UberEATS, Uber’s food delivery service, launched today in Singapore, its first Asian market. With this launch, Singaporeans can now download the standalone app, and order food from about 100 restaurants.
The app first debuted in Toronto at the beginning of this year, before expanding to four major U.S. cities in March. It is the first standalone app that isn’t about getting a ride.
This app offers a window into what that future could look like. And it suggests Uber will follow a portfolio strategy for its apps–building standalone software for different services much like Facebook has done by breaking out Messenger from its main Facebook app.
Uber, which has raised $9 billion in funding so far, has said that it plans to become a major hyperlocal logistics player, providing quick deliveries of food and packages, instead of just rides.
However, it definitely will not have the same easy ride it had with the ride-sharing app. When it launched UBER, there were no digital options for rides, and many cities didn’t have reliable car service or taxis systems. But in the food-ordering space, it has many contenders including the likes of Rocket Internet’s hellofood, FoodPanda. But one thing it has, is access to existing Uber account holders hence it will be able to promote UberEATS to the current base. It also has the advantage of the same map-routing algorithms Uber uses to connect drivers and passengers as quickly as possible to avoid canceled rides.
Back to my original question, When will it come to Africa? I don’t know but one thing is for sure, it is inevitable.
Or maybe Ebi Atawodi, General Manager, UBER Nigeria, can answer this question.
