Zomato Tackles Food Waste with New Discounted 'Food Rescue' Feature

 Zomato has introduced a new feature called "Food Rescue" to address the issue of food waste, which is a major environmental and social concern in this day and age. The 'Food Rescue' project ensures that perfectly fine food is not thrown away by allowing Zomato users to buy previously canceled orders at a discounted price. With this feature, Zomato hopes to help consumers, eateries, and delivery partners while promoting a sustainable food consumption culture.

The Purpose Behind Zomato’s 'Food Rescue' Feature

Food wastage is a prevalent issue in the food delivery industry, exacerbated by order cancellations. Zomato CEO Deepinder Goyal highlighted that more than 400,000 orders are canceled on Zomato each month, despite the platform's strict no-refund policy. Goyal posted on the social media platform X (formerly Twitter), stating, "We don’t encourage order cancellation at Zomato, because it leads to a tremendous amount of food wastage. Despite stringent policies and a no-refund policy for cancellations, more than 4 lakh perfectly good orders get canceled on Zomato, for various reasons by customers."

In response, Zomato has introduced 'Food Rescue' to combat this challenge by allowing customers located within a 3-kilometer radius of the delivery partner to purchase these recently cancelled orders at reduced prices. The objective is twofold: to prevent food from being wasted and to provide cost-effective meals to customers nearby.

Understanding Zomato’s 'Food Rescue' Process

The mechanism of the 'Food Rescue' feature is straightforward yet effective. When an order is canceled, it is made available on the app for nearby customers who can access it at a discounted price. The app detects customers within a 3-kilometer radius, who can then purchase the order directly through the app, ensuring a swift transaction that saves time and reduces food waste.

• Availability Window: To maintain the quality and freshness of the food, these canceled orders are only listed for a limited time.
• Temperature-Sensitive Items Exclusion: Items that are sensitive to temperature fluctuations, such as ice creams, shakes, and other similar products, are not included to ensure customers receive food that maintains its quality.
• Vegetarian and Non-Vegetarian Segregation: For customers' convenience and to respect dietary preferences, vegetarian items are only shown to vegetarian users, and non-vegetarian items are not displayed to those who prefer vegetarian options.

Benefits for Customers, Restaurants, and Delivery Partners

Customer Advantages

Through the 'Food Rescue' feature, customers gain access to discounted meals, allowing them to enjoy quality food at a fraction of the original cost. This unique initiative is ideal for those who live close to restaurants or delivery hubs and are open to spontaneous meal options.

Additionally, customers who canceled orders can benefit financially if they paid online, as a portion of the payment from the new buyer is reimbursed to them. This process ensures a seamless experience for customers while contributing to food waste reduction.

Restaurant Partners’ Benefits

For restaurant partners, Zomato’s 'Food Rescue' presents a way to minimize the impact of canceled orders. By selling these orders to other customers at a discounted rate, restaurants can still receive a portion of the payment without suffering a complete financial loss. Participating restaurants also help promote sustainable practices within the food delivery ecosystem.

Importantly, restaurant partners have the flexibility to opt out of the 'Food Rescue' feature if they choose not to participate. They can adjust their preferences easily through their partner app and dashboard, maintaining control over how their operations interact with this feature.

Delivery Partners’ Role and Compensation

Zomato’s recent shareholder letter noted that the platform had around 498,000 active delivery partners per month in the last quarter. With 'Food Rescue,' delivery partners play a vital role in both the initial pickup and final delivery to the new customer. This feature enhances their earning potential by compensating them for each leg of the delivery process. The delivery partner receives payment not only for the initial pickup but also for the last-mile delivery to the new customer, contributing to fair compensation and support for delivery personnel.

Food Rescue aligns with a broader movement toward sustainability in food services. By curbing food waste, Zomato’s initiative reduces the environmental burden associated with discarded food, which includes greenhouse gas emissions from rotting food in landfills. With a growing awareness of sustainability, 'Food Rescue' appeals to socially responsible consumers who seek ways to minimize their carbon footprint.

As more customers become aware of the environmental impact of food wastage, initiatives like 'Food Rescue' can influence consumer behavior by encouraging them to opt for surplus food options. This approach has the potential to drive a shift in the food delivery industry toward sustainable practices and minimize food-related environmental impacts.

How to Access the 'Food Rescue' Feature on Zomato

For customers interested in accessing Zomato's 'Food Rescue', here’s how it works:

1. Location-Based Access: Customers within 3 kilometers of the delivery partner holding a cancelled order will see these options pop up on their app interface.
2. Limited-Time Offer: The feature is time-sensitive to ensure food remains fresh. Customers are encouraged to act quickly if they want to claim an order at a discounted price.
3. Easy Payment Process: Payments for 'Food Rescue' orders are processed through the app, with a portion of the payment returned to the original customer if the order was prepaid.

Zomato’s 'Food Rescue' is part of a series of new initiatives aimed at enhancing user experience and providing added value to customers. Other recent innovations by Zomato include:

• 'Brand Packs': Zomato introduced 'Brand Packs,' which offer additional discounts on food from popular, frequently ordered restaurants.
• Order Tracking Features: In June, Zomato launched a feature displaying the total number of orders a customer has placed, helping users track their usage and loyalty on the platform.

These initiatives underscore Zomato’s commitment to continuously evolving its services to meet the changing needs of consumers and align with sustainable practices.

With the introduction of the 'Food Rescue' feature, Zomato takes a meaningful step toward addressing food wastage while offering financial benefits to customers, restaurants, and delivery partners. By making canceled orders available to nearby customers at a discount, Zomato not only minimizes food waste but also encourages sustainable consumer practices.

As consumers continue to prioritize sustainability and environmental consciousness, Zomato’s 'Food Rescue' sets a powerful example of how technology and innovative thinking can contribute to social and environmental causes. This initiative will likely inspire similar platforms to adopt sustainable solutions and further the impact of food delivery apps in the journey toward sustainability.

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