From the kitchen of the house entrepreneurs: The rising economy and its accessories that reached 2.9 billion.

We have spent 2 full years in bans and restrictions due to the coronavirus pandemic. And let’s go for a third that seems to be exhausting too. Many of our daily habits have completely changed or intensified to the point of becoming routine. Like catering and products take away.

To be honest the focus part in the coronavirus years suffered a huge blow, especially during periods of universal lockdown. Take away companies and platforms delivery however they lived days of glory and continue to move forward unabated.

In this climate that has formed several people decided to see their lives differently, leaving behind their conventional work and following their great love on a professional level. So there were many who decided to make their home kitchens, restaurant kitchens, around the world. But there was a small problem in the development. Who would organize all these cooks? And who would take their orders to customers?

The delivery app that gives solutions to the little ones

The couple from Turkey Emre Uzundag and Yonca Cubuk, say that now “Live their little dream”, and all this thanks to a food delivery application. The two moved to New York in 2020 and due to a coronavirus were found stuck in their small apartment in Brooklyn.

Nostalgic for the flavors of their country, they began to cook more and more Turkish food, to help them cope with the stress of lockdown. “It was a mental necessity during the pandemic,” Cubuk said.

Then they continued to cook meals for friends in the city and Ms. Cubuk says the reviews were incredibly positive. “They started telling us we had to make it a career”. So they decided to take the plunge and register their business (although none of them had been professionally involved in cooking) in a new food delivery application called Woodspoon.

While the huge leading delivery apps in the US market, such as Just Eat, Deliveroo, Uber Eats and DoorDash (the largest in the US) now list many large restaurant chains, Woodspoon’s business model is completely different.

Launched in early 2020 to connect home cooks – people who literally cook from the kitchen of their home or apartment – with customers who want a fresh, home-cooked meal instead of something from a restaurant chain.

How does it work

The customer orders through the Woodspoon app, which sends the information to the responsible chef – who may be the family’s mom or dad. Then, when the food is ready, it is picked up and delivered by a company guide.

The app is currently available throughout New York and New Jersey, with more than 120 cooks currently on its books and will soon be expanding to Philadelphia.

The BanBan Anatolian Home Cooking by Emre Uzundag and Yonca Cubuk is now available through the app four days a week, while the other three days they work on new recipes. Ms Cubik says they are so busy that they recently had to work even on their wedding anniversary.

However, thanks to Woodspoon, you do not have to bear the cost of renting a commercial space. “Woodspoon gives us a platform and a voice to tell our story,” he added. “And we are more than just kebabs and pilaf. “Our best-selling dishes are lentil soup and orange and spinach stew, both of which are vegetarian, the latter is vegan.”

The $ 2.9 billion economy with accessories

Woodspoon co-founder Lee Reschef says launching at the same time as the pandemic started was really helpful. “We were lucky enough to help a lot of restaurant workers who had to find a new income line.”, says.

Before Woodspoon chefs can be hired, they must provide proof of food safety training and the company sends someone to inspect their kitchen. Chefs must also register their business with the relevant local authority and undergo formal food hygiene checks.

With the pandemic closing restaurants for long periods of time, the last two years have been a time of explosion for package delivery applications. The UK’s largest company, Just Eat, saw revenue reach 25 725 million in 2020, up 42% from 2019, while those at DoorDash more than tripled to $ 2.9 billion.

What is happening in Greece at the moment – The key players and the newcomers

As long as these lines are written in our country, there is no application or service that is addressed exclusively to small catering and food businesses such as those described above.

Ten years after the appearance of eFood in Greece, the online delivery market has grown with the arrival of new “players” and the total turnover is now approaching the level of 800 million euros. The pandemic certainly played an important role in its launch, as thousands of consumers became familiar with delivery apps and food and coffee orders at home.

Currently the main players in online delivery are three with one more company to follow. Initially the eFood, for which the pandemic period worked beneficially since according to the data for 2020 its turnover amounts to 64.4 million euros, recording an annual increase of 49.38%.

The following follows Wolt which came to Greece in 2019, managed in 2020 to launch its turnover to 12.8 million euros from 3 million the previous year and to close the year with profits of 283 thousand euros from 71 thousand in 2019.

It is steadily continuing its upward course in the Greek market in BOX, Cosmote’s online food ordering service, as it has surpassed 9,000 stores in 60 cities throughout Greece.

Finally, the Greek online delivery market recently entered Rocket. Rocket was founded in Ukraine in 2018 and since then has managed to expand to 28 cities and 18 regions of the country, delivering not only food but also supermarket items.

But there are also two start-ups that are expected to fight for their share of the fast-growing market. One is the Greek start up delivery service of supermarket items within 15 minutes, Pop Market. The app is available on iOS and Android since October 2021 and so far serves areas of downtown Athens through the first dark store that has opened in Koukaki.

At the same time, the interest for the Greek market and the quick delivery retail startup continues to be intense Jokr, headquartered in New York. Its entry into Athens is “in progress” according to sources, something that will take place with the development of its own dark stores and the delivery of products ordered by users within 15 minutes. The goal is to create a very dense grid as the service aims to distribute its products in less than 15 minutes. According to the wishes of the company, the distribution will take place with e-scooters and will involve a particularly extended schedule 365 days a year.