Anywheel x Urbanice Malaysia Launches Affordable Rental Program for Local Food Vendors
Assists vendors to start food delivery services to supplement income during the MCO
Georgetown, May 6: During the Phase 2 of the Movement Control Order (MCO), the government allowed the food premises to operate with extended hours from 8am to 8pm, catering to the increasing demand of take-away orders. Today, food delivery services play a crucial role in movement restriction as it helps to reduce crowding in food stalls, coffee shops and food courts. And the best way to maintain safe social distancing is to #stayathome and order your meals.
Like most of the businesses in Malaysia, our local food vendors are affected by the continuation of the MCO. Many vendors are not equipped or prepared to face the current challenges, even with the necessary financial assistance offered by the Malaysian Government.
Consumer Habits Are Changing, Food Vendors Need To Do More
Crowded food courts and long queues is a thing of the past. Local food vendors whose business depends on neighborhood support are in dire straits as majority of people prefer to stay in and cook or order food delivery.
Engaging food delivery service providers will be one of the options for these food vendors, however the customers who are likely to order from them are just less than 1 km away, which raises the following concerns:
Delivery time
A less than 1 km delivery trip will take a longer time. There is a wait-time for a delivery rider to be dispatched to the food vendor’s location and the delivery rider that accepts the job may not be familiar with the neighborhood the vendor is operating.
Cost of delivery
Local food vendors are operating under thin margins to make their food affordable to the neighborhood, cannot afford to pay for additional costs such as delivery charges, nor are they willing to pass down the delivery charges to their customers, who are price sensitive.
Competition
While online food delivery companies provide online/social platforms for the food vendors to market their products, these neighborhood food stalls or coffeeshops may not get the adequate visibility or the ratings required to compete with the existing restaurants and cafes that are well-established in the digital front.
MOBILITY FOR VENDORS TO SERVICE THEIR NEIGHBORHOOD
Another option for the local vendors to ride out the downturn is – affordable mobility. During the MCO, Anywheel in collaboration with Urbanice Malaysia, has started a food vendor rental program, whereby local food vendors can gain access to Anywheel’s e-scooter and bicycle for RM3 a day.
The objective of the program is to provide mobility to the vendors, to start their own food delivery services in their neighborhood.
Vendors that signs up for the rental program will have access to:
• A mobility device (e-scooter or bicycle)
• A charger set (if applicable)
• Optional item: Basket installation with a max load capacity of 5 kg
• On-boarding & training
Several local food vendors in Penang has signed up for the program. Local Penang-nites will be familiar with these neighborhood stalls like AB Corner, Cakoji Burger and D’Tomato Street from Tanjung Tokong, JT Food from Batu Maung, Hai Nan Town from Georgetown, Poh Hock Cafe and Jia Xian Restaurant from Bayan Baru.
Johan Sammy, Director of Anywheel Malaysia said
“We designed the rental program to support the local vendors in this difficult period and we are here to help as many hawkers as we could. It is also very inspiring to see how the smaller vendors are quick to change their business model to survive. The response to the program has been overwhelming and we are looking into our resources to make this program available to other cities during the MCO”.
Currently the rental program is available in Penang, Shah Alam and Kuala Lumpur. The rental program is valid until the MCO is lifted.
The rental program is not only limited to Malaysia, Anywheel also offer similar packages in Singapore and Thailand. However, the rental rates may vary from country to country.
For more details, please can contact Johan@anywheel.sg or WhatsApp 013-7342207.
DELIVERY SERVICE PROVIDER STARTS TRIAL USING MICRO-MOBILITY
In addition, Anywheel is collaborating with an online service provider to deliver food using e-scooters in Penang. This is the first in Malaysia to test the effectiveness of micro-mobility in delivery services in the urban setting.
The concept of micro-mobility as a mode of transportation is not new. Many logistics and delivery service providers in cities around the world have been using e-scooters and bicycles to beat traffic congestion. Data has shown that micro-mobility improves delivery time for short distance trips, improves rider’s productivity and at the same time, produce less carbon emission compared to other delivery vehicles.
The trial has commenced since April 27. As a standard procedure in Anywheel, delivery riders are required to go through an on-boarding process before allowed to operate the devices. The on-boarding process is done during the device handover, where the rider gets familiarized with the device, how to use the app, riding etiquette and safe-riding techniques.
About Anyweel:
Anywheel is one of the largest active-mobility sharing operators in Singapore, currently offers its app-based services in Singapore, Thailand and Malaysia. Anywheel aims to provide greater mobility to commuters through sustainable eco-friendly alternatives by providing a variety of devices, including bicycles, power-assisted bicycles and e-scooters. Anywheel rides are a hassle-free experience at affordable price, its station less system and high-quality devices.
Go Anywhere with Anywheel!
For further information and inquiries about Anywheel, contact:
Johan Sammy
Head of Expansion & Partnerships
+65 8458 2207
johan@anywheel.sg
http://www.anywheel.sg
