FoodTech startup AirAsia food is shaking up the food delivery scene in Malaysia

AirAsia food is a Malaysia super app launched in May 2020 to help support local and small food and beverage businesses during the coronavirus pandemic. With restaurants only allowed to offer take-out services, AirAsia food’s riders continue to do their part in helping keep everyone safe at home as Malaysian complies with the Movement Control Order (MCO 2.0).

Unlike its competitors, AirAsia food offers a zero per cent commission to merchants who sign up with its delivery services. With restaurants only allowed to offer take-out services, F&B operators pin their hopes on delivery orders while awaiting diners to visit their outlets again when things get better.

Seven months down the road, AirAsia food with its signature ‘Red’ delivery bag and some of the most good-looking delivery squads in town has grown exponentially, with new merchants signing up every day and riders adding more delivery mileage every second. The company plans to expand its food delivery this year.

Commenting of AirAsia, food operator Desonny Tuzan, founder of Charlie’s Cafe & Bakery, a neighbourhood cafe in Taman Bukit Desa specialising in home-cooked comfort food, said: “More F&B businesses are on the digital and delivery bandwagon, and we are experiencing more competition in terms of online food business compared to the first lockdown period last year. To counter this, we are very much focused on our food quality to make a better impression for our customers. Food delivery makes up 95% of our current business and I foresee that it will continue to grow and eventually make up to 50% of total business.”

Carmen Lau, the owner of Dáo, a dessert shop in Subang Jaya that focuses on bringing the best soybean products, shared: “After the first MCO, we are more aware of the public’s views and needs, hence we are able to provide better and more suitable bundles of our products to fulfil all of our customer’s needs in these trying times. Like it or not, food delivery services are here to stay, and the range of customers in terms of demographics are from all levels of society now. We are glad that we have a food delivery service to support our business during this pandemic.”

In addition to Charlie’s Cafe & Bakery and Dao, AirAsia food features a total of 1,100 merchants and growing. Among the popular ones, apart from AirAsia’s very own Santan, are Pasta Panas, Flour, Kubis & Kale, Tony Roma’s, Sepiring, and Din Tai Fung.

The second time around (yes, we’re talking about MCO 2.0), Malaysians have gotten accustomed to what needs to be done during a lockdown, and so are F&B operators. Many who have pivoted from only dine-in to also include delivery in the previous year, are pulling a strong game with new menus and promotional offers to ensure business sustainability throughout the movement control order.

To expand its delivery into seven more cities across Malaysia, Teleport will also begin its very own Community Entrepreneur Programme in February 2021 – a program catered for enterprising individuals to grow Teleport’s delivery service in specific cities. Interested individuals may apply at teleport.asia/TheNextTony by 29 January 2021