E-platforms booming in South-East Asia
Based in Indonesia, HappyFresh is a prime example of a successful e-business model with a massive potential market. The firm’s distribution and home delivery services are organised through local partner retailers. HappyFresh is now growing fast in Jakarta as well as in the west of the country.
Frozen foods boom
“The pandemic has helped generate a boom in online sales of frozen food,” said Gildas Chambrelan, head of food sourcing. Lazara is surfing the rising foodie lifestyle trend among Singaporeans who like to experiment with new products and find e-shopping a good way to discover them. Around 35% of Lazara’s food sales consist of perishables.
Fresh food offers small margins but remains strategic
According to Ryan Vaughan, Nielsen e-commerce expert for Asia-Pacific, Singapore’s e-commerce platforms have been successful in providing a full range of high-value products like berries, wine, meat and seafood. High-quality fresh fish has played a particularly prominent role in attracting new customers. “E-food platforms in South-East Asia still have plenty of room for growth compared with in China,” he said.
Fast home deliveries in Asia
The Asia-Pacific region has one of the fastest delivery systems in the world. For instance, the success of PandaMart is based on an “on-demand” service that brings food to the customer’s doorstep in under 30 minutes, with delivery of essential items and groceries available 24 hours a day, 7 days a week.
