UberEats SA has become the latest food delivery service to partner with a retailer on providing food and essential products to customers during the nation-wide level four lockdown.
The Uber Technologies-owned delivery service has signed an exclusive deal with Game, which allows customers to order Game essential products online, and have them delivered to their doorstep.
The coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic continues to sweep through SA, with infection cases rising to 11 350, with 206 deaths and 4 357 recoveries, by the time of publishing.
With many local restaurants remaining closed during level four lockdown, food delivery apps have continued to take a blow, forcing them to re-focus their business model to cater for customers’ essential needs during the lockdown.
Last month, UberEats rival Mr D Food announced a partnership with Checkers, to deliver prescriptions and medication to its MediRite pharmacy customers.
On-demand alcohol delivery app Quench is collaborating with Woolworths SA to provide same-day delivery of groceries to customers in major centres across SA.
This after SA’s largest grocery online service, Pick n Pay Online, also partnered with alcohol delivery app, BOTTLES, to help the retailer meet the significant increase in online orders.
As SA enters day 48 of the nationwide lockdown, Game, which has its own delivery service, says it is experiencing significantly high volumes of online orders.
“The pandemic has made us rethink how we do business and encouraged us to create new norms,” says Andrew Stein, VP of Game Stores.
“This partnership is a step into the future, with companies having to be agile and adaptable to situations as they arise. We are doing everything we can to keep our customers stocked with everything they need, and our partnership with UberEats allows us to do that through an exciting channel.”
The phased rollout will see 21 Game stores in Cape Town, Durban, Johannesburg and Pretoria launching the new service, with more to be rolled out over the next few weeks.
The company is currently offering free delivery for customers who have the promo code "UNLTDZA", which applies to new and existing users, until 31 May at 20:00.
UberEats says it has taken several enhanced safety precautions with deliveries, including offering a contactless delivery option on checkout, which allows customers to request their delivery be “left at the door”.
Meanwhile, food-focused business, restaurant listing and advertising platform InstaEats says it has shifted its business model to create a directory which now includes any type of food being produced and delivered during lockdown.
The company, which has 70 000 social media followers across its various channels and 5 000 e-mail subscribers, is also using its platform to create awareness around food charities that are assisting vulnerable people with food.
“While in the process of this shift, the InstaEats team realised that, while restaurants are struggling to survive, there was a growing need for food as unemployment and job losses affected the most vulnerable in society,” says InstaEats in a statement.
Some of the charity organisations InstaEats is working with include: Eat Out Restaurant Relief Fund,Cape Town Soup Group, Umthunzi Farming Community and One Bag Full.
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