Lunch Actually Group merges with Indonesian dating platform Setipe

• Hopes to leverage on Setipe’s knowledge of local dating culture
• Setipe will join Lunch Actually Group’s stable of brands

SINGAPORE-based online dating platform Lunch Actually Group merges with Indonesian online dating service, Setipe.

Together,  they  hope  to  strengthen  their  foothold  in  the  country  by  providing  a  holistic  dating   solution  to  address  the  needs  of  all  serious  singles  in  Indonesia.

“With Setipe’s strong knowledge of local dating culture and the top-of-mind brand recall for Indonesian singles, topped with Lunch Actually Group’s 13 years of experience, regional presence and our proven dating offerings, we are confident that by coming together with Setipe, we will grow our business to an unprecedented level in Indonesia,” says Lunch Actually Group chief executive officer and co-founder Violet Lim in a press release.

Since  both  companies’  inception, Lunch  Actually  Group and Setipe have been clear  about  their  primary   objective;  that  is  to  help  serious  singles  find  love. In an era where hook‐ups and casual dating is the norm, their shared vision for helping serious singles is the foundation that initiated and solidified their union.

“Lunch Actually Group brings tremendous value to the table by leveraging on their vast experience, regional access and together with Setipe provide a comprehensive portfolio of dating services from offline match-making, online and mobile dating app, as well as date coaching services,” said Setipe founder and chief executive officer Razi Thalib.

Launched in 2004 by husband and wife team Jamie Lee and Violet Lim, Lunch Actually Group went on to expand to Kuala Lumpur, Penang, Hong Kong, Jakarta and Bangkok.

Lunch Actually Group has more than half a million members in its combined database and has arranged more than 93,000 dates. In the last six years, the group’s cash revenue has been growing by 30% to 50% year on year.

“We saw great potential for synergy in our respective brands, businesses and company cultures. We are impressed with what Razi and his team have done to grow Setipe, and we are excited to have them complement our expansion into Indonesia,” Lim adds.

Launched in 2013, with over 800,000 members and over 200 documented marriages, Setipe is an online matchmaking service for singles to have a private, safer, and more effective place to meet other compatible singles.

Setipe is equipped with a personality profiling and matchmaking engine developed with the support of clinical psychologists to connect singles that match.  

“After three years in operation, Setipe has gained impressive traction and growth but for us to monetise effectively, Indonesia still requires strong offline services due to low credit card penetration rates and less than half the population having internet access,” Razi adds.

Lunch Actually’s merger with Setipe is a key milestone in their hopes of reaching a greater audience in Indonesia and taking their operations to new heights. Similar to Lunch Actually, Setipe members comprise mainly of working professionals who value privacy and confidentiality.

With this merger, Setipe will join Lunch Actually Group’s stable of brands including Lunch Actually, esync, LunchClick and Lunch Actually Academy. The Group will serve a growing database of two million singles in Indonesia.

Razi will remain as chief executive officer of Setipe and will also head up Lunch Actually Group’s Indonesian operations. And with his team at Setipe, they will join the 110 people team of ‘Cupids’ and ‘Transformers’ at the Lunch Actually Group. 

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