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Category: Startups

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

  • Deliveroo Singapore launches on-demand grocery delivery service, increasing convenience for Singaporeans through access to thousands of grocery products

    Deliveroo Singapore launches on-demand grocery delivery service, increasing convenience for Singaporeans through access to thousands of grocery products

    Deliveroo Singapore today announced the launch of its first ever on-demand grocery delivery service, aimed at providing customers with greater access to a plethora of grocery products, especially important amidst the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic. Following an earlier soft launch on the platform with The Providore and Shell Select, Deliveroo will partner with British retailer Marks & Spencer to offer over 800 grocery products, underscoring the brand’s commitment to delivering amazing food to customers whenever and wherever they want it. This will be followed by further partnerships with specialty store favourites serving different areas of Singapore, including Blu Kouzina Mart, Ryan’s Grocer, Kuriya Japanese Market and Asia Pacific Breweries, all set to launch on the platform in mid-October.

    The new on-demand grocery delivery service will provide consumers with easier access to household essentials such as fruit and vegetables, meat and seafood, eggs, milk and dairy, snacks and sweets, alcoholic and non-alcoholic beverages, as well as store cupboard essentials. With a fleet of over 7,000 riders in Singapore, Deliveroo is committed to delivering essential grocery items to people within as little as 30 minutes, ensuring that great food is never far away.

    “As Singaporeans continue to work from home, Deliveroo’s new on-demand grocery delivery service will make convenience even more convenient for busy Singaporeans, giving people access to the food they want and need within a few clicks. Whether it’s household items from some of Singapore’s most loved grocery brands, or dine-in dishes from local restaurant favourites, Deliveroo continues to raise a smile amongst our customers who now more than ever look for amazing food to be delivered directly to their doors,” said Sarah Tan, General Manager, Deliveroo Singapore.

    Providing Deliveroo customers more food options through Marks & Spencer partnership 

    From today, customers will be able to order an assortment of grocery products on-demand via the Deliveroo platform, including top selling wines, biscuits, baked goods, fruits and vegetables, ready meals and cupboard essentials. Customers will be able to order a plethora of grocery items from Marks & Spencer stores in the Central Business District, Orchard and Eastern areas.

    To help families and communities during these uncertain times, Marks & Spencer food items will be priced at the same price as those in store, giving customers easy access to everyday essentials. Delivery fees will be fixed at S$5.49, with Deliveroo Plus subscribers continuing to enjoy free delivery.

    In celebration of the launch, the first 3,000 customers to shop on Marks & Spencer on the Deliveroo platform will be able to enjoy $5 off when they spend $40 on each of their first two orders with a unique promo code.

    Deliveroo partners with speciality stores to increase on-demand grocery availability across the island

    To make groceries even more accessible to consumers, in addition to Marks & Spencer, Deliveroo is also partnering with a selection of Singapore’s most popular specialty grocery stores. The new line-up will provide on-demand essential grocery delivery coverage across the island, including to the Little Red Dots heartland areas.

    Deliveroo has exclusively onboarded speciality grocer Blu Kouzina Mart, a new venture from the creators of Greek restaurant Blu Kouzina, enabling customers to order Mediterranean favourites such as breads, dips and fresh produce. Customers with a sweet tooth have previously been able to order sweet bakes from deli specialist The Providore, and now fans of the beloved brand also have access to premium grocery items such as La Maison de la Truffe Truffle Brie and Fior di Cotto cheeses, Pat and Stick’s vegan ice cream sandwiches, and a wide variety of premium wines. Blu Kouzina Mart and The Providore are both available on-demand on the Deliveroo platform ow.

    Boutique grocer and butcher Ryan’s Grocery will exclusively join the platform with two stores, while premium fish, seafood and sushi supplier Kuriya Japanese Market, under leading regional food service company RE&S, will join the platform with 11 stores. Deliveroo customers can also look forward to ordering alcoholic beverages to their doorsteps on-demand from Asia Pacific Breweries, Singapore’s only brewery producing world-acclaimed beers such as Tiger, Heineken, Guinness, and more. Ryan’s Grocery will launch their grocery offering on the Deliveroo platform by mid-October, while Kuriya Japanese Market and Asia Pacifc Breweries will both launch by end-October.

    To increase convenience for last minute grocery saves, Deliveroo customers also currently have access to snacks, ready-to-eat meals drinks, party supplies, healthcare and household products through the platform’s current partnership with Shell Select.

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  • Deliveroo Singapore partners with barePack to curb single-use packaging waste from food deliveries

    Deliveroo Singapore partners with barePack to curb single-use packaging waste from food deliveries

    Leading food delivery service Deliveroo Singapore today announced its new sustainability partnership with Singapore startup barePack to offer customers a returnable container system where customers can elect to use reusable containers for delivery and pick-up orders from over 50 best-loved restaurants across Singapore.

    Deliveroo customers can enjoy their meals in a sustainable way by looking for the “barePack” option in the Deliveroo app. Customers can then select from barePack’s reusable boxes and cups – FlexBox or KindCup – when placing their food orders. To ensure that the containers are safe for food use, barePack’s boxes are made from food-grade silicone and come with BPA-free polypropylene lids, while cups are made from stainless steel. Participating restaurants include large chains and family favourites such as Spizza, SaladStop! and Real Food.

    The new in-app feature will be available for both barePack members and non-members. Existing barePack members can order their food in reusable containers for free on Deliveroo by entering a One-Time Password (OTP) provided in their barePack app. For non-members, the reusable containers are available with a refundable deposit of S$6. Deposits will be refunded when customers return the box to any of the 100 restaurants in the barePack network, half of which are on the Deliveroo platform, across the city.

    barePack’s returnable container system not only leads to less unnecessary waste but also enables a 90% reduction in CO2 emissions compared to the most commonly used disposable alternatives. According to barePack, reusable products when used 50 times has a significantly positive impact on global warming potential. With the initiative, Deliveroo hopes to combat rising disposable packaging waste in the city-state as a result of movement restrictions, especially during the circuit breaker period.

    “As a socially responsible company, we are committed to helping our restaurant partners become more sustainable. We also want to encourage customers to make environmentally friendly choices. We believe amazing food shouldn’t cost the earth and our partnership with barePack marks the latest efforts in our mission to bring customers amazing food in the most sustainable way. We made plastic cutlery an opt-in in 2018, resulting in over 90% of meals now being delivered without disposable cutlery. We are confident that our customers will welcome this new feature and help us foster a reusable takeaway culture in Singapore,” said Sarah Tan, General Manager, Deliveroo Singapore.

    “barePack’s reusable containers are kinder for the planet, better for your food, and safer for your health. We are committed to replacing the millions of disposables used for F&B consumption every day, and this partnership with Deliveroo will go a long way in helping us reach a wider audience and achieve our goals. Great collaborations such as this are really key to achieving a more circular economy,” said Roxane Uzureau, Co-Founder of barePack.

    To ensure the health and safety of customers in light of COVID-19, Deliveroo and barePack have also implemented stringent safety protocols, ensuring that barePack’s reusable containers are collected away from the serving area and batch processed with used crockery. A new sanitised box or cup will also be issued to customers who purchase any of barePack reusable containers, thereby complying with standard vendor health and safety processes and regulations.

    Deliveroo Singapore’s partnership with barePack is part of the company’s ongoing commitment towards sustainability. Initiatives over the past 12 months include a partnership with BioPak, where Deliveroo offered sustainable packaging options to all restaurant partners with discounts to help them make the easy switch to eco-friendly packaging. Deliveroo has also signed the WWF’s (World Wide Fund for Nature) PACT (Plastic ACTion) pledge, committing to encouraging consumer behaviour change as well as restaurant partners to improve their packaging materials.

     

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  • Russian ride-hailing app makes Vietnam debut

    Russian ride-hailing app makes Vietnam debut

    Russia’s InDriver has become the latest entrant in Vietnam’s growing but fiercely competitive ride-hailing market, joining several foreign and domestic firms in the fray.

    Starting this month, the company is offering car and motorbike ride-hailing services in the central province of Thua Thien Hue, the southern city of Can Tho, and the northern city of Hai Phong.

    It now has 260 car and 300 motorbike driver-partners. The company currently does not charge any fee from drivers, allowing them to receive in full the amount that customers pay.

    The biggest difference between InDriver and other ride-hailing apps is its real-time deal feature, which allows customers to offer an initial fare for the ride and send it to nearby drivers, who have the option to either accept the fares or propose a higher one.

    While other companies automatically select drivers, InDriver allows customers to manually choose one based on their proximity, reviews and price offers.

    A company spokesperson said this feature goes against popular algorithms which automatically increase fares during peak and high-demand hours.

    InDriver has over 50 million users worldwide. Its main competitors in Vietnam are currently Singapore’s Grab, domestic player Be, and Indonesia’s Gojek.

    U.S.’s ABI Research estimates Grab dominates the Vietnamese market with a 73 percent share, followed by Be with 16 percent and Gojek with 10.3 percent.

    In July, domestic player GV Taxi became a new player in the ride-hailing market, aiming to have 8,000 partner drivers in six months.

    Vietnam’s ride-hailing market was the fourth largest in Southeast Asia last year behind Indonesia, Singapore, and Thailand, according to a report by Google.

  • Foodpanda planning six locations in Japan

    Foodpanda planning six locations in Japan

    Food-delivery service Foodpanda is to launch in Japan, its 12th market in Asia.

    During the first phase of the launch, Foodpanda will roll out its service in six cities, including Nagoya, Sapporo, and Hiroshima. The move is part of Foodpanda’s strategy to strengthen its presence in Asia Pacific, with Japan one of the largest and most mature of the region’s consumer markets.

    The service has been launched in three cities – Kobe, Yokohama, and Nagoya – with Foodpanda saying it will commence in other cities from October 1.

    “This is a market we have long admired, and this market expansion is an important step in making food and grocery delivery accessible to everyone in Asia,” says Eric Wei, CEO at Foodpanda Japan.

    Foodpanda Japan will also invest to grow its quick-commerce, where customers will be able to get their groceries within 25 minutes. The Foodpanda app will also offer an in-store pick-up feature.

    The demand for food delivery in Japan has been increasing due to Covid-19. According to Statista Market Outlook, the online food delivery segment in Japan is expected to record 23.6-per-cent growth this year.

    “In the first half of this year, we expedited onboarding and doubled the number of merchants and riders on our platform across the region so their businesses can survive the economic impact, while rider partners can continue to earn a living,” said Jakob Sebastian Angele, CEO at Foodpanda APAC.

    The company said it aims to expand to more markets in the Asia Pacific region. Founded in 2012, Foodpanda operates in more than 300 cities across 12 countries.

  • Alibaba eyeing cornerstone stake in Grab

    Alibaba eyeing cornerstone stake in Grab

    Attracted by a massive database of customer behavior spanning eight countries, Chinese tech giant Alibaba is said to be on the brink of investing US$3 billion into Grab Holdings.

    With its origins as a ride-hailing company Grab has expanded into an app-anchored ecosystem covering food delivery, payments, courier services, and wealth management. It also operates cloud kitchens in several markets.

    In Southeast Asia, where the vast majority of Grab’s business is conducted, there would be potential synergies with Alibaba’s Lazada online marketplace, not just through marketing alliances and cross-promotions, but in last-mile delivery solutions.

    Citing “people familiar with the matter,” Bloomberg has reported that Alibaba will deploy some of the funds to acquiring part of Uber’s stake in Grab, the result of a merger deal in March 2018 which saw Uber’s regional operations and brand name disappear leaving Grab in a market-dominating position.

    Grab currently has a market valuation of $14 billion which means Alibaba’s investment would equate to about 20 percent of its value.

    The negotiations come at a time when Grab and its archrival GoJek are under increasing pressure to explore merger opportunities which would reduce intense competition between the two companies, most likely raising fares and fees and thus creating a more viable long-term business model.

    As Bloomberg put it, existing investors in Grab have been frustrated by what they see as value-destroying competition with GoJek. But negotiations of a merger “are hampered by a hostile relationship between the two companies and the complexity of coordinating between so many investors,” Bloomberg reported, citing sources.

    Any attempt at a merger between Grab and GoJek would spark a tortuous path of negotiations with regulatory bodies in the region given in most of the countries in which the two operate, they are the dominant players leading to market dominance concerns.

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  • Singapore Watchdog Fines Ride-Hailing App Grabcar $10000 For Data Privacy Violation

    Singapore Watchdog Fines Ride-Hailing App Grabcar $10000 For Data Privacy Violation

    Singapore’s privacy watchdog fined ride-hailing app Grabcar S$10,000 ($7,310), saying a 2019 update put the data of some users at risk of unauthorized access in what the watchdog said was the fourth breach of data privacy regulations and “a significant cause for concern”. In a filing published on Sept. 10, the Personal Data Protection Commission (PDPC) said the update risked the personal data of 21,541 drivers and passengers, including profile pictures, names and vehicle plate numbers, related to carpooling service GrabHitch.

    Grabcar, a unit of Southeast Asia’s largest startup Grab Holdings, rolled back the app to the previous version within about 40 minutes and took other remedial action, the PDPC said.

    “Given that the organization’s business involves processing large volumes of personal data on a daily basis, this is a significant cause for concern,” the PDPC said.

    The regulator also directed Grab to put in place data protection by design policy, where data protection measures are considered and built into tech systems as they are being developed.

    In a statement, Grab said: “To prevent a recurrence, we have since introduced more robust processes, especially pertaining to our IT environment testing, along with updated governance procedures and an architecture review of our legacy application and source codes.”

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  • Deliveroo Supports Riders With New Riders Forum, a First-of-its-Kind Initiative for Any Hong Kong Food Delivery App

    Deliveroo Supports Riders With New Riders Forum, a First-of-its-Kind Initiative for Any Hong Kong Food Delivery App

    Dedicated to listening to rider feedback, and providing a collaborative working environment to deliver more to its riders, Deliveroo today announced the launch of it’s first-ever Hong Kong Riders Forum, an initiative set to take place quarterly with Hong Kong General Manager and the operation Team.

    Since the outbreak of COVID-19, many Hong Kongers have had to cope with job losses across the city, with the current unemployment rate hitting over 6% since April this year. As many struggle to find new ways to make an income, Deliveroo is hard at work to make room amongst its fleet and help offset the rising numbers of unemployed Hong Kongers. Deliveroo has received over 35,000 rider applications in the first half of 2020 – up more than 100% from application numbers in H1 2019. As COVID-19 continues to impact businesses and day-to-day life in the city, rider applications have continued to grow. Deliveroo’s rider onboarding strategy is designed to match estimated growth in demand to rider numbers, to ensure protection of riders’ earnings. Since January, Deliveroo has added over 3,000 riders taking the firm’s total rider fleet from 4,000 in December 2019 to more than 7,000 today.

    With the increase in rider fleet, Deliveroo is dedicated to exploring new ways of listening and communicating with their riders. Being held for the first time in late August, the 2 hour-long Riders Forum was held virtually due to COVID-19, and focused on providing Deliveroo Riders with a space to voice their opinions directly. Throughout the session, riders asked questions about the company and their concerns on their overall delivery experience, provided feedback, as well as the general sentiments of the fleet as they see it, to the company. Issues discussed include orders assignment, restaurant wait time, support given by rider operations and the customer service team, and Deliveroo expansion plan in Hong Kong. Deliveroo’s Rider Forum is the first of its kind among the city’s food delivery apps, a testament to Deliveroo’s commitment to actively engaging with riders and providing a progressive working environment.

    To ensure diversity among the participants in The Riders Forum, Deliveroo has chosen 15 riders who expressed interest in participating in the event. Gathering input from a broad scope of riders and walkers across a range of districts, whether they drive a motorcycle, ride a bike or walk to deliver meals, Deliveroo is committed to hearing from a vast amount of voices. Participants will have the opportunity to discuss issues currently facing the fleet, how to foster stronger communication, and how the overall delivery experience can be improved. After each forum is completed, the discussion notes will then be communicated to the wider fleet of Deliveroo riders. According to the latest monthly rider survey, over 70% of Deliveroo riders are satisfied with how they are able to choose where and when to work with Deliveroo. Deliveroo will continue to make an effort to understand riders’ needs and concerns.

    The Riders Forum initiative is part of Deliveroo’s ongoing commitment to providing new enriching programs that provide support for its riders, which have included first aid training from the Red Cross, and with over 60 riders to be trained later this year. Additionally, Deliveroo has provided its riders with a further fuel discount of ~20%  in partnership with Shell, at all Hong Kong gas stations (aside from Hong Kong Airport), as well as offering special medical benefits to riders and their families through the virtual insurer Bowtie. Earlier this year, Deliveroo launched the Deliveroo Rider Academy, a virtual online learning space with over 700 courses to help upskill riders and their family members.

    Brian Lo, General Manager of Deliveroo Hong Kong, said, “The purpose of the Deliveroo Riders Forum is to allow our riders to share their ideas and experiences directly with me, and the rest of our Deliveroo team, and make appropriate strategic and technical adjustments based on what we hear from our riders. That’s why we’ve taken the steps to introduce an initiative that is the first of its kind in Hong Kong’s food delivery industry. We’re proud to offer some buffers for those who have lost their jobs and are in need of earnings to make a living during their transition period, and to hear from both them and our veteran riders.

    We are always looking for new ways to improve our riders’ engagement, and so, we felt that the best way to do so was to provide them with an engaging and open space. The Deliveroo Riders Forum has been set up to be a place where riders’ voices are not only heard but also empowered. We want our riders to know that we support them and that everyone’s voice counts. I’m looking forward to being a part of this new initiative to regularly meet our rider partners and finding practical ways to incorporate rider feedback into our overarching strategy.”

    Jacky Yan, a Deliveroo cyclist who joined in late February this year and attended the first Riders Forum, said, “I lost my previous job as a buyer for a UK supermarket chain because of COVID-19, but I was able to apply Deliveroo to be a walker (and then became a cyclist later) and earn a living. When Deliveroo informed us that they’d be launching The Rider’s Forum, I was pretty eager to participate in the programme, as I felt it’d be a great opportunity to have my voice heard. While working on your own may come with perks, such as more independence and a flexible schedule, it can also be nice to connect with the management to bounce ideas off each other. The conversation during the first session was very useful covering off the questions we have in mind about the platform’s operations and future plan. I have just started a new full time job last week but I will still be a cyclist delivering Deliveroo orders during weekends or evening time if my schedule allows.”

     

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  • Juwai IQI, Southeast Asia’s Largest Proptech Group, Expands into Singapore

    Juwai IQI, Southeast Asia’s Largest Proptech Group, Expands into Singapore

    Singapore’s third-largest real estate company, with more than 4,300 agents, OrangeTee & Tie Pte Ltd (“OTT”), has entered into a strategic partnership with Juwai IQI, Southeast Asia’s largest proptech group and operator of real estate super-brands, Juwai and IQI Global. By joining forces, Juwai IQI and OTT will open up new opportunities for their combined force of more than 15,000 property agents across Asia, Australia, Canada, and the Middle East to better serve buyers, sellers and developers.

    Juwai IQI’s operations currently comprise Juwai.com, China’s largest online marketplace for overseas properties; Juwai.asia, the sole global property portal for Asia-based buyers and IQI Global, owner of Southeast Asia’s largest real estate network even prior to the partnership.

    OTT is currently marketing more than 70 developer projects in Singapore. The tie-up with Juwai IQI will provide Singapore developers with a single, end-to-end solution for marketing and selling their new homes to buyers locally and around the world. The combined network will also ensure that Singaporean buyers of overseas properties have access to more than 2.8 million property listings in 91 countries, as well as dedicated after-sales service by local agents in the countries of investment.

    With the COVID-19 pandemic having accelerated the industry’s rate of technological change, another key benefit of the partnership is the opportunity to combine both companies’ technological infrastructure to better support the combined network of agents and clients.

    Steven Tan, Managing Director of OTT, said, “At the heart of our culture is collaboration and innovation and we are delighted that Juwai IQI shares the same values and prioritizes the use of technology to leverage growth and improve client service. Both are technology companies as much as real estate companies. Integrating our platforms and working jointly to build new capabilities will increase delivery speed and allow new features to be rolled out at a faster pace. The fact that Juwai IQI is the leading player in real estate technology is the icing on the cake for us.

    “OTT’s position as a strategic partner of Juwai IQI will serve to connect overseas-based property buyers with Singapore’s real estate offerings and vice versa.”

    Daniel Ho, Group Managing Director of IQI Global, said, “We are tremendously pleased to welcome the OrangeTee & Tie team to Juwai IQI. Steven Tan is one of the stars of Singapore’s real estate industry.

    “This tie-up will allow our agents to help Singapore-based buyers purchase real estate in any of the 91 countries from which we market the property. On the other hand, the expansion also makes it easier for us to help investors from other countries who want to own real estate in Singapore, which is one of the most popular destination markets in the region.

    “Now with our combined force of more than 15,000 agents, we can look forward to many joint-collaborations to empower agents to better assist their buyers in landing their dream property, locally and globally.”

    Kashif Ansari, IQI Global Group CEO, said, “We are pleased to announce that IQI is now in Singapore. Buyers from China, Malaysia, India, and South East Asia are leading investors in Singapore, and we have a very strong presence and network in each of these locations. Together, we will be able to cater to buyers investing in Singapore as well as take Singapore to the world.”

    Juwai IQI Executive Chairman Georg Chmiel said, “With Steven Tan and everyone at OrangeTee & Tie, our IQI agent network has the benefit of one of Singapore’s very best teams.

    “One key to success during the pandemic has been the rapid adoption of new technology. We have deployed technologies that improve agent productivity, enable remote property marketing and relationship building and give developers an end-to-end solution in advertising and selling their listings. We are now well-positioned to help both buyers and developers in Singapore to discover new markets, just like we already do across Asia.”

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  • Deliveroo Forms a Dedicated SMB team to Support Local Small and Independent Restaurants in light of reduced but ongoing COVID-19 measures

    Deliveroo Forms a Dedicated SMB team to Support Local Small and Independent Restaurants in light of reduced but ongoing COVID-19 measures

    Deliveroo today announces the formation of its new SMB team which will provide long-term support to Hong Kong’s small and medium restaurants, as they confront the coronavirus’ effects on business. Additionally, Deliveroo will sponsor a bespoke three-week-long 15 episodes television series and a large scale social media campaign hosted by ERROR, a local popular boy band that will feature over 300 small and independent restaurant partners starting tomorrow, boosting their brand awareness and visibility. Also launching this month is a HK$5 million-worth ZA F&B Relief Fund co-set up by ZA International and Towngas, which will provide support to Deliveroo partnered restaurants and staff affected by Covid-19 diagnoses. These announcements build on other recent Deliveroo initiatives to support restaurants amidst ongoing challenges, including a 20-30% discount for all Pickup orders in selected restaurants between July and August, reducing restaurant Pickup commission rates to 3% until the end of September, extended delivery until 11:30pm, launching breakfast services and activation of the “HeretoDeliver” campaign.

    Deliveroo’s new relief measures will support restaurant partners, particularly small and medium local businesses, who are now facing numerous headwinds from the third wave of the pandemic. Deliveroo has created a new additional team to oversee and help with direct relief to local SMBs – The team is set to become a permanent fixture for Deliveroo Hong Kong and specializes in providing small and medium-sized restaurants with practical advice and providing support when needed, whether through promoting the restaurants through Deliveroo’s channels, sharing successful business references, or helping restaurants to develop virtual brands.

    To further support local and independent small operators, Deliveroo has collaborated with ZA International to provide emergency aid. With the HK$5 million-worth ZA F&B Relief Fund co-set up by ZA International and Towngas, if a Deliveroo partner restaurant is unfortunately suspended due to a COVID-19 case linked to the premises, the employer can go through a simple series of steps to apply for an one-off emergency aid of HK$50,000. In addition, eligible employees who are diagnosed with COVID-19 will be provided a financial support of HK$20,000 under the ZA Relief Fund, which offers coverage of HK$6 million to registered members of ZA Fam.

    Deliveroo has also activated its “HereToDeliver” campaign, investing in a multi-channel mass marketing plan to help restaurants reach their target customers by letting customers know they are still operating for delivery and Pickup. This is on top of the HK$30 million the food delivery company invested since COVID to support restaurants. Over the past few weeks, Deliveroo customers have been able to find over 2,000 discount offers on the platform at any given time for both Pickup and delivery, and the launch of Breakfast. The newest addition to the “HereToDeliver” campaign will see Deliveroo partnering with a local television station to broadcast a three week-long F&B TV show starting this week; investing in a large-scale social media campaign promoting by ERROR, a popular local boy band to feature over 300 local small and independent restaurant partners on the platform starting tomorrow. With Deliveroo’s help, restaurant partners can gain additional exposure amongst the general public and highlight their excellent plates and delicious deals.

    Earlier this month, Deliveroo lobbied the Hong Kong government to provide additional relief measures to the F&B sector, proposing a series of key policy suggestions to help the industry recover through this challenging period and thrive in the future. A recent survey of Deliveroo’s small and independent restaurant partners with over 2,000 respondents conducted between May to August revealed that more than 50% are facing the prospect of immediate business suspension. Many predict that if the current situation continues, within the next three months they will be forced to permanently close or even pushed to bankruptcy.

    Brian Lo, General Manager of Deliveroo Hong Kong, said, “As Hong Kong’s F&B sector continues to face unprecedented challenges, Deliveroo is committed to acting with urgency and building on our past actions to support restaurants, hungry patrons and riders. Local small restaurants provide Hong Kong with a food culture that is both unique and vital to the city. Many local restaurants  are fixtures in their specific neighbourhoods, with dishes that are cherished in the hearts and stomachs of many Hong Kongers. We know that it is our duty here at Deliveroo to protect these longstanding institutions and remain vigilant and provide our restaurant partners with thoughtful strategies that will help them weather the economic anxieties they have been faced with,  That is why we have called upon the government to offer further support to the F&B industry, while we are hard at work with our own SMB and marketing team, who have given their full support and are ready to do even more for small and independent operators.”

  • iKala raises US$17M Series B to expand global footprint

    iKala raises US$17M Series B to expand global footprint

    iKala, Asia’s leading AI company headquartered in Taiwan, has raised US$17M in a Series B round of funding led by Wistron Digital Technology Holding Company, a Wistron Corporation’s wholly-owned subsidiary which focuses on digital technology industries and software application related investments. Previous investors Hotung Investment Holdings Limited and Pacific Venture Partners are also coming in, showing confidence in iKala’s practical AI and digital solutions and SEA cross-border operational efficiency.

    The latest round of funding takes the company’s total funding to US$30.3 million and will be used to further fuel iKala’s AI and digital technologies innovation. Equally, it signals the company’s expansion into new markets including Indonesia and Malaysia, while strengthening its position in its existing key markets of Singapore, Thailand, Taiwan, Hong Kong, Philippines, Vietnam and Japan.

    This strategic investment marks the lead investor Wistron Digital Technology Holding Company, which also focuses on big data analytics, entry into  Southeast Asia. Together, both companies are confident of propelling the region’s digital transformation journey forward and facilitate the development of Artificial Intelligence technology and software.

    “We’ve been on a strong growth trajectory over the last couple of years, expanding into new markets and developing cutting-edge technology that has put us in a leading position in the region’s digital transformation and commerce space. With this funding, we look forward to exploring new opportunities in AI commerce beyond our existing markets,” said Sega Cheng, co-founder and CEO of iKala.

    “Taiwan has an excellent reputation for having some of the best high tech talents in both hardware and software around the region. With Wistron as a strategic partner, iKala can become a major driving force for transforming Taiwan into an AI industry and talent hub in Asia,” said Dr. Lee-Feng Chien, iKala’s board member, former Google Taiwan managing director, who joined earlier this year.

    “As part of the Fortune Global 500 and as a TSP (Technical Service Provider) company,  iKala’s AI and software capabilities will be a value-adding element to Wistron’s long-held and leading hardware industry presence. We have heavily invested ourselves in digital transformation and further creation of new business to provide our clients with new opportunities brought by digital transformation,” said Robert Hwang, Vice Chairman & President of New Business, Wistron.

    Following its exceptional growth in the cloud and digital transformation industry since Series A round of funding early last year, iKala established a new division in June: iKala Commerce. The new solution consolidates AI-powered influencer database KOL Radar, and AI social commerce solution Shoplus, to provide an integrated solution and holistic customer data insights for the region’s social commerce players.

  • Grab and Unilever establish wide-ranging partnership to support lives and livelihoods in Southeast Asia through COVID-19

    Grab and Unilever establish wide-ranging partnership to support lives and livelihoods in Southeast Asia through COVID-19

    Grab and Unilever today announced an extensive partnership in Southeast Asia to protect Grab drivers and riders as well as support the livelihoods of small business owners as they weather the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic.

    The partnership covers Grab’s Transport, GrabFood, GrabMart, and GrabExpress services. Unilever’s personal and home hygiene brands such as Lifebuoy and Cif will support Grab drivers to deliver safer and more hygienic rides under GrabProtect. By leveraging Grab’s platform and technology, Unilever products will be available for consumers to purchase directly from Unilever’s vast network of retailers in Southeast Asia through GrabFood and GrabMart, thereby also helping small retailers and mom-and-pop shops around the region.

    “Unilever is committed to helping protect the lives and the livelihoods of those impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic. By providing Unilever’s hygiene products such as Lifebuoy and Cif to Grab’s driver-partners, Unilever is helping people get back on the move safely. The partnership will also assist small retailers, many of whom are still without a digital presence, move to an online platform, whilst also giving people more ways to purchase their favorite Unilever products. As a purpose-led organization, we will continue playing our part to support our communities through this crisis,” said Umesh Shah, Chief Executive Officer, Unilever International.

    “The pandemic has hit communities hard, particularly small and offline businesses. By partnering with Unilever, we hope to help Southeast Asians adapt and thrive in this new normal – whether by providing cleaner, safer modes of transportation or by connecting them to the growing digital economy. We’re particularly excited about the breadth and depth of the partnership with Unilever, which is a testament to the value of the open ecosystem that we’ve built. We offer an unparalleled combination of consumer reach, data insights, and logistics fleets that partners like Unilever can tap on to grow their footprint in the region,” said Russell Cohen, Group Managing Director – Operations, Grab.

    The Grab x Unilever partnership includes:

    • Boosting confidence in a new normal with GrabProtect

    Grab and Unilever is bringing greater peace of mind to driver-partners and passengers by equipping vehicles in Indonesia, Malaysia, and the Philippines with Lifebuoy hand sanitizers and Cif disinfectant sprays, at no cost to driver-partners or passengers.

    • Growing income for small and offline business owners through Unilever Ice Cream virtual stores on GrabFood and GrabMart

    Grab and Unilever is setting up Unilever Ice Cream virtual stores on the Grab platform which will offer Grab users instant access to their favorite Unilever ice cream brands such as Wall’s, Ben & Jerry’s and Breyers.

    Orders will be fulfilled by Unilever retailers located closest to the consumer – the majority of which are offline businesses such as neighborhood mom-and-pop shops and ice-cream carts. The partnership will generate more sales for these businesses, supporting their livelihoods and families. Grab aims to help these businesses further digitalize, by giving them the option to create individual storefronts on the Grab platform in the future.

    Over 250 Unilever Ice Cream virtual stores have been established across Malaysia, the Philippines, and Thailand, with the goal of reaching over 550 stores by end-2020 through upcoming expansion into other Southeast Asian countries like Indonesia.

    • Addressing the increasing demand for home deliveries and driving visibility and traffic to small retailers via GrabMart

    As social distancing measures continue, Unilever will expand its range of food, household and personal hygiene products available to Grab users and help retailers list their products online through GrabMart – Grab’s on-demand delivery service for daily essentials available across 8 countries in Southeast Asia. The partnership has kicked off in the Philippines and will expand to Indonesia, Singapore, and other Southeast Asian markets by the end of the year.

    This will be complemented by GrabAds to help grow demand for Unilever products. Orders will be fulfilled by Unilever retailers, helping them to grow and ensure resilient future-fit income streams. The rich audience data based on real-life behaviors derived from different touchpoints across the Grab platform will offer valuable consumer and category insights to further support their business.

    • Creating additional income opportunities for thousands of GrabExpress driver-partners in Indonesia

    Unilever and Grab will run pilots in Medan and Makassar in Indonesia to leverage the GrabExpress delivery fleet to ship inventory from Unilever’s warehouses to retailers, such as grocery stores and mom-and-pop shops, in response to real-time demand. Grab’s wide and readily available pool of delivery-partners will allow consumers to receive Unilever’s food and hygiene products quickly even during peak periods. At the same time, this creates additional and diversified income opportunities for Grab’s delivery partners.

    Launch dates of the partnership vary by market and by Grab service.

     

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  • Deliveroo Seeks Hong Kong Government Support on Urgent Action to Further Aid Restaurant Sector hit by COVID-19

    Deliveroo Seeks Hong Kong Government Support on Urgent Action to Further Aid Restaurant Sector hit by COVID-19

    Deliveroo is calling on the Hong Kong Government to build on recent measures and further aid the restaurant sector, in the face of continuing and unprecedented challenges posed by the third wave of COVID-19. Brian Lo, General Manager of Deliveroo Hong Kong and Board Director of the HK Federation of Restaurants and Related Trades, has written to Chief Executive Mrs. Carrie Lam on the matter, asking for urgent action.

    Brian Lo said, “The Government has taken a number of steps to support Hong Kong’s restaurant industry this year, including the Employment Support Scheme, the Food Licence Holders Subsidy Scheme and the Catering Business (Social Distancing) Subsidy Scheme. These one-off subsidies have prevented thousands of restaurants from going out of business and protected many people from losing their jobs – but the crisis is far from over. Restaurants continue to see significant revenue losses under the current dine-in ban and 50% reduced capacity; and while these measures are critical for public safety, urgent action is needed to protect the sector.”

    Deliveroo partners with close to 8,000 restaurants in Hong Kong, representing around 40% of the city’s licensed food providers. A recent survey of Deliveroo’s small and independent restaurant partners revealed that more than 50% are facing the prospect of immediate business suspension. Many predict that if the current situation continues, within the next three months they will be forced to permanently close or even pushed to bankruptcy.

    Lo added, “Restaurants have seen significant revenue losses during the lockdown even if they are able to remain open for delivery business. The growing contribution of delivery sales to their total revenue is not sufficient to cover cumulative fixed costs such as rent obligations. The precipitous drop in dine-in sales means restaurants are finding it close to impossible to operate and cover their day to day costs. Since last week, we saw close to 1,000 restaurants on our platform alone temporarily shut their doors. Many of these are small and medium sized businesses with no foreseeable date to reopen.

    As the leader in the food delivery sector and as an important stakeholder in the F&B industry, we have invested over HK$30 million in a number of measures in the past 6 months including commission reduction, payment delay, funding promotions and rider COVID-19 testing kits, to support our restaurant partners and the industry, as well as our rider community. However, without further Government support to help restaurants to generate revenue and cover costs, more than 5,000 restaurants may be forced to permanently close their doors in the coming months, putting at risk over 80,000 jobs in the industry itself, as well as the loss of income and jobs in businesses providing goods and services to the F&B industry.”

    In its detailed submission to the Government, Deliveroo, based on extensive consultation with a large proportion of its 8,000 restaurant partners in Hong Kong, has formulated a series of key policy proposals which would help the industry to recover through this challenging period, adapt to the new economic environment and thrive in the future. These include:

    1. Subsidy Scheme Extensions: Following on from the success of the first Licensed Hawkers Subsidy Scheme and Food Licence Holder Subsidy Scheme back in March 2020, Deliveroo proposes the provision of incremental HK$200,000, HK$80,000 or HK$5,000 payments per licensed outlet for every three months of continued enforcement of social distancing measures. This will be vital in allowing restaurants to pay rent, supplier bills and staffing costs; and to stave off immediate liquidity concerns.
    2. Action on Rents: Rent costs in Hong Kong are equivalent to around 20-25% of a restaurant’s usual revenue, compared to the 10-15% range in major European markets, the UAE, Australia and Singapore. The recent drop in sales of 50% or more due to COVID-19 means that rent as a percentage of sale has increased even further, squeezing Hong Kong operators’ margins to the breaking point. Deliveroo proposes a series of measures including waiving rental fees for four months, introducing an evictions moratorium, and encouraging landlords to use turnover leases.
    3. Action on Staffing Costs: The unemployment rate for the F&B industry rose from 8.6% in Q1 to 14.7% in Q2, according to Government Census data. Deliveroo’s data shows further signs of deterioration, indicating a 300% increase in restaurant closures in July alone compared to the same period last year. Deliveroo therefore urges the Government to extend the Employment Support Scheme for at least six more months or as long as social distancing measures prevent restaurants operating at full capacity. This will potentially safeguard tens of thousands of jobs.

    Other areas for proposed action include helping restaurants meet the cost of becoming COVID-secure, launching a government-led campaign making clear that restaurant food is safe, and providing a subsidy for restaurants to conduct deep-cleaning

    Restaurants such as Mini Bangkok, Man Kee Cart Noodle, Chilli Fagara, Golden Monkey, Holy Eats, nood food, La Rotisserie, Limewood, Sip Song, Mott 32 and Pololi are in support of the suggestions Deliveroo has put forward.

    Mark Lam, Owner of Mini Bangkok, a popular Thai restaurant in Kowloon City, said, “Like many others in our industry, we’ve had to make major readjustments to cope with this extremely difficult time. It’s tough not knowing from day to day if we will be able to maintain our operations – and the situation continues to become increasingly urgent. While delivery and takeaway is an important part of our business, the revenue lost through minimizing dine-in truly challenges us, preventing us from being able to support fixed costs that we can’t escape. We need further support from the government to safely sernoodve customers, maintain our workforce, ensure a steady supply chain, and so on. We hope that further action will be taken to help us and others in the industry to weather the ongoing storm.”

    Tracy Wong, Owner of Chilli Fagara, a modern Sichuan restaurant in Lan Kwai Fong, said, “While we completely understand the need for social distancing measures, the unfortunate truth is that our business has suffered heavy losses as a result of the downfall in foot traffic, especially as a restaurant located in Lan Kwai Fong when alcohol selling and dine-in are prohibited. If we were to cut losses and close the business today, we would still continue to lose money, as a result of forgoing the rent deposit. It has truly become a desperate situation for our restaurant and from what I understand, for many other operators in our same position. We strongly urge the Government to further bolster support for the industry at this difficult time.”

    Lo concluded, “We are proud to be a part of Hong Kong’s restaurant sector, renowned as one of the most vibrant and dynamic food scenes in Asia and indeed around the world. We are glad to support our restaurant partners via increased delivery sales during this time, but we recognise that more and urgent action is necessary to counter the financial effects of yet another wave of COVID-19. We believe the measures that Deliveroo is today proposing to the Government can help to ensure that Hong Kong’s restaurant industry survives this pandemic and rebounds after it; and we look forward to further opportunities to discuss and aid the sector during these difficult times.”

  • Three Asian fashion-tech startups to set sail

    Three Asian fashion-tech startups to set sail

    Three fashion-tech businesses, all graduates of Singapore’s Textile and Fashion Federations’ Bridge Fashion Incubator program, are launching this month.

    The three businesses—Shop Bettr, Republiqe and Tropick, are “some of the most promising innovative entrepreneurs” witnessed last month at the Cohort #2 Demo Day.

    The Shop Bettr brand is positioning itself as Asia’s first fashion tech search-and-shoppable platform for sustainable fashion. The firm aims to “solve the conscious consumer’s three-pronged challenge of not understanding certifications, not wanting to be deceived by greenwashing, and not finding sustainable products that resonate with their style and budget while helping sustainable businesses reach the ever-growing conscious community”.

    More than 50 brands from the Apac region have registered with the platform, reaching more than 90,000 through the firm’s waiting list and brand partners.

    Republiqe, an entirely digital luxury consumer fashion label, prepares to open this Friday, promising to “redefine and disrupt the fashion industry through tech-driven digital clothing and creativity”. The firm has launched an enigmatic Instagram account in anticipation of the upcoming launch.

    The third brand, Tropick, focuses on staple menswear items (as opposed to temporary trends) created with fabrics optimized for wearing in the tropics, implementing the innovations and attributes of athletic wear. The firm will drop new designs one by one in limited quantities as a means to conserve on resources and avoid wastage.

    “We believe Tropick is addressing a huge gap in the menswear market in Asia, but trying on the shirt is where the real magic happens,” said Tropick’s founder Monica Millington. “By creating pieces that are so comfortable and easy to care for – yet still look polished in this climate – we are setting a whole new standard for the men’s modern wardrobe.”

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  • Total Investment Partners with Alibaba to Drive its Digital Transformation

    Total Investment Partners with Alibaba to Drive its Digital Transformation

    Total (China) Investment has signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) in order to pursue strategic collaboration with Alibaba Group (“Alibaba”) (NYSE: BABA; SEHK: 9988) and leverage their respective resources to drive the digital transformation of the Company’s operations in China.

    Under the MoU, the two companies will develop in-depth collaboration based on the Alibaba Business Operating System (ABOS). Total (China) Investment will utilize Alibaba’s leading digital capabilities and technology across e-commerce, online payments, local services, supply chain, big data, and organizational management. The partnership will provide digital infrastructure and support for TOTAL’s service stations, lubricants and special fluids businesses in China, helping the company to enhance the accessibility and flexibility of its product offerings and services, accelerate its branded retail and outlet footprint and drive sustainable growth opportunities.

    Total has been present in China for almost 40 years. This collaboration signifies that Total has become the first international energy company to leverage Alibaba ABOS, setting a digital transformation benchmark in the energy industry.

    “Digital technology is a critical driver for achieving our excellence objectives across all of Total’s business segments. Total Group’s ambition is to generate as much as $1.5 billion in value per year for the company by 2025 through digital transformation initiatives,” said Ian Lepetit, President of Total (China) Investment. “China has a world-leading environment for digital innovation and a fertile ground for making it a reality. We hope the partnership will not only improve our business in this country but also create a best practice that we can roll out to Total Group’s overseas business, delivering better products, services, and better customer experiences to more than 8 million customers everyday worldwide.”

    “As one of the foremost players in the global energy industry, Total is renowned for an excellent lineup of products and services”, said Jet Jing, Vice President of Alibaba Group. “It is a privilege to work together and leverage the Alibaba Business Operating System to accelerate Total’s digital transformation, particularly in the areas of product innovations, customer acquisition, order fulfillment and organizational development. We believe the ABOS will support Total to establish a data-technology-driven and customer-centric operating system. Thriving on Alibaba’s integrated platforms and customer touchpoints, the ABOS will also facilitate Total to serve more customers, serve each customer to the fullest and provide better customer experience at a lower cost and in a more efficient manner.”

    The partnership will cover Total (China) Investment’s major business activities (including service stations, lubricants business and car care business) and cooperate with more than 10 business units in the Alibaba Digital Economy. Total will have a cross-platform consumer-facing storefront, which will be launched to the market soon. Customers will be able to enjoy a seamless online-to-offline experience for TOTAL’s products and services on various popular apps, such as Taobao, Tmall, Alipay, Eleme and Amap, at anytime and anywhere.

    Total has long been pursuing digital transformation. As part of an effort to efficiently implement its digital strategy, Total has adjusted its enterprise organizational structure, establishing the new role of Chief Digital Officer and appointing digital officers to its business segments.

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  • SingPost Partners with Tech Startup Shippit to Fuel Small Business Growth in Asia

    SingPost Partners with Tech Startup Shippit to Fuel Small Business Growth in Asia

    Today, fast-growing logistics technology company Shippit, announced a new partnership with Singapore Post (SingPost), Singapore’s leading homegrown e-Commerce courier. The deal allows Shippit to empower small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) to scale by providing them with instant access to more delivery options — including packages to be delivered directly to Pick Own Parcel Station (POPStations) and letterboxes — a service typically reserved for larger companies. As part of the deal, Shippit will also offer SingPost’s Speedpost Express Service to SMEs, alongside discounted, pre-negotiated rates for next day and economy delivery services.

    SMEs on the Shippit platform will now be able to also offer end-customers parcel collection at any time by tapping into the islandwide POPStation network that SingPost currently operates. This brings added convenience to end customers, since parcels can be deposited directly at their closest available POPStation for pickup, without the need to wait for delivery at home.

    These SingPost services are integrated directly into Shippit’s existing online platform, which enables SMEs to access data-driven delivery insights that can be used to optimize shipping costs and share better customer experiences. SMEs also get access to pre-negotiated, delivery SingPost rates on the platform, enabling them to tap into SingPost’s large delivery network and fleet, at a lower cost.

    Lavneesh Arora, Director of Market Development at Shippit, said: “Shippit aims to disrupt the way legacy logistics firms operate. We are always looking for great partnerships to expand our capabilities and give clients a competitive edge. Through the latest partnership with Singapore’s largest and most prominent logistics company, SMEs can use Shippit to get direct access to SingPost’s premium, enterprise-grade delivery services at a fraction of the cost.”

    Shippit’s intelligent tracking system benefits both senders and receivers through proactive delay avoidance technology and accurate delivery estimates — SMEs will know exactly where the parcel is, ensure delivery issues are resolved before customers find out and can also send branded push emails and SMSes to keep their customers informed. On the receiver’s end, one-link tracking and smart notifications are automated, so customers can easily track their shipment, get real-time updates and access delivery support directly from the track page.

    Sara Kalle, Senior Vice President of Group Sales at SingPost, said: “We are tremendously excited to offer our last-mile services to Shippit. Customers can look forward to a hassle-free shipping experience from the moment they confirm their order on Shippit’s award-winning platform, to collecting their shipments from us at their doors or at a nearby POPStation.”

    Shippit officially launched in Singapore on 14 July, to serve as the startup’s regional headquarters. It plans to expand into Malaysia, Philippines, and Indonesia in the near future. Shippit’s existing client base currently includes Sephora, UNIQLO, CottonOn, and Harvey Norman — to name a few.

     

     

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