Rocket Internet’s FoodPanda gets additional US$20mil

By Digital News Asia February 5, 2014

Helps restaurants increase delivery sales through online and mobile platforms
Aiming to continue global ambitions and roll out to over 40 markets by the end of Q1

Rocket Internet’s FoodPanda gets additional US$20mil FOODPANDA and its affiliated brand HelloFood, an online food delivery marketplace, received another US$20 million in funding from a group of investors including Phenomen Ventures.

In 2013, FoodPanda secured more than US$20 million funding from Phenomen Ventures and Investment AB Kinnevik, and US$8 million from iMENA Holdings.

With the new investment, FoodPanda is aiming to continue its global ambitions and roll out to over 40 markets by the end of the first quarter this year, the company said in a statement.

Last year, FoodPanda expanded into 20 more countries and launched a mobile app for the iOS and Android platforms. It would be expanding into eight more countries this year, including Croatia, Bulgaria, Serbia, Slovenia, Kazakhstan, Azerbaijan, Tanzania and Uganda.

FoodPanda and HelloFood are currently active in Argentina, Bangladesh, Brazil, Chile, Colombia, Czech Republic, Ghana, Hungary, India, Indonesia, Ivory Coast, Jordan, Kazakhstan, Kenya, Malaysia, Mexico, Morocco, Nigeria, Pakistan, Peru, Poland, Romania, Russia, Rwanda, Saudi Arabia, Senegal, Singapore, Slovakia, Taiwan, Tanzania, Thailand, Uganda, Ukraine, Venezuela, and Vietnam.

“We are currently the most globally prominent online marketplace for food delivery, active and rising in Asia, Europe, Latin America, the Middle East and Africa,” said cofounder and global managing director Ralf Wenzel.

“Having acquired the trust from experienced investors, we will be able to continue our growth strategy to become a truly global Internet brand. Further to this, we will push our expansion within our existing markets, to gain presence at every corner of every country we are active in.

“We continue to invest in customer service, creating the most convenient way to order food – no matter where you are,” he said.

FoodPanda said it helps restaurants increase delivery sales through online and mobile platforms and provides them with constantly evolving technology and analytics.

Customers can choose their favourite meal online and FoodPanda processes the order directly to the restaurant, which delivers the meal to the customer. FoodPanda said it has partnered with over 22.000 restaurants worldwide.