JoyRide to Join Online Food Delivery Market

Motorcycle-taxi company JoyRide is set to join the country’s food-delivery space, throwing in a Filipino hat in the foreign-dominated food delivery ring.

In a statement on Monday, Noli Eala, JoyRide’s vice president for corporate affairs, said since its pilot testing last December, the company will soon add a food delivery option in its mobile app.

“Food delivery is a natural extension of our transport offerings. Since we have an overwhelming pool of bikers, it is really inevitable to venture to this business,” he said.

Eala said among the entire delivery service industry, food was the most popular product, adding that the diverse food choices available for its customers “encouraged” the delivery-to-your-doorstep service.

He said diversifying the company’s services will also provide more livelihood opportunities, helping not only the company’s customers but also its riders and partner-businesses.

“JoyRide also hopes to deliver positive impact into the lives of our people by providing them economic opportunities especially for local businesses and to create jobs for delivery-partners,” he added.

In the Philippines, the food delivery industry is dominated by popular Singaporean-owned companies Honestbee and GrabFood, as well as Foodpanda, a company with headquarters in Germany, among many others.

After its inclusion in the Department of Transportation’s motorcycle taxi pilot program, JoyRide became controversial for its apparent “mysterious” inclusion in the program and alleged ownership of the company by Senator Christopher Lawrence “Bong” Go.

In a press conference in January, the executives of the company clarified that the company’s owners were Ralph Nubla, Jr. and Bea Chua both local prolific businessmen with no connection to Go. (PNA)