Pakistan has joined the comity of nations where digital technology not only satisfies the quest for knowledge but also quells the appetites of busy individuals.
Asia’s largest food delivery company, Food Panda, has taken the lion’s share in food delivery systems within Pakistan, reshaping the way food is delivered.
Food Panda CEO, Muntaqa Peracha says that his digital delivery company proved “disruptive” to the restaurant industry in 2015, which had until then relied on walk-in customers.
Peracha claims it made restaurants pivot to delivery services provided by Food Panda, from which they pocketed new earnings.
“We not only have customers who buy from the store, but they also order our goods online through Food Panda,” says Afzal, a bakery employee.
Food Panda boasts that it has created first time entrepreneurs, who are predominantly women.
That also enables them to benefit from assistance given by the UN to bodies working with women on issues of self-empowerment.
However, some restaurant owners say that Food Panda has expanded its profit margin, which has cut into their income.
Paracha defends the company’s policies.
“As far as taxes are concerned, we charge the amount mandated by the government. We can’t charge any more or any less.”
But another business owner, Muhammad Ashraf is not convinced. He claims that Food Panda deducts a significant portion of their earnings, sending them in losses.
As a result, currently 38 percent restaurants have formed their own on-line delivery services. In addition, digital transport has enabled food caterers to deliver their own groceries and food items.
Meanwhile, food delivery riders employed by Food Panda, gave an overall positive assessment of their job of delivering food to customers.
In this competitive environment, the greatest satisfaction was expressed by a customer who routinely orders from Food Panda.
Saad Alam says that the facility of being able to order food saves him much time in his busy schedule.
This convenience factor, coupled with the variety of menus displayed by Food Panda, has allowed it to retain a monopoly of 35 percent of the market share in Pakistan’s food delivery systems.