The two operators in 2021 also launched a series of own offline concepts that they use as fast delivery platforms. Thus, these companies are going into direct competition with food retail networks for which they had been just partners.
In early 2021, Foodpanda delivery platform entered retail, a market worth above EUR20-22 billion euros, by opening its own Pandamart-branded stores. These stores deliver in 30 minutes at most, and orders are placed directly on the platform.
Six months later, Glovo officials announced a similar concept. The company thus opened the first Micro Fulfillment Center (MFC) in Romania, in Bucharest. By the end of 2021, the company plans to open 15 units that will secure fast delivery for several product categories in over six cities, among which Bucharest, Brasov, Timisoara, Iasi, Cluj-Napoca and Constanta.
These platforms continue to collaborate with major domestic retailers.
Carrefour also has its own platform, Bringo and Mega Image launched its own fast delivery app, too. On the other side, eMAG, the largest online retailer, which also owns Tazz by eMAG delivery platform, is set to open an online supermarket selling Romanian products, in line with ZF data.
Online food shopping has expanded rapidly during the pandemic, to reach 1% of the entire food retail sector, as Ioana Ilie-Dobre, general manager of the Bringo platform has previously said. By 2025, it could go beyond 4%. Thus, online sales are set to near the EUR1 billion threshold, according to ZF calculations.
In this context, most delivery platforms are tackling this segment.
(English version by Catalina Apostoiu)