Food delivery brands in Asia stay nimble amid lockdowns

After several months of lockdowns and confinements, the food delivery industry has gone from just delivering meals to peoples' houses to bringing the restaurant home. As people have gone past the novelty of ordering takeaway, they are asking for more unique experiences of their food delivery apps and brands, who are rushing to cater to the changing needs of these consumers, a new study by Circus Social notes. 

In emerging markets, where the appetite for food delivery is just being whetted, consumers are using takeaway not just to bring their favourite food joints home, but also to discover new food and discover new eating options too. As embattled restaurants seek out home-bound consumers in these countries, they are leaning more heavily on these delivery services to stay afloat. 

As consumers seek home comforts from delivered food, results from this survey also suggest a split between markets on meal preferences. For example, consumers in South Korea and Australia search for food that is close by, while those in Singapore and Indonesia focus more on satisfying their cravings. 

As food delivery companies and brands seek new consumers to sustain their businesses, this report suggests that there is growth coming from unexpected quarters such as Japan, even as mature markets such as Australia and Singapore continue to grow. In this survey period alone, Japanese consumers showed a near three-fold growth in consumer interest.