The Delivery Prophets – Details, episodes & analysis

Welcome to our debut episode of Delivery Prophets: Across Borders, where your hosts JJ and Peter Backman dive deep into the evolving world of food delivery – one region at a time. In today's episode, we zoom into Asia and explore the critical role of delivery riders, compare delivery trends across Asia and Europe, and discuss the impact of super apps like Grab and Gojek on the industry.

In this episode, we discuss:

• How local cuisine plays a significant role in Asian markets
• How cultural differences affect delivery times and customer behaviour
• the economic and logistical challenges unique to Asia
• the market dynamics post-COVID-19
• And the shift towards multi-industry services

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Maurice Abboudi is an experienced board member, operator, investor and advisor to the hospitality and leisure sector. He was the board advisor to Just Eat 2016 -2019 and previously Director of Business Development at Domino’s Pizza Group. He is also an advisor to several restaurant groups including ASK/Zizzi, Wagamama, Tortilla, Chipotle, Smith & Wollensky, and Vice-chair of the British Takeaway Campaign.

We dive into the challenges of growing restaurant delivery services, from increasing order sizes to targeting corporate orders. Maurice shares his journey from starting a pizza delivery business to working with major players like Domino’s and Just Eat. We also explore the evolution of last-mile delivery, the role of third-party companies, and the critical issue of managing peak times and customer data.

Links Mentioned

Maurice Abboudi on LinkedIn

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Former Managing Director of Deliveroo, Dan Warne is the CEO and Founder of Sessions, the platform for founder-led food brands to develop and scale. Our discussion unravels the new opportunities for independent restaurant brands, how data is revolutionising the consumer experience, and the complexities of grocery delivery. In the final segment of our chat, Dan provides an insightful perspective on the perils of venture capital and the potential pitfalls when businesses try to scale too quickly.

Links mentioned

Dan’s LinkedIn

Sessions

Chris Baggott is the co-founder and CEO of ClusterTruck, a successful software startup in the delivery sector. Chris shares how his problem-solving nature led him to the delivery industry and the success he's had in the software and restaurant business. Tune in as we unpack the delivery drivers' role in profitability, ghost Kitchens and efficiency, and the driver-centric food delivery model.

Links mentioned

ClusterTruck: https://www.clustertruck.com/

Founder of Lean Kitchen Network, Faraz Nagree, joins the show to explore how he is on a mission to create the world's largest sustainable kitchen network and deliver remarkable food experiences. They licence food brands to kitchen operators with under-utilised kitchens in order to help them improve customer experience and kitchen profitability.

The conversation delves into the power of food and its involvement in various parts of our lives, including hospitality and operations. We explore menu innovation in restaurants, establishing relationships with virtual brands, having a brand rule book – and why delivering experience is key.

Links mentioned

The Lean Kitchen Network: https://thelkn.com/

Connect with Faraz on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/faraz-nagree-76a9b215/

Tim Vasilakis is the founder and CEO of The Athenian, the multi-award winning Greek street food restaurant chain. Born in Athens, Tim grew up immersed in Greek cuisine and learned to fish during summers on the Aegean island of Chios. After studying in Edinburgh, Tim began his culinary career when he moved to London and fell in love with street food.

Tune in as we explore delivery’s evolution into physical spaces, expanding aggregator services, the role of franchising, and his journey of writing his cookbook ‘The Athenian: Eat Like a Greek’.

Links mentioned

Restaurant Brands International (RBI)

‘The Athenian’ by Tim Vasilakis

The Athenian Instagram

The Athenian TikTok

Today’s guest is Jamie Barber, a British restaurateur, founder and CEO of Hush restaurant in London, the Hache Burgers chain and the Cabana Brasilian Barbecue group. He joins the show to unpack his latest venture – My Supper Hero – a finish-at-home meal kit start-up launched to the public in October 2021 with Myleene Klass.

Tune in to this episode as we unpack the market for restaurant meals served at home, how they use a dark kitchen as a production facility, the use case for serving customers in rural areas, and why they envision having a high-street space to promote the business. 

Links mentioned

My Supper Hero: https://www.mysupperhero.com/

The Delivery Prophets Episode 1: https://player.captivate.fm/episode/b24f1eed-44d4-4bfc-a619-9784c9648013

The Delivery Prophets: https://www.thedelivery.world/thedeliveryprophets

Get ready to revolutionize your foodservice delivery game with today's guest, Eccie Newton, the co-founder of Karma Kitchen! The traditional restaurant model can be tough to manage, but Eccie has found a solution in Dark Kitchens. These kitchens provide all the infrastructure you need to run a successful delivery operation, without the costly overhead of a traditional restaurant.

But that's not all! We'll also be discussing how to improve the delivery experience for your customers, and how Karma Kitchen's local community-focused ‘Food Hubs’ are changing the game. And let's not forget about virtual restaurants for local markets and how dark kitchens can benefit small businesses.

So buckle up and get ready for an exciting episode full of valuable insights and tips for taking your foodservice delivery business to the next level. Let's go!

Links mentioned

Karma Kitchen: https://www.karmakitchen.co/

Our guest today is Matt Price, General Manager of Uber Eats, where we dive deep into the evolving world of food delivery. The impact of the COVID-19 pandemic has permanently shifted consumer habits towards home delivery, and we'll explore how this trend is here to stay across all demographics.

From leveraging data to enhance restaurant growth and consumer experience to the pivotal role of technology and partnerships, Matt sheds light on Uber Eats' ambitious vision to be synonymous with food delivery. We'll discuss the significance of creating exceptional delivery experiences, the potential of delivery-only kitchens, and the crucial role of predictable, effortless service.

Links Mentioned

Mark Price on LinkedIn

Uber Eats

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Mark Murphy is the co-founder and CEO of Burgerism, which is set to become the number one delivery burger brand across the UK. Launched in April 2018, from a dark kitchen in Manchester, they sold exclusively through the delivery marketplaces. They have now become a cult burger brand across the region. In 2023, The Times' listed Burgerism #7 on Britain's Best Burgers, while we also ranked as the most popular dish on Deliveroo in Manchester.

Tune in as we dissect the challenges of scaling a delivery brand, seeking balance for sustainable growth in the delivery sector, Burgerism's focus on the Manchester market and potential saturation, and the trend of suburban delivery demand and expansion opportunities.

Links Mentioned:

Mark Murphy on LinkedIn

Burgerism

Like the show? We’d be hugely grateful if you could help us spread the word by taking 1 minute to leave us a rating and review on your podcast platform of choice. Full instructions at https://www.thedelivery.world/ratingsandreviews.