S. Korea's messenger giant joins 'delivery service app' industry

By Park Sae-jin Posted : March 20, 2017, 18:14 Updated : March 20, 2017, 18:14

[Courtesy of Kakao]


South Koreans are famous for their love for delivery services which offer everything -- from fried chicken to fresh sushi created by master chefs.

Previous delivery orders were made through telephones, but now smartphone apps are used widely so that all food that customers want can be delivered straight to their doorsteps with a few touches. The domestic mobile delivery ecology has been trisected by three major services -- Baedal Minjok, Yogiyo and Baedaltong.

The industry is expected to see a big change as Kakao Talk, the country's largest mobile messenger app with more than 42 million monthly active users at home, added a "Place an order" tab to its messenger. Industry sources say Kakao will begin its delivery service on Tuesday, starting with franchise restaurants such as Pizza Hut.

"We will begin through the partnership with 20 franchise restaurants," Kakao head Lim Ji-hoon, said during a media conference in January. Kakao has revealed its ambition to turn the messaging platform service into a multi-platform service. Some experts say the existing firms are expected to survive because they focus on small and mid-sized restaurants.

The food delivery service has been a thriving business in South Korea. It is becoming a global trend as global firms like Chinese messenger app giant WeChat and online shopping giant Amazon offer fresh deliveries and seek to expand their businesses.

Park Sae-jin = swatchsjp@ ajunews.com
 
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