Rocket Internet’s online food delivery platform Foodpanda is expanding to twelve new countries, bringing the total markets the company is in to 23. New managing director Ralf Wenzel is heading the global roll-out.
The platform is moving fast on its global roll-out. Over the past few weeks, it launched in Brazil, Chile, Ghana, Hungary, Ivory Coast, Kenya, Mexico, Peru, Poland, Russia (under the brand name Foodnation), Senegal and Ukraine.
Foodpanda is focusing on the lucrative emerging markets in Africa, Asia, Eastern Europe and Latin America, where the internet scene is rapidly growing.
Known for their huge funding rounds, Rocket Internet is now actively seeking financing to aide the rapid growth of Foodpanda. This shouldn’t be too much of a challenge, considering prior investments in Rocket Internet portfolio companies include $65m for Dafiti and $40m for South-East Asian Amazon clone, Lazada.
Heading the Foodpanda expansion is new global managing director Ralf Wenzel, who will launch the platform in more countries in the future. Prior to Foodpanda, Wenzel held the position of senior vice president at Rocket Internet-launched Jamba/Jamster.
Foodpanda is part of a group of Rocket-backed food ordering platforms (HungryPanda, HelloFood etc) worldwide.
The expansion news is another sign that the online food delivery marketplace is heating up. Just last week, fellow Berlin-headquartered service Delivery Hero announced a takeover of UK rival Hungryhouse and Eatitnow.
Foodpanda is taking a more aggressive approach to expansion in comparison to Delivery Hero, which is currently available in 12 countries across Europe, Australia, South Korea, China and Mexico.
First published in VentureVillage, EWDN’s editorial partner in Western Europe.
