The world has been on a constant revolution from the very moment it was created. The first-ever revolution started in 1776 and, in 1789, when liberty revolutionaries fought against aristocratic and colonial rules. In the 1790s, the world witnessed another wave of a very big industrial revolution when people were forced to quit their jobs and were replaced by machines. Today, once again, the world is being pushed towards another revolution- digitalization, better known as the age of convenience.
From the very moment, digitalization came into existence, a new world, abundant with comfort and ease in every aspect of life, took form. From places as big as business companies to as small as homes, digitalization has made everything easier. There was a time when the concept of “shopping online” wasn’t even thought possible, but today, the majority of stuff is being bought off the internet.
One of the best inventions of the internet is the creation of various applications and websites that deliver everything right at our doorsteps. And for the people residing in the U.K., it is that easy to get Chinese food delivered at their homes, all thanks to HungryPanda, the brainchild of Eric Liu.
THE COMPANY STORY
Eric Liu came up with the idea of starting HungryPanda after he graduated from the University of Nottingham in 2016 with a degree in computer science and management. The company was started with the aim to bring Chinese food to Chinese students, which is why the application is available in only Chinese!
HunngryPanda is a specialist food delivery platform that provides authentic Chinese food and groceries to Chinese compatriots and students living abroad. The first company’s first-ever operations were started in Nottingham, the U.K in 2016 and by 2019, the company had expanded to 19 locations across the U.K. Today, HungryPanda’s business footprint is set in more than 60 major cities across the UK, France, Australia, New Zealand, the US, Canada and more.
HungryPanda is the global leader in delivering Chinese food and groceries with the extensive market coverage, highest user traffic as well as annual transaction volumes. The success is built upon a large vertical with specialized needs and underpinned by its industry-leading operational efficiency and proprietary technology.
THE COMPANY’S SERVICES
Living in an overseas country is pretty challenging, especially for people who have spent a considerable amount of time in their own country. Aside from obvious adjustment issues, many people, especially students, have to overcome language and cultural barriers as well. To address these problems, HungryPanda was created to ensure some level of comfort for the students living overseas.
HungryPanda was created with the aim to “Satisfy Your Chinese Appetite,” which is why it has partnered with a wide range of authentic Chinese restaurants. Even though the food industry is quite competitive, HungryPanda stands prominent in its own niche, which is providing authentic Chinese food to overseas Chinese residents. For HungryPanda, customers are always at the center of its business, and the company is committed to offering one-stop-shop solutions for overseas Chinese.
HungryPanda is different from other platforms because of its comprehensive delivery services from Chinese supermarkets. The interface design of the HungryPanda application is highly in line with end users’ preferences, and it has built an efficient distribution system in order to create an excellent food and retail ecosystem.
Moreover, the company allows customers to pay with Alipay and WeChat Pay, all payment methods that are favored by many Mainland Chinese. It also uses WeChat for marketing, a unique approach to expanding its consumer pool.
Amid the COVID crisis, HungryPanda not only satisfied its customer’s appetite but on February 20, 2020, HungryPanda announced that it had raised $20 million in funding. The round was led by investors 83North and Felix Capital. It was used for hiring, product development, and global expansion, particularly in the U.S. The startup goal was to reach an annual run rate of $200 million by May 2020.
Eric Liu, said, “I want the business to promote the cooking culture and goods of China out into the world. Not only will this give people an easier and healthier life, but it will also fill the gap that current food delivery companies are not filling.”