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Tag: Deliveroo

  • 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.”

  • 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.”

  • Deliveroo Launches Breakfast Service and Makes Multi-million-dollar investment in Pickup Services

    Deliveroo Launches Breakfast Service and Makes Multi-million-dollar investment in Pickup Services

    With the government’s announcement to ban all dine-in services at restaurants beginning Wednesday, 29 July, Deliveroo is today redoubling its efforts to support both customers who want great food and restaurants who need to make sales with the launch of breakfast service. Early-morning risers who are working from home can now access a wide range of eats within their neighbourhood, while those still heading to the workplace can order directly to their desk or conveniently pick up a morning meal on their commute. The food delivery company also announces today that customers will continue to enjoy a 20% discount for all Pickup orders in selected restaurants for the next two weeks starting tomorrow (29 July). This follows the company’s recent announcement of reducing restaurant Pickup commission rates to 3% until the end of September, extended delivery until 11:30pm and activation of the “Here to Deliver” campaign.

    Customer demand for delivery and pickup meals is on the rise following the latest announcement from the Hong Kong Government that will ban all dining in restaurants as of Wednesday, 29 July. To support restaurant partners and hungry customers – across the city, many of whom are now once again working from home, Deliveroo has launched its breakfast service. Available from today, customers will now be able to order from 7:45am during weekdays and 9am at weekends on the Deliveroo platform, for both delivery and pickup. Participating restaurants are expected to increase total revenue by 10% with breakfast offering through Deliveroo’s platform.

    Deliveroo has recently made a 8-digit investment in its Pickup service to help more restaurant partners and consumers enjoy an affordable and convenient “grab and go” service that puts safety at the forefront. The service enables customers to order ahead for pickup and therefore avoid waiting times, skip the queue, and do their part to practice social distancing.

    In July, Deliveroo has worked with its restaurant partners to offer over 7,000 restaurant promotions to consumers, with an aim to help restaurants increase revenue and attract new customers. The food delivery company has also activated its “Here To Deliver” campaign, investing in a multi-channel mass marketing plan to help restaurants reach their target customers, helping them let customers know they are still operating for delivery and pickups.

    Over the next few weeks, customers will be able to find over 2,000 discount offers on the platform at any given time for both Pickup and delivery.

    Brian Lo, General Manager of Deliveroo Hong Kong said, “To say the past two weeks have been difficult for Hong Kongers would be an understatement; that’s why we’ve been working on new ways to support everyone – from our riders, to our restaurant partners, to all our Hong Kong customers. Deliveroo has opened up more work for riders to help meet rising demand due to work-from-home conditions and provide flexible work and attractive earnings at this difficult time for many. We’re supporting restaurant partners with relief measures for both deliveries and pickups during the Wave 3 outbreak. We continue to see higher and growing traffic on our platform, therefore we worked with our partners to extend the current discount to customers for both Pickup and delivery, hoping to offer more affordable food options with exciting discounts to encourage Hong Kongers to stay home and stay safe – from breakfast all the way until dinner.”

    Deliveroo Pickup service has already supported restaurants in Hong Kong to generate new revenue at a tough time for business. Deliveroo’s recent relief measure of providing a significant discount on all Pickup orders over the past few weeks helped restaurant partners to bring in over HK$50 million incremental sales.

    Susanna, Owner of KAIE Japanese Restaurant, said, “With the worrying situation of the recent Covid-19 local spike, this has been a very difficult time for us; especially with the further government policy on social distancing. We have to shift all of our efforts towards  food delivery and takeaway now, and thanks to Deliveroo’ s support especially over the past weeks, we have seen a 300% increase in Pickup orders.”

  • First Deliveroo-owned Virtual Brand “Wing It” Launches in Hong Kong as virtual brands boom

    First Deliveroo-owned Virtual Brand “Wing It” Launches in Hong Kong as virtual brands boom

    Deliveroo, Hong Kong‘s leading food-delivery company, has today announced the arrival of “Wing It,” a virtual chicken wings brand developed and tested by the Deliveroo team in London. Renowned for bringing unique F&B concepts to the local market, Deliveroo selected Hong Kong to be the first place outside the UK to experience the Wing It brand. Wing It is licensed by Deliveroo to Cali-Mex Bar & Grill. Already eager to add wings to their menu offerings, Cali-Mex was impressed by Deliveroo’s concept and excited to launch the virtual brand from eight outlets as well as a specially designed catering menu.

    Wing It is the latest non-brick-and-mortar food brand to be offered by Deliveroo, which is now home to over 300 virtual brands – bringing even more variety and delectable choice to hungry people in Hong Kong.

    Always the trendsetter, Deliveroo is bringing Wing It to Hong Kong after two years of tremendous success in the UK. Beginning its operations in London, the menu, ingredients and recipes for Wing It were all developed by the Deliveroo central team, who then launched the brand inside six of Deliveroo’s UK Editions sites in September 2018. Due to the immense popularity and growing demand for new options, Deliveroo then helped Wing It develop and open five separate restaurant sites outside of Editions just six months later, in April 2019. Now, already a smash hit in Hong Kong, Wing It has sold over 15,000 wings, following 1,000+ orders across its eight Hong Kong outlets since soft launch in May.

    Deliveroo is dedicated to working with partners to build and develop their own unique virtual brands, as well as nurturing new business opportunities by hosting Deliveroo’s own virtual brands.

    When Deliveroo helps a partner to develop a Virtual Brand, it does so from scratch, developing everything from its name to recipes for its menu items. For partners, the company will provide:

    • Exact recipes for specific items
    • Ingredients to use for specific menu items and how to source them locally
    • A training package for restaurants to run the brand and help in scoping out how the brand can be run from a specific kitchen
    • Stress testing the product once launched to test food quality and the delivery service
    • Branding and marketing support
    • Identifying cuisine gaps in a specific area based on the company’s data insights, as well as advising on price points for specific items

    Virtual kitchens are developed to provide Deliveroo’s high-value partners with a turn-key solution to grow revenue streams from their kitchens, with brands that have been proven and tested by Deliveroo’s experts, within the delivery-only brand development team.

    Brian Lo, General Manager of Deliveroo Hong Kong, said, “There has never been a more important time in Hong Kong to support our restaurant partners and introduce innovative new concepts to the city, as we overcome the recent challenges together. Collaborating with Cali-Mex was a no brainer for us – our new partner has inspired us with their drive to deliver high-quality dishes in Hong Kong. We’re proud to work alongside them for this exciting new venture. As a life-long Hong Konger, I know first-hand the city’s love affair with well-prepared and delicious chicken wings, so this was certainly an exciting project to be a part of!”

    Jeff Moss, CEO of Cali-Mex Bar & Grill, said, “While Cali-Mex has offered Hong Kongers an expanded menu for some years now, we’re always eager to grow and whip up new offerings that we believe will match the taste palates of our customers. The past few months have forced us to rethink how we can offer an even more varied and delicious dining experience, so when Deliveroo approached us to partner with them for a virtual brand, we were sold almost immediately. We believe that no matter what the occasion is, wings always seem to be the answer! We are impressed by the initial results since the soft launch in May and we’re excited for the upcoming marketing and promotion campaigns as well as the catering offering to bring us to the next level.”

    Already reaching sales numbers of over 15,000 chicken wings, Deliveroo expects to see an ongoing surge of orders in coming weeks, as the food delivery leader works alongside Cali-Mex to develop an exciting array of promotional and marketing strategies. Wing It is the latest among 100 different virtual brands to launch this year on Deliveroo’s app, adding to the existing 200 virtual brands on offer.

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  • Deliveroo Partners with the 1st Virtual Insurer to Provide Special Medical Benefits to Deliveroo Riders and Their Families

    Deliveroo Partners with the 1st Virtual Insurer to Provide Special Medical Benefits to Deliveroo Riders and Their Families

    Committed to always finding new ways to support riders, who are at the heart of the business, Deliveroo announces today a partnership with Hong Kong’s first virtual insurer  Bowtie who will offer BowtieGo healthcare membership plans to 6,000 Deliveroo riders and their families, starting at zero cost. As rider health and safety are among Deliveroo’s highest priorities, the move follows recent efforts to provide riders with free COVID-19 testing, education opportunities and accident and injury insurance coverage which has been arranged and administered by Marsh since 2018.

    All Deliveroo riders and their families can now enjoy medical benefits  designed with three unique healthcare plans with basic coverage starting at $0. Supported by Bowtie, the entry-level healthcare programme is free of cost to riders and offers  member’s exclusive rate on unlimited GP consultations and Chinese Medicine doctor visits (medicine, acupuncture and bone setting). For an additional monthly fee, riders can also select an insurance plan which will allow them to access outpatient and dental treatments at discounted rates with the option to also receive a free annual body check.

    Brian Lo, General Manager, Deliveroo Hong Kong, said: “Having spoken to our riders and listened to their feedback, we know healthcare matters to them and so it matters to us. We knew it was the right time for us to further our efforts in helping our riders to access more health benefits. Bowtie will offer comprehensive and unique benefit packages that will keep our riders and their beloved ones healthy and protected.”

    In Hong Kong, all Deliveroo riders are already automatically enrolled into a completely free insurance package covering accident and injury which is arranged and administered by Marsh. To add on that, this additional medical benefits to Deliveroo Riders, follows a number of recent initiatives from Deliveroo to better riders’ on-the-job experience, earning potential and wellbeing. This April, Deliveroo introduced the Rider Academy in Hong Kong to offer over 700+ free online courses for riders and their families, as well as free COVID-19 testing with Project Screen by Circle. Additionally, Deliveroo provided free masks and hand-sanitisers to riders in Hong Kong earlier this year.

     

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  • Deliveroo Hong Kong launches plan to feed the needy

    Deliveroo Hong Kong launches plan to feed the needy

    Deliveroo has unveiled a new program allowing customers to round up payments for their orders to feed people in need. Deliveroo will collect the donations made via its app to selected charities, starting with local NGO Feeding HK.

    “One of the most challenging effects of Covid-19 has been a significant rise in demand from charitable food systems across Hong Kong,” said Deliveroo Hong Kong GM Brian Lo. “One of our imperative sustainable development goals at Deliveroo is ‘Zero Hunger,’ in line with the United Nations Sustainable Development Agenda, and so together with Feeding Hong Kong, we’re trying to make sure that no one in Hong Kong goes unfed.”

    Feeding HK collects surplus stock from food companies, sorts and stores it, before redistributing it to multiple charities across the city.

    The company’s support for Feeding HK expands beyond its cash contribution initiative. Until the end of this year, Deliveroo will contribute 100 hours of volunteering by its employees to help rescue and redistribute surplus food to help frontline charities across the city.

    The company hopes to raise more than US$129,000 (HK$1 million) during the next six months from the app.

    “Deliveroo is dedicated to being a positive member of the Hong Kong community, which includes making sure that the economically disadvantaged get the help they need,” said Lo.

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  • Deliveroo Hong Kong launches plan to feed the needy

    Deliveroo Hong Kong launches plan to feed the needy

    Deliveroo has unveiled a new program allowing customers to round up payments for their orders to feed people in need.

    Deliveroo will collect the donations made via its app to selected charities, starting with local NGO Feeding HK.

    “One of the most challenging effects of Covid-19 has been a significant rise in demand from charitable food systems across Hong Kong,” said Deliveroo Hong Kong GM Brian Lo. “One of our imperative sustainable development goals at Deliveroo is ‘Zero Hunger,’ in line with the United Nations Sustainable Development Agenda, and so together with Feeding Hong Kong, we’re trying to make sure that no one in Hong Kong goes unfed.”

    Feeding HK collects surplus stock from food companies, sorts and stores it, before redistributing it to multiple charities across the city.

    The company’s support for Feeding HK expands beyond its cash contribution initiative. Until the end of this year, Deliveroo will contribute 100 hours of volunteering by its employees to help rescue and redistribute surplus food to help frontline charities across the city.

    The company hopes to raise more than US$129,000 (HK$1 million) during the next six months from the app.

    “Deliveroo is dedicated to being a positive member of the Hong Kong community, which includes making sure that the economically disadvantaged get the help they need,” said Lo.

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  • GoJek and Deliveroo join forces in Singapore

    GoJek and Deliveroo join forces in Singapore

    Indonesian ride-hailing operator Gojek and Deliveroo, the food-delivery service, have joined forces in Singapore.

    Following a change in law allowing taxis to provide food and grocery deliveries – in response to increased demand during the Covid-19 lockdown – drivers will now have the option of making food deliveries around central Singaporean locations as a way to supplement their income, reports Channel News Asia.

    Many drivers on the platform have reported an income drop of up to 70 percent during the lockdown period, with some subsisting on grocery vouchers provided by a support fund established by the firm. Now they will be able to help ends meet by serving both GoJek and Deliveroo.

    “By strengthening Deliveroo’s supply of delivery riders, the company can better cater to the increased demand for food delivery during the current ‘circuit breaker’ period, when more people are eating at home,” said Gojek.

    The firm is also participating in a charitable effort to provide meals to vulnerable single-parent homes in the territory.

    Several competing ride hailers and taxi services are already providing food delivery solutions, with arch-rival Grab offering its own food platform. Gojek has its own food delivery platform in Indonesia.

    Gojek will “continue to find ways to look after our driver-partners and support the wider Singapore community,” said Singapore GM Lien Choong Luen.

  • Deliveroo cuts Pickup commission rate

    Deliveroo cuts Pickup commission rate

    Food delivery service Deliveroo is reducing its Pickup service commissions to 5 percent for its operations in Hong Kong.

    The move is expected to provide relief to restaurants struggling to generate revenue during the coronavirus outbreak with tough social distancing regulations in place throughout the territory.

    The new rate will apply to all Deliveroo partnering restaurants through to the end of June who accepts orders through the Deliveroo platform from customers who opt to collect their food directly from the restaurant.

    “At Deliveroo we know that every customer can make a world of difference to our restaurant partners at this critical time, and so we have consistently rolled out new measures to continue our support,” said Deliveroo Hong Kong GM Brian Lo.

    “Pickup offers a faster option for customers to order their food through Deliveroo in times of high demand, and also allows for people to order for collection from restaurants that may not provide delivery services or order products that may not be suitable for delivery. The service also benefits restaurants by opening up an additional revenue stream as Pickup gives people the option of ordering food-on-the-go – enabling restaurants to reach a new wave of customers.”

    Some 60–70 percent of the 1500 restaurants joining Deliveroo since January have opted into Deliveroo’s Pickup service. Deliveroo has seen 300-per-cent growth in both restaurants offering Pickup services and Pickup’s order volume during the first quarter.

    “It’s no surprise that the most recent measures by the government to reduce in-house restaurant services by 50 percent have been felt across the city and to our operations,” said Deliveroo restaurant partner Ootoya’s GM Hiroyasu Kageyama.

    “However, we’ve been able to make up for lost in-house sales with more proactive marketing for delivery and pick-up. This is largely in thanks to Deliveroo’s compassionate efforts to help us adapt and reach new customers online – with them as our partner, we’ve been able to stay optimistic and find new ways to innovate.”

    Pickup services from Deliveroo officially launched earlier this month to give hungry Hongkongers the chance to skip the delivery fee, and conveniently pick up their meals without standing in line at their desired restaurants. Once customers have selected the Pickup option, they will be shown the precise collection time and be kept up to date through app notifications, enabling them to drop in and grab their food immediately.

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  • Hong Kong malls join Deliveroo programme to rescue plunging F&B sales

    Hong Kong malls join Deliveroo programme to rescue plunging F&B sales

    Twenty Hong Kong shopping malls have joined a program launched by Deliveroo to help food & beverage tenants survive the coronavirus by expanding their delivery business.

    Deliveroo expects the mall partnership program to generate at least HK$20 million (US$2.6 million) in incremental online sales for the restaurants, “a critical avenue of additional income” for retail food & beverage tenants hit by decimated footfalls as consumers avoid crowded places such as malls.

    Deliveroo estimates about 300 restaurants will benefit from the program which has benefited from a $1.5 million investment by the company and partner malls.

    The program will include a fast-tracked onboarding for mall tenants and cross-marketing opportunities for malls to work with Deliveroo.

    The 20 shopping malls which have already signed on to partner with Deliveroo, include K11 Musea and K11 Art Mall from New World Development; Lee Gardens, Lee Theatre and Hysan Place From Hysan Development; East Point City, New Town Plaza, Popwalk, APM, World Trade Centre, Tai Po Mega Mall, Yuen Long Plaza and New Jade Shopping Plaza from Sun Hung Kai Properties; Tseung Kwan O Plaza and Nan Fung Place from Nan Fung Group; MegaBox from Kerry Properties; and Amoy Plaza, Kornhill Plaza, Fashion Walk and Grand Plaza from Hang Lung Properties.

    Discussions are ongoing with other malls across Hong Kong to join the program.

    Deliveroo says research of its 6500 restaurant partners has shown that online delivery channels which used to comprise 15 to 25 percent of turnover before the advent of the coronavirus crisis, now accounts for 50 percent total sales and for some, even more.

    Besides the fast-track onboarding, Deliveroo has developed a voucher program enabling malls and tenants to create coupon offers at a reduced rate, encouraging higher spend from existing customers and drawing in new customers to place food-delivery orders with restaurants located inside partner malls.

    Deliveroo and participating malls will develop locally relevant offers to drive demand and turnover for restaurant tenants’ delivery and pick-up services. User codes are being created for tenants of offices or apartments located above the malls and district-specific push notifications will be sent via social media and digital channels.

    Deliveroo says it has already signed on about 150 new restaurant partners due to the incentives provided by the mall partners, representing more than 25 per cent of all new sign-ons since the onset of the coronavirus crisis.

    In the case of one New Territories partner mall, restaurant tenants have seen sales increase by 1500 over the last fortnight.

    “The 30 restaurant outlets in the property are projected to earn at least HK$15,000 to $20,000 more in sales than they achieved in February delivery sales,” Deliveroo said in a statement.

    Brian Lo, GM of Deliveroo Hong Kong, said he is encouraged to see the positive momentum in engagement in the programme from leading developers and mall operators in Hong Kong.

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  • Deliveroo Hong Kong doubles virtual restaurant ranks

    Deliveroo Hong Kong doubles virtual restaurant ranks

    Hong Kong food-delivery service Deliveroo has doubled the ranks of virtual restaurants supplying meals through its platform to 200.

    Virtual brands are concepts developed by existing restaurant operators to trial new menu collections or options not available in physical stores, available only through the Deliveroo app. Examples include a Greek restaurant offering healthy protein bowls, or a pizza outlet delivering wraps.

    Brian Lo, GM of Deliveroo Hong Kong, says in other international markets, restaurants launching virtual brands on Deliveroo have seen an average a 70-per-cent increase in sales as a result.

    “In Hong Kong this is higher at 85 percent, thanks to the city’s enthusiasm towards ordering in and eagerness to try new things.”

    At a time when the number of physical restaurants in Hong Kong has fallen by between 1.5 percent and 5 percent due to falling footfall since January, virtual brands offer an opportunity to recover lost ground – all without the overheads of a physical store.

    Deliveroo encourages the development of virtual brands by using its data to identify hotspots for growth and cuisine types which might be missing in some neighborhoods. Lo says the company also helps by offering strong marketing support, access to its global network for more cost-effective ingredient sourcing and new recipes, and the chance to license foreign brands.

    One successful virtual brand Deliveroo has fostered in Hong Kong is Caramba Mexican Cantina, owned by Eclipse Hospitality Group. Caramba was a popular restaurant in Soho for 16 years until rising rents and competition forced it to close its doors in 2016.

    Deliveroo encouraged Eclipse, which also owns Cafe Siam in Lan Kwai Fong, to revive Caramba as a virtual brand because there was a space in the market for Mexican cuisine in Central. Since launching on the app in November, the company’s revenue has grown four-fold.

    “We’re grateful to Deliveroo for coming to us with their expertise and advising us to bring back a part of our history we thought we had to say goodbye to for good,” said William Chan, marketing manager at Eclipse. “The food industry may be changing rapidly but it’s for the better, and bringing back Caramba is a sure sign of it.”

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  • Deliveroo Adds 100 Virtual Brands, boosting local restauranteurs

    Deliveroo Adds 100 Virtual Brands, boosting local restauranteurs

     Hong Kong’s food delivery service leader, Deliveroo, today announces that they now have 200 virtual brands on the platform, having added 100 VBs in the past few months. Virtual brands expand consumers’ choice of delicious meals and support restauranteurs to bolster their revenue without increasing fixed costs and have become one of the important ways to mitigate risks under this current challenging environment for local Hong Kong restaurants.

    Virtual brands enable existing restaurants to increase revenue and customers by offering new or complementary cuisines, under new branding, exclusively on the Deliveroo app, but without the cost of establishing a new brick-and-mortar location. Appearing as a separate restaurant on Deliveroo, the virtual brand might be a BBQ joint launching a Mexican menu, a Greek restaurant offering healthy protein bowls, or a favourite pizza joint delivering gourmet wraps.

    With Hong Kong restaurants now facing headwinds, including reduced brick-and-mortar visitations and a recent tide of closures, virtual brands support local restauranteurs to stabilise or increase sales while minimising expenditures. Whether preparing the new virtual offerings in their current kitchen, or from a Deliveroo Editions super kitchen hub, restaurants can get more value from their existing staff, ingredients and culinary expertise, without increasing rent or other operating costs.

    Deliveroo uses its data to identify hotspots for growth and missing cuisine types, then helps partner restaurants to create the perfect menu. In addition, Deliveroo provides strong marketing support and access to its global network for more cost-effective ingredient sourcing, new recipes, and the chance to license foreign brands. Deliveroo supports restaurants every step of the way to help them improve their offer for customers.

    Brian Lo, General Manager of Deliveroo Hong Kong, said: “It has been a challenging time for restaurants in Hong Kong as we see closure rate increases from 1.5% to ~5% since January. In markets around the world, restaurants on Deliveroo that launch virtual brands with the company have seen on average a 70% increase in revenues as a result of those brands. In Hong Kong this is higher at 85%, thanks to the city’s enthusiasm towards ordering in and eagerness to try new things. Here at Deliveroo we’re thrilled to have added so many new virtual brands since launch last year, and proud to be a partner to restaurants to help them ride out the recent headwinds. We support our restaurant partners to thrive, and that’s exactly what virtual brands deliver.”

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  • Deliveroo to offer support for Hong Kong restaurant partners

    Deliveroo to offer support for Hong Kong restaurant partners

    Deliveroo has offered support for its Hong Kong restaurant partners as many of them are suffering from falling dine-in sales due to the coronavirus crisis.

    The company will reduce its commission rate for restaurant partners by 5 percent for a month, starting February 16, equivalent to a 15-20 percent discount in fees.

    In addition, the company will also offer a four-week payment delay strategy for its exclusive restaurant partners to ease their cash flow, the company said in a statement.

    “In our most recent survey and conversations with leaders of the F&B industry, we estimate in-store F&B retail sales to be down 30-50 percent year on year, with signs of further deterioration,” said Brian Lo, GM at Deliveroo Hong Kong.

    The company has urged its rivals in the food-delivery sector to provide support where they can.

    With approximately 6000 restaurant partners, Deliveroo has witnessed a significant escalation in the number of restaurants aiming to suspend trading or shut down. Its research suggests as many as one in 20 restaurants is considering closure.

    “As a stakeholder in the F&B industry and the leading food-delivery platform in the market, we want to play a part, however small, in supporting our restaurant partners and lend a helping hand to the industry in this time of need,” said Lo.

  • Deliveroo and Hong Kong Red Cross Blood Transfusion Service on Blood Drive

    Deliveroo and Hong Kong Red Cross Blood Transfusion Service on Blood Drive

    Hong Kong’s food delivery leader and committed corporate citizen, Deliveroo recently collaborated with the Hong Kong Red Cross Blood Transfusion Service to organize a blood drive on Wednesday, 22 January. Through this event, Deliveroo mobilized its huge fleet of self-employed riders and walkers as well as employees to give back to the Hong Kong community by donating blood.

    40 Deliveroo employees and 14 Deliveroo riders volunteered to donate blood at the recent event. This follows on from the recent establishment of Deliveroo’s five-person Sustainability & CSR Team in 2019 – together they lead the development of programs around Responsible Consumption and Production, Zero Hunger, and Good Health and Well-being. This year the Deliveroo Sustainability & CSR Team will look to develop eco-friendly and socially conscious projects that give back to the Hong Kong community and the world at large.

    Building on from the great results of the recent blood drive Deliveroo will continue to provide other events and opportunities for riders and employees to give back every quarter. According to a survey conducted among Deliveroo riders, 70% of respondents said they have not volunteered in the past 12 months but are interested to volunteer if there are activities arranged.

    Brian Lo, General Manager, Deliveroo Hong Kong said, “At Deliveroo we are wholeheartedly committed to being a responsible corporate citizen. Last year we rolled out surveys for our riders to voice their ideas about CSR activities, and we appreciate the feedback we received from them. Thanks to their voice, we were able to organise this initiative and collaborate with the Hong Kong Red Cross to give back to some of Hong Kong’s most vulnerable populations. Research shows that giving back not only helps others but also enhances the self-esteem of the person giving back, and we are proud to spread the cycle of positivity amongst our riders and to the broader community of Hong Kong.”

    Yip, aged 31, a Deliveroo rider, said, “I just thought it was a great idea. I feel like every year you make New Year’s resolutions to yourself about being a more thoughtful or giving person, but sometimes you don’t actually know how to do it. I appreciate Deliveroo’s leadership in this area, and the company’s flexible working hours makes it convenient and easy to volunteer, especially with them organizing and facilitating it. It’s important to me that I work for a company that cares.”

    Other recent CSR activities orchestrated by Deliveroo include an organized centre visit to the Lifelong Animal Protection Charity. Upon their arrival, riders participated in a two-hour volunteer session at the charity’s dog centre. Throughout the course of the day, riders had the chance to learn more about animal welfare, basic training skills for dogs and lent a hand by doing simple cleaning chores around the centre. The event concluded with riders having free time to play with their newfound furry friends.

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  • Deliveroo sets massive growth in Hong Kong despite protests

    Deliveroo sets massive growth in Hong Kong despite protests

    Hong Kong food-delivery service Deliveroo says it achieved well over 100-per-cent year-on-year growth in both revenue and order volume this year.

    During the year, the company expanded to cover 17 out of the territory’s 18 districts and doubled its fleet of 2000 riders to 4000.

    Deliveroo is marking its fourth anniversary in Hong Kong and has launched a new advertising and social-media campaign covering TV, digital, buses and cinema.

    “Moving into our fifth year in Hong Kong, Deliveroo is celebrating nearly half a decade of success and readying ourselves for more innovation and expansion to come,” said Deliveroo Hong Kong GM Brian Lo.

    “The past 12 months brought challenges to the Hong Kong business environment, so for 2020 we are dedicated to bolstering our own strengths in order to continue to help our restaurant partners deliver on their own ambitions.”

    Deliveroo is targeting to work with 9000 partner restaurants in Hong Kong by the end of next year, as well as upping its rider numbers from 4000 to 6500.

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