foodpanda Singapore expands into grocery delivery

FOOD delivery service foodpanda has expanded into delivering grocery items in partnership with some 1,000 retail outlets in Singapore, the company announced in a press statement on Wednesday.

With the new service, foodpanda seeks to deliver grocery items from retailers such as Hao Mart, Caltex Starmart, Eu Yan Sang and Mothercare to consumers' homes in under 25 minutes. 

Luc Andreani, managing director of foodpanda Singapore, calls the move a "natural extension" of the company's core food delivery vertical, due to "efficient infrastructure and our reliable fleet of riders". 

"On top of that, we are proud to have a wide and varied inventory for our customers, at prices that they love ... Customers can also enjoy the hundreds of deals every month, ranging from free delivery to discounts and even earning Krisflyer miles with every order," he told The Business Times. 

But when asked if foodpanda plans to move into grocery delivery as a core vertical, Mr Andreani said: "Food delivery is still a core part of the business at foodpanda and will continue to be."

The company, which is owned by Germany-listed Delivery Hero, says it has over 8,000 delivery riders in Singapore. In recent months, it hired 100 engineers in Singapore to prepare its platform for the expansion.

foodpanda operates in 10 Asian and Central Europe markets including Hong Kong, Pakistan, Taiwan and Bulgaria. The grocery delivery service is already available in Hong Kong and Taiwan. foodpanda plans to launch the service in other regional markets next year.