In line with the government’s push for micro, small and medium enterprises (MSMEs) to digitize their operations, food and grocery online platform foodpanda has encouraged small restaurant owners to tap the digital market.

In a statement Wednesday, foodpanda Philippines commercial director Luis Antonio Yanga said partnering with e-commerce platforms will drive progress and revolutionize the online food delivery industry.

In conjunction with the MSME week, foodpanda has unveiled initiatives to boost support for its partner vendors and the growth of small-sized businesses in the country during its vendors’ summit “CRAVE: Creating Relationships and Advancing Vendor Experiences” last July 11 in Mandaluyong City.

“We believe businesses across industries, particularly small and medium enterprises, should learn how to adapt to survive. That’s where we can come in and help,” Yanga said.

He said one of the initiatives of foodpanda to help restaurants, especially the new entrants, to reach more customers is the “pandapick” which allows app users to discover dishes from brands available only on the platform. Merchants also have access to benefits for PANDAPICK partners.

Aside from food delivery, foodpanda also aims to target the dine-in and pick-up experiences by offering exclusive discounts and deals, as well as innovating operations through the use of QR (quick response) codes.

“It is crucial to understand each vendor’s top growth objectives and pain points. For those criteria, we will start to customize the benefits most relevant to them, including additional visibility on the app, marketing support, and tools to drive their growth,” Yanga said.

To help partner vendors in accessing capital for their expansions, foodpanda has partnered with Security Bank Finance for merchants to access affordable loan products and with Online Food Vendors Marketing Cooperative that offers interest in their shared capital, while expanding their network in the industry.

The company said it also collaborated with the Department of Trade and Industry (DTI) to support the growth of MSMEs.

“We value the opportunity to work alongside with DTI in supporting their dedicated efforts to advance the MSME sector — the backbone of our economy. You can count on our unwavering commitment to contribute to the growth and success of MSMEs as we help drive the nation forward,” Yanga said. (PNA)