Hong Kong who is a part time rider and a full time car maintenance technician has tried the Get Paid feature, said, “Get Paid is a great option in case I need to access my pay earlier than expected. I appreciate that being a rider with Deliveroo means I get more choice and flexibility, which is essential for my busy lifestyle. I can decide when I want to work and access well-paid work on demand, and now thanks to Get Paid I can also access my earnings when I need them.”

    Get Paid emerges on the heels of other recent Deliveroo initiatives to support the needs of riders in Hong Kong and help them enjoy well-paid, secure, flexible work from Deliveroo which can be combined with other responsibilities such as studying. In 2018 Deliveroo launched a completely free, first-of-its-kind insurance package for all on-demand self-employed Deliveroo riders in Hong Kong and worldwide. This year, Deliveroo is providing over 150 riders in Hong Kong with access to 13 first aid training courses administered by the Hong Kong Red Cross, to equip them with life-saving skills which can benefit the riders and the Hong Kong community where they live and work.

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  • GreyOrange to showcase Flexible Automation solutions at the India Warehousing Show 2019

    GreyOrange to showcase Flexible Automation solutions at the India Warehousing Show 2019

    GreyOrange, a global  distribution automation software and robotics company will showcase its family of Flexible Automation solutions, including the new mobile and modular sortation system, FlexoTM and the AI-powered goods-to-person system, Butler, at the 9th edition of the India Warehousing Show 2019 from June 20-22 in New Delhi.

    The retail sector in India is expected to grow to US $1.2 trillion by 2021, up from US$795 billion in 2017. Modern supply chains must deliver the advanced productivity, efficiency and sophistication to handle omnichannel distribution models, exponential growth in the variety and volume of products shipped, and increasing volatility and unpredictability in order patterns. GreyOrange Flexible Automation solutions are specifically designed to help businesses master these complexities to optimize fulfilment performance while also controlling costs.

    Vivekanand, Country Manager- India and SAARC, GreyOrange said, “We are proud to associate with the India Warehousing Show, a leading event for the logistics and supply chain industry. We are excited to showcase our advanced solutions, technical expertise and innovation live at this event; and help customers understand the complexities of modern distribution, including those created by omnichannel pressures. With our multi-industry expertise and robust portfolio of products and services, we are leading Flexible Automation across the globe. At IWS, we invite everyone to visit our booth and witness our solutions in action and learn more about how they optimize performance and throughput.”

    Vivekanand will speak at IWS 2019 on 20th June at 12:30pm IST on “Flexible Automation: The Future of Fulfillment.” During the session, he will highlight how Flexible Automation solutions future-proof supply chains to create and extend operating advantages.

    The GreyOrange booth will showcase live demonstrations of its mobile and  modular sortation system, FlexoTM. Companies can deploy Flexo to enable inbound and outbound destination sortation  in fulfillment, distribution and logistics centers to better utilize space, reduce operating costs and flexibly adapt sortation to handle seasonal order patterns and spikes. This AI-enabled robotics system, which is capable of running 24/7, can be easily scaled making it investment-friendly and usable for a range of applications. GreyOrange also will showcase its globally deployed AI-enabled ButlerTM goods-to-person system, designed to handle high volumes, changing inventory profiles and fluctuating demand.

    Both the Butler and Flexo solutions are powered by GreyOrange’s warehouse execution software GreyMatter, which integrates multiple automation systems and drives higher efficiencies by leveraging Artificial Intelligence and Machine Learning in real-time.

    Visit GreyOrange at the India Warehousing Show 2019, stand C27, Hall 12, Pragati Maidan, from 20th to 22nd June 2019 to meet with Solutions Experts and experience a hands-on demo of GreyOrange high-performance solutions.

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  • Deliveroo Hong Kong launches loyalty program

    Deliveroo Hong Kong launches loyalty program

    Deliveroo Hong Kong believes a new loyalty program it has launched will drive retail-order growth by 75 per cent and increase order frequency by 85 per cent.

    Launched yesterday at the company’s Food Market in Sai Ying Pun, the program rewards customers who order food with an e-stamp for every HK$50 spent at Food Market. After they collect 10 stamps they can redeem a $100 coupon redeemable in store. Or they can save 20 stamps for a $150 in-store cash coupon; 30 stamps for $200. Members of the program can also enjoy birthday rewards of 10 per cent off any purchase during their birthday month.

    “Our aim is to reward customers with more opportunities to enjoy a delicious meal, support our restaurant partners via a new platform for sales, brand love and publicity; and to bolster Deliveroo’s bold expansion plans,” said Brian Lo, GM of Deliveroo Hong Kong.

    Food Market was launched last December, as the food-delivery service’s first direct-to-consumer location, letting customers walk in off the street and order their food for takeaway. Food Market also prepares food orders for delivery via the Deliveroo platform.

    Lo says the market has brought an additional 50 per cent in order volume and 26 per cent in new customer acquisition within the area during the past six months.

    It is currently home to five restaurant partners offering 15 dining concepts, including new virtual restaurant brands which are exclusively available via Deliveroo. Chinese restaurant Crystal Jade launched the delivery-only virtual brands Lao Er and Brother Kwok aimed at younger consumers. Other new brands launched through Food Market include The Pasta Project by Pizza Express, Shaka, Kai and Blazed by Pololi Group, and Leaves & Liberty and The Dogg Pound by Beef & Liberty.

    Deliveroo is now planning to expand Food Market, exploring new partnerships with student unions and looking at ways to further scale the concept’s success across the territory.

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  • Amazon introducing 30 minute drone delivery

    Amazon introducing 30 minute drone delivery

    Amazon expects to offer customers drone delivery in under 30 minutes ‘within months’.

    The e-commerce giant unveiled the latest Prime Air drone design at its re:MARS Conference in Las Vegas last week.

    Jeff Wilke, CEO of global consumer at Amazon said in a blogpost that the company has been working hard at building “fully electric drones that can fly up to 15 miles and deliver packages under five pounds to customers in less than 30 minutes”.

    “With the help of our world-class fulfillment and delivery network, we expect to scale Prime Air both quickly and efficiently, delivering packages via drone to customers within months,” Wilke said.

    The Prime Air drone features a hybrid design and can do vertical takeoffs and landings.

    Wilke said that Prime Air is one of many sustainability initiatives to help achieve Shipment Zero, the company’s vision to make all Amazon shipments net zero carbon, with 50 per cent of all shipments net zero by 2030.

    “When it comes to emissions and energy efficiency, an electric drone, charged using sustainable means, traveling to drop off a package is a vast improvement over a car on the road,” Wilke said.

  • DHL Starting drone deliveries in China

    DHL Starting drone deliveries in China

    DHL China is to start delivering goods by drones, cutting the delivery time on a route in Guangzhou from 40 minutes to just eight.

    The international express delivery-service provider has entered into a strategic partnership with autonomous aerial-vehicle firm Ehang to jointly launch a fully automated smart drone-delivery solution to tackle last-mile delivery challenges in Chinese urban areas.

    Using the most advanced Unmanned Aerial Vehicle (UAV) in Ehang’s newly-launched Falcon series, the new intelligent drone delivery solution overcomes the complex road conditions and traffic congestion common to urban areas. It reduces one-way delivery time from 40 minutes to eight minutes and can save costs of up to 80 per cent per delivery, with reduced energy consumption and carbon footprint compared with road transportation.

    “We are delighted to be partnering with Ehang to set a new innovation milestone with this new fully-automated and intelligent drone logistics solution,” said DHL Express China CEO Wu Dongming, “which combines the strength of the world’s largest international express company together with one of the leading UAV companies in the world. This is an exciting time for the logistics sector, with continued growth of the Chinese economy and cross-border trade, particularly in South China and the Greater Bay Area, which is home to an increasing number of SMEs and startups. This means there is a tremendous volume of logistics needs, which in turn creates new opportunities for implementing innovative solutions that can continuously drive growth with greater efficiency, sustainability and lower cost.”

    The new customised route, which has been exclusively created for a DHL customer, covers a distance of approximately 8km between the customer premises and the DHL service center in Liaobu, Dongguan, Guangdong Province.

    “Together with DHL we are very glad to bring the first smart drone delivery service route to China in Guangzhou; this marks a new beginning in building air logistics for smart cities,” said founder & CEO of Ehang Hu Huazhi. “Riding on today’s launch, we expect smart drone delivery as an innovative logistics solution to be expanded and realised in more areas, and we look forward to working with DHL in building the eco-system for a multi-dimensional urban air transport system.”

    The EHang Falcon smart drone, with eight propellers on four arms, is designed with multiple redundant systems for full backup, and smart and secure flight control modules. Its high performance features include vertical take-off and landing, high accuracy GPS and visual identification, smart flight path planning, fully-automated flight and real-time network connection and scheduling. As a fully-automated and intelligent solution, the drones, which can carry up to 5 kg of cargo per flight, take off and land atop intelligent cabinets that were specifically developed for the fully autonomous loading and offloading of the shipment. The intelligent cabinets seamlessly connect with automated processes including sorting, scanning and storage of express mail, and will feature high-tech functions such as facial recognition and ID scanning.

    This smart drone delivery solution will enhance DHL’s delivery capabilities and create a new customer experience in the logistics sector that opens up even more opportunities for sustainable growth and greater economic contribution. Given the growing prominence of B2C business operations and delivery in China, employing drones in express delivery services offers an innovative solution for meeting the increasing demands for time-sensitive delivery, particularly for last mile delivery in urban areas.

    Building on the launch of its first fully automated, intelligent drone delivery solution in China, DHL will continue to identify new routes that can be developed for clients in need of tailored customer services and logistics solutions and will work closely with EHang to create a second generation of drones in the near future that will further improve capacity and range in drone-operated express delivery.

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  • Online retail grew 24 percent in 2018 for AusPost

    Online retail grew 24 percent in 2018 for AusPost

    Australians spent $27.5 billion online in 2018, 24 per cent more than they spent in 2017, according to Australia Post’s annual Inside Australian Online Shopping Report.

    Australia Post general manager for parcels and express services Ben Franzi said the report showed that 7.6 million Australian households (or 73 per cent of all households) shopped online last year.

    “Australians are getting online more and more, and changing the face of shopping,” Franzi said.

    “With it, they are also expecting faster service and delivery – with next day deliveries growing by 31.7 per cent, [and] more than 62 per cent of these fashion related purchases.”

    Smartphones are fast becoming the device of choice for online purchasing according to the report, which grew 28 per cent over the course of 2018, and sits alongside desktop and laptop browsing – with mobile making up 26 per cent of all shopping, while laptop (32.8 per cent) and desktop (27.3 per cent) fell.

    Additionally, the data gathered by AusPost found that peak shopping time occurs between 7pm and 9.59pm – when customers have finished work, arrived home and finally have a chance to relax and browse their favourite online marketplace.

    And, the research shows, marketplaces continue to dominate the online space – with the number of purchases through marketplaces growing 31.2 per cent year over year.

    “Australians appreciate the convenience that comes with being able to access goods from a variety of sellers in one place – it is quite literally a market, replicated online and providing an abundance of choice for consumers,” Franzi said.

    Unsurprisingly, the end of year period was the busiest time for e-commerce, with the five weeks between November 11 and December 15 accounting for almost 15 per cent of all online purchases.

    “The peak for this period was the Black Friday [and] Cyber Monday sales, which accounted for the biggest online shopping week in Australia’s history, recording growth of 28 per cent year on year,” Franzi said.

    According to a report by Fairfax, Australia Post will spend almost $1 billion in the coming three years to keep up with the growing demand for e-commerce in Australia.

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  • Logistics heading to personalisation in digital era

    Logistics heading to personalisation in digital era

    The biggest trend in logistics right now is arguably not artificial intelligence, blockchain or even visibility, it’s hyper-personalization – which is ushering in a new era of delivery once only accessible to big global companies and corporates.

    For Asia’s legions of entrepreneurs and small businesses – more than 70 percent of whom are now exporting beyond Asia Pacific – personalization offers new opportunities to compete and create competitive advantage.

    Already, the transport and logistics industry is at a threshold moment in terms of the use of personalization – the ability to dynamically and uniquely tailor the shipping experience to any customer or individual.

    Yet while many micro-businesses believe in the power of personalisation for their brand – allowing consumers to choose the color of a dress, say, or add a monogram to a handbag – far fewer know that tapping new customization and personalization strategies in logistics is easier than ever.

    So just how can Asia’s small businesses deliver greater personalization in the shipping experience? And use logistics to gain ground against often older, larger or more established brands?

    Logistics made just for you

    FedEx, for example, has always operated beyond the norms of what’s expected for a shipping company. We know that our company is more than just packages shipped – it’s what we deliver that matters, such as dreams when a start-up sends out its first packages; joy at Chinese New Year; even hope when shipping relief supplies.

    What’s more, while the most important aspect of the growing US$4.5 trillion e-commerce economy is shipping, we recognize that to many, it’s largely invisible.

    So what’s changing and what’s important when it comes to customization and personalization, in a world where 11 percent of global GDP is already directly attributable to digital technologies?

    The first step is to change our mental model that logistics is something that happens after services and products are sold.

    Just as WeChathas evolved into a billion-dollar ecosystem of apps, products and services creating hyper-personalized experiences from start to finish – be it in food, clothing, paying utility bills or even shipping a package using the likes of FedEx, so too is the delivery experience starting sooner.

    For instance, we now help SME e-tailers at the frontend to close more business on their website, or on the backend in after-sales service, matching shipping strategies with customer needs.

    Innovation itself is also more mobile – it’s estimated that around 90 percent of logistics today happens behind the mobile phone – meaning that we must deliver differently.

    Our ‘new normal’ of personalized logistics is all about connecting customers with greater convenience – same-day deliveries, more ‘last mile” choices including self-collection locations; even new, advanced tracking that can nickname shipments and create personal ‘watch lists’.

    Visibility is yet another way to personalize the shipping experience – since knowing the status of packages and having control over them is at the top of any customer’s wish list. Take FedEx Delivery Manager for instance, which can request delivery notifications, sign for deliveries in advance, have shipments delivered to a secure location, suspend deliveries and more.

    Here, hyper-personalization is about driving greater flexibility – with the ability to customize and select day and delivery options – usually at no extra cost to an SME or its customers.

    More than ever, consumers want more from their supply chain and logistics – the ability to return goods to a physical location; the ability to get a text message saying goods are about to be delivered; track product requirements online; vary the delivery window and location, even the ability to “click and collect” – collecting goods from a secure location like a locker box or a 7-Eleven store.

    We’ve also seen growth in customisation and postponement which is giving SMEs more options to manage inventories more efficiently. By delaying product packaging and assembly for as long as possible, exact customer specifications can be met whenever products are needed.

    But that’s just the start. Our industry is at a tipping point, barely scratching the surface of what’s possible as customers expect more, and demand more.

    The personalisation of everything

    The future of logistics is set to be ‘personalised everything’.

    Already, shipping is moving further away from a generic or one-size-fits all approach to a highly personalised pattern of world commerce – with the ability to customise, flex and individualise delivery in ways that are just only beginning to become clear.

    Just as brands that create a personalised experience are growing two to three times faster than their peers – and seeing revenue increases of up to 10 per cent[4] – so too will small businesses be able to create one-of-a-kind supply chains that help them grow, compete and connect globally.

    As Alan Kay once said: “The best way to predict the future is to invent it” – so we are working on a number of technology innovations that will further change the way we do business and the way we serve our customers. But what can we expect to see?

    Among a multitude of on-demand style innovation, the day is coming where the ultimate personalised logistics accessory of the future will be the ability to book a shipment by talking to your digital personal assistant.

    Picture a small business customer initiating the process, answering questions from the digital assistant, hands-free and paper-free, to complete a booking with a courier – or robots, zipping to your home or SME office to pick up the package.

    So why should Asia’s entrepreneurs and SMEs care?

    Such hyper personalisation innovation – existing or futuristic – is impressive. We are at an unprecedented moment in history in terms of connectivity, where more and more consumers are becoming hyper-connected across multiple devices – ranging from mobiles to smart phones to wearables and even home appliances.

    This personalisation of connectivity – where we’ve moved from walking among 100,000 products in a store to accessing more than 10 million products on a phone – is giving today’s small businesses the opportunity to compete on customer experience on a scale never seen before.

    This year is shaping up to be a banner year for small businesses – four in five of whom are already using e-commerce, and 64 per cent of which expect to see an increase in e-commerce revenue in the next year.

    As we move closer to 2020 – a year when customer experience is expected to overtake price and product as the number the key brand differentiator – the opportunity for Asia’s SMEs is now.

    The ability to compete on customer experience using hyper personalisation is open to businesses of all sizes. And it may just be small businesses that win the future battle for personalisation.

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  • Tigers delivers global B2B and B2C supply chain solutions for Rapha

    Tigers delivers global B2B and B2C supply chain solutions for Rapha

    Tigers is expanding its partnership with Rapha on both B2B and B2C delivery solutions as global e-commerce demand continues to grow for the cycling sportswear brand. Tigers UK is providing fulfillment services for Rapha, including distribution within the UK, the European Union, and Korea from its new Thurrock-based facility near London Gateway.

    Other markets in Asia will be served from Tigers’ Hong Kong warehouse, where the enterprise and e-commerce specialist is headquartered.

    Rapha was established in 2004 in London, UK, to address a need for stylish, high-performance cycling clothing, and continues to push the boundaries of innovation in cycle wear.

    “As e-commerce continues to grow globally, we are happy to welcome exciting brands such as Rapha to our portfolio, and to help them provide the highest-quality service to their customers around the world,” said Shahar Ayash, Managing Director – UK and Europe, Tigers.

    “Rapha not only produces sportswear clothing, they are also passionate cycling advocates with the aim to make road cycling the most popular sport in the world – and we are happy to support them in their mission.”

    Rapha is using Tigers’ Cloud-based SmartHub:Connect (SH:C) platform, which was launched last year and provides customers with end-to-end visibility of the global supply chain.

    “Customer experience is a core part of the logistics function today, and technology is a major lever in supporting this,” said Alex Bezer, Director of Technology, Rapha.

    “It was important to us that we found a partner who delivered on this promise, which Tigers put at the core of their proposition, with the guarantee of full visibility through the global supply chain and logistics cycle using SH:C.”

    SH:C is a single freight, e-commerce, and logistics platform with a built-in virtual warehouse solution.

    “Digital technology is the future of the logistics and supply chain industry, and Rapha is demonstrating how SH:C simplifies e-commerce, fulfillment, and distribution for organizations, especially for those with a global marketplace,” said Ayash.

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  • Kerry Logistics Extends into Coffee Trading and Distribution

    Kerry Logistics Extends into Coffee Trading and Distribution

    Kerry Logistics Network Limited (‘Kerry Logistics’; Stock Code 0636.HK) announced the establishment of Kerry Coffee (Hong Kong) Limited (‘Kerry Coffee’) to extend its business into the trading of coffee and related products, as well as to further deepen its partnership with Italian coffee group illycaffè.

    Kerry Coffee will be the sole distributor of illycaffè’s complete product range in Hong Kong and Macau, including the iperEspresso coffee machines, capsules, coffee beans, and other coffee-making equipment and accessories.

    Kerry Logistics has been enjoying a partnership with illycaffè since 2017, providing total integrated logistics solutions for illycaffè and acting as the sole distributor of iperEspresso coffee machines and capsules in Hong Kong.

    The launch of Kerry Coffee will consolidate illycaffè’s entire product selection under one operator in Hong Kong to facilitate brand building and market penetration.

    It will also mark the expansion of Kerry Logistics’ food services business to capitalise on the growing coffee culture in the territory.

    Robert Berger, Executive Director – Fashion & Lifestyle of Kerry Logistics (Hong Kong), said, “We are thrilled to take our collaboration with illycaffè a step further.

    “The establishment of Kerry Coffee and the consolidation of illycaffè’s full product range under the new company will enhance the cost-efficiency of the sales and distribution operation, and enable illycaffè to increase its market share and brand recognition in Hong Kong and Macau.

    “The development also enriches Kerry Logistics’ food services business and allows greater product diversification to serve HORECA and club customers in Hong Kong and Macau.”

    Embodying the distinctive coffee culture in Italy, illycaffè is one of the world’s most global coffee brands.

    Kerry Coffee will provide total logistics solutions, sales, and marketing to ride on the flourishing coffee culture in Hong Kong and Macau, solidify the market position of the illy brand and establish Kerry Coffee as a major player in the coffee market.

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  • Kerry Logistics Appoints Martin Stoekenbroek as MD for EMEA

    Kerry Logistics Appoints Martin Stoekenbroek as MD for EMEA

    Kerry Logistics Network Limited has appointed Martin Stoekenbroek as its new Managing Director – Europe, Middle East, and Africa (EMEA) with effect immediately.

    Based in Amsterdam, The Netherlands, Stoekenbroek will lead Kerry Logistics’ international freight forwarding business in the EMEA region and be in charge of its strategic development, focusing particularly on strengthening Kerry Logistics’ foothold and business portfolio.

    With over 30 years of extensive experience in the industry specializing in EMEA and global roles, Stoekenbroek brings a wealth of supply chain knowledge, insights, and expertise to Kerry Logistics.

    He was the Senior Vice President Global Air Freight of Geodis prior to this appointment and has previously worked for top industry players including Wilson Logistics and TNT Freight Management.

    Mathieu Biron, Managing Director – Global Freight Forwarding of Kerry Logistics, said: “We warmly welcome Martin to our team.

    “Having built his career in logistics within the EMEA region for decades, Martin possesses an in-depth knowledge of our business in the region and a thorough understanding of the changing conditions of our industry.

    “He will be a vital part of our ongoing global expansion, providing visionary guidance as we realize our long-term strategy.”

    Commenting on his new appointment, Stoekenbroek said: “Kerry Logistics has been going from strength to strength through its worldwide expansion.

    “I am honoured to have the opportunity to apply my knowledge and experience to lead a strong team and help to propel the Group’s further development in the EMEA region.

    “At a time when the global supply chain is in flux, I look forward to contributing to Kerry Logistics’ progress and overcoming challenges to reinforce its position as a leading logistics partner connecting EMEA to the rest of the world.”

  • Meituan launches global delivery platform

    Meituan launches global delivery platform

    Chinese e-commerce platform Meituan has officially launched its “Meituan Delivery” global-delivery platform in order to extend service to more industries and more customers.

    Meituan Delivery will open its technology platform, delivery network and value chains to ecosystem partners, enabling them to improve operating efficiency, reduce logistics cost and drive the growth of the real economy.

    “Meituan will open its delivery network to more customers and extend the network to various industries,” said Meituan senior VP and president of the company’s at-home business group Wang Puzhong. “The extension and opening of Meituan’s delivery network will help establish a more flexible delivery platform by customizing services for different industries, upgrading our delivery dispatch system, and improving delivery infrastructure.”

    Meituan’s global on-demand delivery platform is serving more than 3.6 million merchants and 400 million consumers nationwide, covering more than 2800 cities and counties with nearly 10,000 delivery stations and warehouses and more than 600,000 daily active riders. Meituan’s daily food delivery orders exceeded 25 million on April 20.

    “With the opening of our delivery platform, Meituan will leverage our delivery resources to better fulfill diversified needs of users and merchants, while integrating delivery resources to improve the overall urban logistics efficiency,” said Meituan Delivery GM Wei Wei.

    Meituan started to build its own delivery network in 2015 and launched its Premium Delivery service to meet the surging needs for efficient on-demand food delivery. In 2016, Speedy Delivery service was introduced to diversify its delivery services. Meituan launched its first autonomous delivery vehicle “Xiaodai” in 2018.

    Meituan’s delivery platform relies on its “Super Brain” – the real-time intelligent dispatch system that enables Meituan to complete a delivery within 30 minutes on average. The dispatch system can perform about 2.9 billion route planning algorithm operations per hour during daily peak times, and calculate optimized delivery routes in an average of 0.55 milliseconds, according to Sun Zhizhao, CTO of Meituan Delivery.

    In addition, Meituan has developed four delivery models – point-to-point shuttle delivery, galaxy network delivery, integrated warehouse inventory delivery, and smart terminal delivery – to serve convenience stores, super markets, retail stores, and office buildings, which can meet the different needs of merchants, improve delivery efficiency and reduce logistics costs.

  • Kerry Logistics Expands Food Cold Chain Business in China

    Kerry Logistics Expands Food Cold Chain Business in China

    Kerry Logistics Network Limited (‘Kerry Logistics’; Stock Code 0636.HK) has expanded its food-related cold chain capability in mainland China through the establishment of Kerry Cold Chain Solution Ltd (‘Kerry Cold Chain’), to tap into the fast-growing domestic market of niche food products.

    Kerry Cold Chain is a joint venture company formed with Shanghai Zhizhen Logistics Co Ltd (‘Zhizhen Logistics’) in which Kerry Logistics holds the majority interest. It provides comprehensive integrated cold chain logistics solutions from upstream to downstream. 

    Using self-owned cold chain facilities and partnering with local expertise, Kerry Cold Chain will handle a wide range of food products, from raw ingredients to dairy product additives.

    Edwardo Erni, Managing Director – China and North Asia of Kerry Logistics, said, “The market for food-related cold chain logistics in mainland China is immense with enormous growth potential. There is also ample room for technological growth to reach international standards.

    “Intending to fill a gap in the market, we welcome the collaboration with Zhizhen Logistics, which marks an important strategic step for Kerry Logistics to extend its footprint in the domestic cold chain logistics market, enhancing our service offerings and competitiveness.”

    Kerry Cold Chain currently operates more than 1 million sq ft of ambient and cold chain facilities in China, including a temperature-controlled facility of over 50,000 sq ft in Shanghai featuring automated storage and retrieval systems.

    Founded in 2008, Zhizhen Logistics serves the logistics needs of both domestic and international customers from locations across China including Beijing, Tianjin, Wuhan, Guangzhou, and Shenzhen. It commands a 90% market share for imported food essences in the Shanghai region.

    With a wealth of experience in cold chain logistics, Kerry Logistics offers seamless F&B solutions with complete cold chain integrity to food chain stores and restaurants in Hong Kong as well as hypermarkets and frozen food retailers in Taiwan.

    The Group also runs cold chain facilities of 70,000 sq ft in Oceania, serving supermarket chains, convenience stores, independent retailers, and food importers.

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  • DHL eCommerce Solutions names Samuel Conroy as MD in Vietnam

    DHL eCommerce Solutions names Samuel Conroy as MD in Vietnam

    DHL eCommerce Solutions, a division of Deutsche Post DHL Group, has named Samuel Conroy as managing director for Vietnam. Prior to joining DHL, Conroy held senior general management roles in various Southeast Asian countries and was most recently the CEO of the Middle East Cluster for Damco Logistics.

    “Samuel brings with him a wealth of knowledge in the logistics business as well as general management experience gained from working across different markets in both country and regional capacities,” said Kiattichai Pitpreecha, CEO, DHL eCommerce Solutions Southeast Asia. “His enthusiasm and strategic hands-on leadership approach will be crucial to exceeding customer expectations and delivering profitable growth.”

    Conroy’s extensive general management experience has been supplemented with previous project management and functional implementation successes across a broad logistics environment. He previously also served as the director of the Australian Chamber of Commerce in Vietnam.

    “Vietnam currently has one of the fastest growing e-commerce markets in the world,” said Conroy. “With more than half of Vietnam’s population already using the internet and more than 50 million smartphone subscribers, we must fully utilize our e-commerce capabilities across the DHL divisions to help our customers create a strong base of operations and overcome infrastructure challenges to capitalize on that speed of growth.”

  • Kerry Logistics Appoints Martin Stoekenbroek as MD for EMEA

    Kerry Logistics Appoints Martin Stoekenbroek as MD for EMEA

    Kerry Logistics Network Limited (‘Kerry Logistics’; Stock Code 0636.HK) has appointed Martin Stoekenbroek as its new Managing Director – Europe, Middle East, and Africa (EMEA) with effect immediately.

    Based in Amsterdam, The Netherlands, Stoekenbroek will lead Kerry Logistics’ international freight forwarding business in the EMEA region and be in charge of its strategic development, focusing particularly on strengthening Kerry Logistics’ foothold and business portfolio.

    With over 30 years of extensive experience in the industry specialising in EMEA and global roles, Stoekenbroek brings a wealth of supply chain knowledge, insights, and expertise to Kerry Logistics.

    He was the Senior Vice President Global Air Freight of Geodis prior to this appointment, and has previously worked for top industry players including Wilson Logistics and TNT Freight Management.

    Mathieu Biron, Managing Director – Global Freight Forwarding of Kerry Logistics, said: “We warmly welcome Martin to our team.

    “Having built his career in logistics within the EMEA region for decades, Martin possesses an in-depth knowledge of our business in the region and a thorough understanding of the changing conditions of our industry.

    “He will be a vital part of our ongoing global expansion, providing visionary guidance as we realise our long-term strategy.”

    Commenting on his new appointment, Stoekenbroek said: “Kerry Logistics has been going from strength to strength through its worldwide expansion.

    “I am honoured to have the opportunity to apply my knowledge and experience to lead a strong team and help to propel the Group’s further development in the EMEA region.

    “At a time when the global supply chain is in flux, I look forward to contributing to Kerry Logistics’ progress and overcoming challenges to reinforce its position as a leading logistics partner connecting EMEA to the rest of the world.”

  • Google delivery drones cleared for Australian Airspace

    Google delivery drones cleared for Australian Airspace

    A sister company of Google has been given the green light to launch drone delivery in Australia after years of test flights.

    The drone company Wing, owned by Google’s parent company Alphabet, was given permission this week to deliver takeaway food and drinks and over-the-counter medicines by drone to about 100 homes in Canberra.

    Wing, which has been trialing deliveries for the last 18 months, began testing its drones in Australia in 2014, but faced initial opposition from residents who complained about the noise.

    Although the drones were below legal noise limits, Wing developed a new, quieter model and said the feedback obtained during its trials had been “valuable” and it hoped to “continue the dialogue”.

    “We will continue to engage with the local community and stakeholders as we expand our service and are hosting community information stalls and delivery demonstrations in the serviceable areas over the next few weeks,” the company said in a statement.

    According to Wing, the delivery service will initially be available to a limited set of eligible homes in the suburbs of Crace, Palmerston and Franklin.

    “We expect to gradually expand to more customers in Harrison and Gungahlin in the coming weeks and months.”

    Australia’s Civil Aviation Safety Authority gave Wing permission to launch a commercial service after examining its safety record and operational plans.

    The drones will only be allowed to fly 11-12 hours a day and must be piloted, rather than fully automated.

    Wing’s initial launch partners include Kickstart Espresso, Capital Chemist, Pure Gelato, Jasper + Myrtle, Bakers Delight, Guzman Y Gomez and Drummond Golf.

    “We’re excited to connect with more local businesses in the Gungahlin area about how we can help them reach more customers faster, safer and more sustainably and encourage any local merchants who are interested in learning more to get in touch with us.”

    Wing had said that drone deliveries reduce traffic and pollution and can deliver goods in six to 10 minutes.