• Additional relief initiatives will support over 30,000 merchant partners and small businesses 
• Reduced commission rate to 25% for campaign period 1 — 30 June 2021
• New SMEs and vendor partners will receive 0% commission for first month from activation
• Campaign is part of the Ministry of Commerce and Department of Internal Trade’s Lot 11 promotion for restaurants, shops and the community
• In total this year, foodpanda has invested almost THB 200 million to support local SMEs, the largest amount invested across all delivery platforms in Thailand. 

BANGKOK, THAILAND — 28 MAY 2021 — foodpanda, Thailand’s leading on-demand food and grocery delivery platform, has announced a new campaign supporting local small businesses affected by the third wave of the COVID-19 pandemic. The new #SupportSME campaign includes a series of SME relief initiatives, such as reduced commissions and fee waivers during the campaign period. foodpanda expects that more than 30,000 small businesses will benefit from its #SupportSME campaign.

From 1-30 June 2021, existing foodpanda merchants that are located in the Bangkok and Greater Bangkok area (Nonthaburi, Samutprakarn and Pathumthani) — areas which were greatly affected in this third wave — will be eligible for a reduced commission rate of 25%. New small- and medium-enterprises (SMEs) and fresh market vendors who sign up to join the foodpanda platform will receive 0% commission in their first month on the platform. 

foodpanda’s #SupportSME campaign is launched in conjunction with the Ministry of Commerce and Department of Internal Trade’s Lot 11 promotion for restaurants, shops and the community. With the inclusion of foodpanda’s campaign earlier this year, foodpanda has invested a total of almost THB 200 million in 2021 alone to help SMEs and fresh market vendors through the pandemic. 

“Hundreds of thousands of riders, merchants and local small businesses earn a livelihood via the foodpanda platform everyday. The third wave of the pandemic has affected small businesses — so we feel obliged to support our partners with our #SupportSME campaign. With this, foodpanda not only directly supports small businesses, we also want to encourage our customers to join us in helping local SMEs through tough times,” said Alexander Felde, Co-founder & Managing Director of foodpanda Thailand.

“We’re thankful for foodpanda’s commitment and generosity in helping our local small businesses, throughout the year,” said Mr. Wattanasak Sur-iam, Director General, Department of Internal Trade. “By also including customers in their initiatives, foodpanda demonstrates the spirit of togetherness in the community, in helping our local businesses during these tough times.”

Making deliveries affordable and accessible, so customers can support local Thai businesses

foodpanda is also allotting THB 40 million worth of vouchers and promotions (including buy-1-get-1-free deals) to encourage more customers to support their favourite local businesses during the campaign period. This represents up to 60% discount deals across 13,000 participating restaurants nationwide. 

Supporting Thailand through the COVID-19 pandemic – what has been done so far

These new initiatives are the latest round of efforts by foodpanda Thailand to help merchants access a new platform to grow their business, riders the opportunity to earn extra income , and for customers to receive food and groceries affordable, safely and conveniently.

“As the first and leading food delivery platform in Thailand and the only one that serves customers nationwide across all 77 provinces, we are helping millions of people across the country to receive food and daily essentials safely at their doorsteps. We remain committed to care for our customers, riders and restaurant partners by providing essential and the best possible service across Thailand,” said Mr. Alexander Felde. 

Earlier this year, foodpanda joined the Department of Internal Trade and Ministry of Commerce in supporting SMEs and street food vendors nationwide, pledging an additional budget support of over THB 115 million with its #supportSME40 campaign. The campaign featured 0% commissions for new vendors and voucher codes to encourage customers to support local small businesses. 

foodpanda also provides an important lifeline for riders to earn a living. To keep them safe while on deliveries, all orders are contactless by default to minimise contact. In the event that a rider tests positive for COVID-19, foodpanda will maintain his batch level till he recovers. Top riders who are on the road most often also get free COVID-19 insurance, while foodpanda partners with insurance companies to provide subsidised COVID-19 insurance for all riders nationwide.

To support local frontliners, foodpanda recently made a donation of daily essentials at a local field hospital to show our support to medical frontliners.foodpanda’s #SupportSME campaign will run from 1 to 30 June 2021. SMEs and fresh food vendors who are keen to sign up for the campaign can visit: http://restaurant.foodpanda.co.th.