Foodora

File:Foodora messenger.jpg in Tampere, Finland]]

Foodora was founded under the name Volo GmbH in Munich in February 2014. It relocated to Berlin when Rocket Internet acquired the majority of the company in April 2015.{{cite web|author=The Eureka|title=Today in Germany: Granify, Venture Stars, Volo, Campanda.de|url=http://theheureka.com/20150527-granify|website=theheureka.com|publisher=Vertical Media GmbH|access-date=16 February 2019|date=2015-05-27|archive-date=2016-04-27|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160427211955/http://theheureka.com/20150527-granify|url-status=usurped}} In June 2015, it also acquired food delivery services Hurrier (in Canada), Suppertime (in Australia), and Heimschmecker (in Austria), which all operate under the Foodora brand. In September 2015, Delivery Hero acquired Foodora from Rocket Internet.{{cite web|last1=Bien|first1=Perez|title=German start-up foodora plans to take Hong Kong's online food-courier services upmarket|url=http://www.scmp.com/tech/start-ups/article/1864959/german-start-foodora-plans-take-hong-kongs-online-food-courier|website=SCMP|publisher=South China Morning Post|access-date=8 October 2015|date=2015-10-08}} Foodora was then merged with Delivery Hero's upscale food delivery brand, Urban Taste, under the name Foodora.{{cite web|last1=Bien|first1=Perez|title=German start-up foodora plans to take Hong Kong's online food-courier services upmarket|url=http://www.scmp.com/tech/start-ups/article/1864959/german-start-foodora-plans-take-hong-kongs-online-food-courier|website=scmp.con|publisher=South China Morning Post|access-date=8 October 2015|date=2015-10-08}}

In December 2018, the Dutch group Takeaway purchased the German delivery operations of Delivery Hero, including Foodora Germany. On April 1, 2019, the transaction was completed, with Foodora GmbH officially belonging to Lieferando, a part of Takeaway.{{cite web|url=https://www.gruenderszene.de/food/foodora-lieferando-integration|access-date=27 May 2019|title=Kein Pink mehr auf den Straßen: Foodora ist jetzt Lieferando|date=2019-04-18}}

Using Foodora's website or mobile app, customers can browse restaurants near them, place their orders, and pay. The order is then prepared by the restaurant, picked up by one of Foodora's couriers (foodsters), and delivered to the customer “in about 30 minutes".{{cite web|last1=Bodo|first1=v. Braunmühl|title=On-demand food delivery service foodora merges with Delivery Hero's Urban Taste and breaks into the global market|url=http://www.dgap.de/dgap/News/dgap_media/ondemand-food-delivery-service-foodora-merges-with-delivery-heros-urban-taste-and-breaks-into-the-global-market/?newsID=898633|website=dgap.de|publisher=DGAP-Media|access-date=17 September 2015}} Foodora provides both B2C and B2B food delivery services.

Foodora operates in the following countries: Austria, Finland, Hungary, Norway, Sweden, the Czech Republic and formerly Slovakia, where it operated between 2021 and April 2024.{{Cite web |title=Donášková služba foodora na Slovensku skončila |url=https://www.omediach.com/marketing/26419-donaskova-sluzba-foodora-na-slovensku-konci |access-date=2024-04-04 |website=Omediach.com |language=sk-SK}}{{cite web |title=Donášková služba foodora ukončuje svoju činnosť na Slovensku |url=https://press.foodora.sk/donaskova-sluzba-foodora-ukoncuje-svoju-cinnost-na-slovensku/ |website=Foodora |access-date=4 April 2024 |language=Slovak |date=4 April 2024}} On late May 2024 it was decided that it would soon not operate in Denmark {{cite web | url=https://detailwatch.dk/nyheder/dagligvarer/article17137157.ece | title=Foodora kaster håndklædet i ringen i Danmark | date=27 May 2024 }} and on June 14th it announced that it would cease operations for the country on the same day while it offered a discount code for Just Eat.

Foodora had expanded over the Australian market in Sydney, Melbourne and Brisbane. In September 2015, it acquired a local delivery company named Suppertime, later re-branding it to Foodora in May.{{Cite news|url=http://www.bandt.com.au/marketing/foodora-launches-australia-acquires-suppertime-new-name|title=Suppertime rebrands as Foodora, Launches in Australia – B&T|date=2016-03-15|work=B&T|access-date=2017-07-07|language=en-US}} On 1 August 2018, Foodora announced that it was closing operations in Australia on 20 August 2018, citing a focus on markets with higher potentials for growth.{{Cite news |agency=Australian Associated Press |date=2018-08-02 |title=Foodora condemned for closing Australian operation during back pay dispute |language=en-GB |work=The Guardian |url=https://www.theguardian.com/business/2018/aug/02/foodora-condemned-for-closing-australian-operation-during-back-pay-dispute |access-date=2023-10-02 |issn=0261-3077}}{{cite news|url=http://www.abc.net.au/news/2018-08-02/foodora-pulls-out-of-australia/10066964|title=Foodora to pull out of Australia later this month|newspaper=ABC News |date=2 August 2018|access-date=16 February 2019}} Unions called out Foodora's decision to leave the country during various disputes with workers, including over alleged unfair dismissal and millions of dollars of back pay, which had led to the Fair Work ombudsman taking the company to federal court a few months earlier.{{Cite web |last=Syfret |first=Wendy |date=2018-08-03 |title=Foodora Is Leaving Australia In a Shadow of Employee and Union Complaints |url=https://www.vice.com/en/article/foodora-is-leaving-australia-in-a-shadow-of-employee-and-union-complaints/ |access-date=2023-10-02 |website=Vice |language=en}} In November 2018, Foodora admitted that workers owed more than $5 million dollars in unpaid wages were "more likely than not" employees.

File:DeloitteToronto4-Foodora.jpg

In July 2015, Foodora entered the Canadian market by acquiring Toronto-based delivery company Hurrier.{{Cite web |last=Wu |first=Leslie |title=Restaurant Delivery Service Foodora Quits Canadian Market |url=https://www.forbes.com/sites/lesliewu/2020/04/27/restaurant-delivery-service-foodora-quits-canadian-market/ |access-date=2023-12-11 |website=Forbes |language=en}} They expanded to Montreal in October 2015 and later re-branded both cities to Foodora in January 2016. An expansion to Vancouver occurred in 2016. They expanded to Ottawa in early 2019.

In February 2020, deliverers in Toronto and Mississauga were granted the right to unionize with the Canadian Union of Postal Workers.{{Cite web |title=Former Foodora workers reach $3.46M settlement with app's parent company - Toronto {{!}} Globalnews.ca |url=https://globalnews.ca/news/7296738/foodora-worker-settlement/ |access-date=2023-10-02 |website=Global News |language=en-US}} Two months later, Foodora filed for bankruptcy in Canada and exited the market. Observers noted that Foodora's bankruptcy filing shortly after a successful unionization effort resembled the company's behavior in Australia.{{Cite web |date=2020-05-12 |title=CUPW Alleges that #Foodora Acted Unlawfully by Pulling Out of Canada. Here's the Complaint. – The Law of Work |url=https://lawofwork.ca/cupw-alleges-that-foodora-acted-unlawfully-by-pulling-out-of-canada-heres-the-complaint/ |access-date=2023-10-02 |language=en-US}} CUPW noted that Delivery Hero's profitability had doubled between 2019 and 2020, and later reached a settlement for former workers, with Foodora paying the union $3.46 million dollars.{{Cite web |title=CUPW and Foodora Canada Reach Settlement for Workers |url=https://www.cupw.ca/en/cupw-and-foodora-canada-reach-settlement-workers |access-date=2023-10-02 |website=CUPW |language=en}}

Foodora ended its operations in the Netherlands on 15 October 2018.{{cite web|url=https://www.emerce.nl/nieuws/licht-uit-foodora-nederland|title=Licht uit bij Foodora in Nederland |website=emerce.nl|date=2018-10-16|access-date=16 February 2019}} It had been active in the country, since May 2015.

Foodora is the largest restaurant delivery service in Sweden, where one third of its employees have a collective agreement, negotiated with the Transport Workers' Union.{{Cite web |date=24 April 2020 |title=Foodora anställer över 300 personer i Sverige: "Till arbetsrättsliga villkor" |url=https://digital.di.se/artikel/foodora-anstaller-over-300-personer-i-sverige-till-arbetsrattsliga-villkor}} In March 2021, the company introduced the first Foodora's delivery robot into its fleet in Stockholm. The droid, called Doora, will work in quick commerce, delivering household goods, groceries, pharmaceuticals, and electronics.{{cite news |date=11 March 2021 |title=Doora, bring me a pizza please! Stockholm pilots delivery droid |newspaper=Reuters |url=https://www.reuters.com/article/idUSKBN2B32CZ |access-date=14 March 2021}}

In 2023, in response to an investigative report by media outlet [https://www.breakit.se/ Breakit] citing employees' concerns over work conditions in the company, Foodora announced it would hire an external investigator to examine its compliance and governance structure.{{Cite web |last=AB |first=Breaking Media |title=Anställda vittnar inifrån högkvarteret – usel arbetskultur, hot och våldtäktsdömda chefer på Foodora |url=https://www.breakit.se/artikel/35840/anstallda-vittnar-inifran-hogkvarteret-usel-arbetskultur-hot-och-valdtaktsdomda-chefer-pa-foodora |access-date=2023-10-02 |website=www.breakit.se |language=sv}}{{Cite web |last=Keane |first=Jonathan |title=Foodora Launches Investigation To Find "Risks Or Gaps" In Its Work Practices |url=https://www.forbes.com/sites/jonathankeane/2023/02/16/foodora-launches-investigation-to-find-risks-or-gaps-in-its-work-practices/ |access-date=2023-10-02 |website=Forbes |language=en}}

{{Criticism section|date=December 2020}}

Foodora has been accused of "sham contracts" with its workers.{{cite web|url=http://www.smh.com.au/business/workplace-relations/deliveroo-and-foodora-accused-of-using-sham-contacts-for-bicycle-delivery-riders-20160329-gnsu7g.html |title=Deliveroo and foodora accused of using sham contracts for bicycle delivery riders |website=Smh.com.au |date=2016-03-30 |access-date=2016-11-02}} In October 2016, its workers in Turin responded to the proposed change from hourly work to piece work with an organised protest against the general reduction in the quality of work.{{cite web|first1=Arianna |last1=Tassinari |first2=Vincenzo |last2=Maccarrone |url=https://www.jacobinmag.com/2017/01/foodora-strike-turin-gig-economy-startups-uber/ |title=Striking the Startups |website=Jacobin |date=2017-01-23 |access-date=16 February 2019}} In 2017, its workers protested working conditions in Berlin.{{cite web|author= Julius Haswell|url=https://www.thelocal.de/20170518/foodora-and-deliveroo-couriers-protest-working-conditions-in-berlin|title=Foodora and Deliveroo couriers protest working conditions in Berlin |website=The Local |date=2017-05-18 |access-date=2018-03-01}}

Foodora workers in Australia have spoken out about the company. Workers have protested against the continuously falling rate of pay and policies that encourage dangerous behavior on the road.{{Cite news|url=http://www.abc.net.au/news/2018-03-14/delivery-riders-march-against-ubereats,-foodora-and-deliveroo/9546822|title=Delivery riders protest against 'UberCheats, Fraudora' conditions and pay|date=2018-03-14|work=ABC News|access-date=2018-04-17|language=en-AU}} Also of concern is workers' status as independent contractors despite their working conditions resembling that of employees. Foodora has responded punitively against workers who have spoken out, leading at least two workers to pursue legal action against the company.{{Cite web|url=https://www.smh.com.au/business/careers/fired-for-taking-a-holiday-bicycle-couriers-claim-unfair-dismissal-20180313-p4z45p.html|title='Fired for taking a holiday': Bicycle couriers claim unfair dismissal|last=Patty|first=Anna|date=2018-03-13|website=The Sydney Morning Herald|language=en|access-date=2018-04-17}} On 16 November 2018, Foodora lost its unfair dismissal case, as the court ruled that its drivers were classed as employees rather than contractors, and was ordered to pay a former delivery driver almost $16,000 in compensation.{{cite news |first1=David |last1=Chau |first2=Bellinda |last2=Kontominas |title=Foodora loses unfair dismissal case and is ordered to pay former delivery rider $16,000 |url=https://www.abc.net.au/news/2018-11-16/foodora-loses-unfair-dismissal-case-fair-work-commission/10506470 |work=Australian Broadcasting Corporation |date=16 November 2018 |access-date=16 February 2019}} According to a survey carried out at the end of 2020 on behalf of Foodora, 8 out of 10 of the company's employees are satisfied with their work.{{Cite news |last=Edor |first=Liv |date=2021-02-16 |title=Foodorabudet: Hade jag råd skulle jag sluta på en gång |language=sv |work=Sveriges Radio |url=https://sverigesradio.se/artikel/foodorabudet-hade-jag-rad-skulle-jag-sluta-pa-en-gang |access-date=2023-04-17}}{{Cite web |title=Ny undersökning: fler än 8 av 10 nöjda med arbetet på foodora |url=https://www.mynewsdesk.com/se/foodora-punkt-se/pressreleases/ny-undersoekning-fler-aen-8-av-10-noejda-med-arbetet-paa-foodora-3071913 |access-date=2023-04-17 |website=Mynewsdesk |date=10 February 2021 |language=sv}} Foodora has been positively rated by Timbro for having low thresholds to enter the labor market.{{Cite web |last=Dahl |first=Svend |date=2021-03-05 |title=SMEDJAN {{!}} Jag sökte jobb på Foodora |url=https://timbro.se/smedjan/se-inte-ner-pa-gigjobben/ |access-date=2023-04-17 |website=Timbro |language=sv-SE}}

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Category:Online food ordering

Category:Online retailers of Germany

Category:Retail companies established in 2015

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