Uber unveils its food delivery service UberEATS in Mumbai; to compete with Swiggy and Zomato

Uber, the world’s largest ride sharing firm, has unveiled its food delivery service UberEATS in Mumbai, exactly 2 years after its domestic competitor Ola unceremoniously closed its food delivery service. Bhavik Rathod, Head of UberEATS India, explained the company’s strategic entry, and said that “The introduction of UberEATS in India is a major step in our global expansion strategy and showcases our commitment to the market. The app brings together the perfect pairing of innovative technology and delivery network with our restaurant partners at the tap of a button”. The new service arm of Uber has partnered with 200 restaurants to offer a range of cuisines claiming an average delivery time of 35 minutes.

UberEATS first started in August’14 in Los Angeles, and has spread into 78 cities around the world till now. India is the 7th city in Asia to host the food delivery service. However, it will be competing directly with other food delivery firms in the market such as Swiggy, Foodpanda, Zomato and other niche players. Ironically, Google has also launched its hyperlocal services and meal delivery app Areo in Bangalore and Mumbai. With such intense competition already brimming on the footsteps, it will be interesting to observe how UberEATS creates its own niche and gain market share.