In its three years, Uber Eats has had a significant effect on the food consumption industry in South Africa. The three core groups functioning with the app provide a summary of what Uber Eats was able to achieve locally in just over 1 000 days:

Consumer Committed

The global brand has both expanded and has localised internally in each region that it has operated in. The decision to launch in South Africa in 2016 provided Uber Eats with an opportunity to localise food delivery to the climate of South Africa.

The delivery app says that South African locals have a strong sense of pride and that celebrating cultural authenticity is a must. "When we launched in South Africa, we knew from the get-go that the app needed to celebrate diversity and promote inclusivity when it comes to foods and flavours," says Ailyssa Pretorius, general manager at Uber Eats South Africa.

"The country is rich with various unique cuisines that you aren't able to find anywhere else and providing local restaurants with a platform to grow this was imperative," adds Pretorius.  

Based on the recent Uber Eats Local Cravings Report, it was identified that South Africans love supporting locals and home-known flavours. Some of the largest international food chains had to adapt menu items to cater for the consumer — as many as 1 000 order requests were asking for traditional starch to be swapped out for local pap.

Uber Eats then added the firm South African favourite fast-food franchise Chicken Licken onto the app. The inclination towards supporting locals and home-known flavours, according to the app, saw some of the biggest food chains internationally change menu options to better suit the audience. KFC introduced the starch-swap option of gravy for pap, while the app provided a platform for local favourites like Kotas and Vetkoek to grow in popularity.

In October this year, the app will launch two new features. The first feature, according to the app, will be an allergy alert, which will inform consumers up-front of any possible allergy-prone ingredient that their orders may contain. The feature aims to help reduce the potential risk of accidental consumption and to offer piece-of-mind.

The second feature update will build on creating a more sustainably-conscious app. The app will do this by offering consumers a utensil opt-in option. This will allow consumers to request whether or not they require cutlery with their order. This feature intends to significantly reduce plastic wastage.

Couriers Contribution

Uber Eats has brought in an opportunity for multiple locals to earn a living by joining as a courier. With rapid expansions, the app has entered four new cities this year alone (Bloemfontein, Paarl, Kloof and Soweto), bringing the total tally to nine cities countrywide and offering more locals the opportunity to join the app.

Additionally, the app strives to localise by creating new, low-barrier entry methods for couriers to join by introducing delivery through non-motorised vehicles, such as bicycles.

Uber Eats provides couriers with a variety of safety equipment (including branded and reflective jackets and a helmet) and onboard training to ensure that they are best equipped to make use of the app, while remaining safe on local roads.

The app says that courier vehicles also undergo a third-party inspection to ensure roadworthiness before being given access onto the Uber Eats platform. While most orders are completed in under 30 minutes, to date the record for this year was done in just nine minutes. The app says that this proves that couriers truly enjoy the experience and want to provide the best possible service to consumers and locals alike.

Restaurant Relationships

With more than 3 000 active restaurants, over 480 000 menu options and a total of 80 unique cuisines, consumers are 'spoilt for choice'. Uber Eats has provided a channel that extends on business offerings, increasing the visibility and accessibility of these restaurants, allowing them to enter both niche and wider market shares.

Greig Walker from CNR Café, who joined the app from its launch, says, "Joining Uber Eats at first was a bit of a risky move, because it was fairly new and still building a resonance locally."

"However, three years later, it was a great business decision and the support and research analytics that I receive from the app have allowed us to grow in the most unconventional ways. I'm excited for what's to come and the new opportunities it brings," Walker adds.

Uber Eats says that understanding change and adapting to it is easy, but creating an offering that offers value is the difference. The app 'continues to explore and upgrade', looking for innovative solutions to the latest consumer cravings.

"In three years, the app hasn't just built a name, but it has built an industry that has allowed for countless opportunities for locals to create a living and expand on their business. It isn't just about food or delivery but offering a platform (not just a service) that caters to an era," concludes the UberEats team.

For more information, visit www.ubereats.com. You can also follow Uber Eats South Africa on Facebook, Twitter or on Instagram.