While we all wait for the rollout of the city’s anti-pandemic fund to support residents and businesses affected by the ongoing public health crisis, some of Hong Kong’s biggest companies have also stepped up to help. In a recent announcement, foodpanda, the largest food and grocery delivery platform in Asia, is also rising up to assist those that have been affected by the pandemic.
Foodpanda is launching a series of support measures, amounting to a total of $3 million, including a donation of 12 thousand food vouchers ($1 million worth) for people in need and investment on initiatives for their restaurant partners, shop vendors, and foodpanda fleet.
By mid-March, foodpanda food vouchers will be donated to 15 local charities, including Food Angel, Foodlink Foundation, ImpactHK, Hong Chi Association, Concern for Grassroots Livelihood Alliance, Tuen Mun District Women’s Association, Hong Kong Single Parents Association, Hong Kong Women Worker’s Association, Hong Kong Community Network, Chain of Charity Movement, Social Development Practice and Research Centre – Family Mutual Hub, among others. These vouchers may be redeemed on the foodpanda platform for food delivery or pick-up.
Foodpanda restaurant partners will get a waived monthly listing fee until March 31 and 50 percent discount off paper bags and foodpanda sustainable packaging. Meanwhile, their shop partners will get up to 28 percent reduced commission rate for new small-medium sized local vendors that sell locally produced fresh produce and food ingredients. New vendors to foodpanda mall will get an expedited onboarding process of seven to ten days. The company’s delivery fleet will get free access to 7,000 rapid COVID-19 rapid antigen test kits, an extension of Covid-19 insurance plan coverage, as well as free face masks, hand sanitisers, and durable medical-grade self-sanitising photocatalyst coating for couriers’ thermal bags. The platform is also setting up a dedicated express registration link for F&B staff hard hit by the pandemic who want to apply and join the foodpanda fleet as couriers to gain extra income.
“As members of the Hong Kong community ourselves, our entire team is dedicated to rallying together to find ways to give back to the local public and support our stakeholders, providing temporary relief measures for some,” shares foodpanda Hong Kong’s managing director Ryan Lai. “Apart from providing additional support through various initiatives, we hope that we can also encourage others within the industry to roll out support measures too, as we all fight to overcome the pandemic together,” he adds.