Technology fires up the online takeaway industry

Technology fires up the online takeaway industry

Mobile apps and the ease of ordering online are changing the eating habits of Kiwis.

Research sourced by global takeaway giant Just Eat, owner of online food delivery service Menulog, shows New Zealand is one of the fastest growing takeaway markets in the world.

The Global Data research for the foodservice sector shows an annual growth of 6.7 percent for the New Zealand takeaway delivery market by 2021, which is more than double the growth of the dine in and pick-up takeaway markets*.

Kiwi's are also quick to embrace online methods for ordering takeaway, with latest Menulog figures showing 6 in 10 Aucklanders have already ordered takeaway via an app or website**.

Menulog pioneered online food delivery in New Zealand over seven years ago and predates the entry of all other market competitors.

Menulog NZ Commercial Director, Paul Dodds, says the food and hospitality sector is going through phenomenal growth and change because of technology.

“Mobile apps and online food ordering platforms like Menulog have transformed an industry that really hasn’t changed much in the past 100 years or so,” he says.

Dodds says technology is continuing to have an influence on all aspects of people’s lives and now it’s changing their eating habits.

“Mobile phones and the internet have made ordering takeaways even more convenient for people. They can now get food from their favourite restaurant, or a huge number of other types of food, delivered right to their door instead of having to go out.”

Dodds compares the growing online food delivery sector to the way retailers have used online shopping to offer consumers a larger range of products while also increasing convenience.

“People are busy and they’re using technology more and more to help free up their time – ordering their favourite food straight to their door is the perfect example of this.”

Last year, Menulog saw a 42 percent increase in orders, with the group generating more than $600 million in orders for local businesses across New Zealand and Australia. With the ongoing growth of the sector, this is a trend that is set to increase.

Dodds says while people still love to eat out, the demand from consumers for home delivery is reflected in the large numbers of restaurants now using online platforms such as Menulog.

“The New Zealand takeaway market is growing more than twice as fast as the dine-in sector which is reflected in the volume of orders Menulog is doing and means there is now a huge variety of cuisine ready to be delivered to your door.”

Paul Brandwood, owner of Wok Express, says technology is now an essential part of its business and the convenience of ordering online has changed people’s eating habits.

“When we first started out in 2006 online ordering only represented 10 percent of our order numbers. But this has jumped to more than 60 percent and we have restructured our business model to prioritise online ordering and home delivery with the help of Menulog.”

He says offering home delivery with Menulog allows Wok Express access to a larger audience and gives those who are either too busy to cook, or go out for dinner, the chance to experience its food.

“Being on Menulog means we have access to an audience base of over 150,000 – a number we would never get with walk-in and telephone orders. It’s a natural extension to our business and complements our goal of offering delicious and tasty food for our customers.”

The Menulog platform is designed to give each customer a personalised experience by pre-empting what and where they like to eat, and offer food and restaurant recommendations based on their previous orders. Menulog is New Zealand’s largest online takeaway and home delivery company with more than 900 restaurants across New Zealand – and over 500 in Auckland.

Menulog is also Australia's biggest online takeaway and home delivery service with more than 9,000 partner restaurants. The Menulog Group is part of Just Eat, the global leader in food delivery in 12 regions.

*Source: Global Data Market Analysis. Data includes Operator Selling Price for FSR and QSR restaurants. Excludes Ice Cream Parlours and Tea/Coffee shops
**Source: Just Eat Group Global Brand Tracker, conducted by Engage Research. Sample of Auckland respondents = 385

© Scoop Media