Advertisement
Coronavirus pandemic
Business

Deliveroo, Foodpanda enjoy brisk orders in Hong Kong as coronavirus scare entrenches eat-at-home habit

  • Food delivery firms are enjoying strong demand as coronavirus outbreak, social unrest entrench eat-at-home habit
  • Deliveroo and Foodpanda are taking advantage by expanding in Hong Kong by opening more kitchens to reach a wider base of customers

Reading Time:3 minutes
Why you can trust SCMP
The coronavirus outbreak is proving a bonanza for food delivery companies such as Deliveroo and Foodpanda as more people choose to eat at home. Photo: Felix Wong
Ryan Swift

Global food delivery operators are enjoying a significant boost in demand in Hong Kong amid the coronavirus outbreak, entrenching the eat-at-home habit built over months of anti-government protests in the city last year.

Advertisement

Deliveroo, the UK-based online delivery platform that launched in Hong Kong in 2015, is taking the opportunity to expand its physical presence in Hong Kong by setting up more of its Editions kitchens. Foodpanda, owned by German outfit Delivery Hero SE, has reported an 80 per cent increase in demand over the Lunar New Year holiday period.

“We have also seen a higher demand in areas outside the central business district, such as Kowloon and New Territories, in line with the increased cases of people working from home,” said Arun Makhija, chief executive of Foodpanda Hong Kong.

It is becoming common of late for people to make rice or staples and order food as part of a “family dinner” at home, said Brian Lo, general manager of Deliveroo Hong Kong. Many consumers have opted to stay home to avoid crowded public places amid the viral outbreak, he added.

The surge in demand is in contrast with what is going on in mainland China, where consumers are shunning delivery services on concerns some drivers have been infected by the deadly virus, causing orders to slump by half or more. As a result, Yum China’s chain KFC and Pizza Hut have started their own contactless delivery services, while Meituan Dianping has also initiated the same move at the end of January.

Advertisement