Chinese language meals supply big Meituan, which operates the Keeta model in Hong Kong and Saudi Arabia, will develop to extra nations within the Center East and North Africa, in line with two sources aware of the matter.
Keeta, which launched within the Saudi metropolis of Al-Kharj in September and has since entered the capital Riyadh, will probably be obtainable in Dammam and Jeddah, two different main cities within the Gulf nation, by the top of the 12 months, the 2 folks stated. .
The platform will then go to Mecca and Medina, Islam's holiest cities, in January 2025. Keeta's plan is to cowl 80 p.c of Saudi Arabia by July 2025, one of many sources stated.
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It additionally has formidable plans for the remainder of the Center East, together with enlargement to the United Arab Emirates and Bahrain doubtless subsequent 12 months, the 2 folks stated. Since a lot of the customer support staff is in Jordan, that nation can also be of their undertaking, one of many folks stated.
Keeta meals supply app. Picture: Brochure alt=The Keeta meals supply app. Picture: Brochure>
Keeta had thought of increasing into Iraq, however not too long ago deserted the plan resulting from “political and safety points,” they stated.
Along with the Center East, the corporate can also be finding out the potential of increasing into Egypt, as a primary step in the direction of North Africa, one of many sources stated.
Meituan didn’t instantly reply to a request for touch upon Monday.
Wang Xing, founder and CEO of Meituan, stated on an earnings name final week that the corporate has seen some “encouraging outcomes” in Saudi Arabia. When requested about plans in different nations, Wang stated Meituan will deal with Saudi Arabia for the second, however “in the long run… we need to grow to be a world firm.”
Launched in Hong Kong in Could 2023, Keeta is the meals supply model that Beijing-based Meituan hopes to make use of to overcome the abroad market. It not too long ago acquired the excellence of “Finest On a regular basis Important App” on the Google Play Retailer in Hong Kong.
Within the first quarter of this 12 months, Keeta overtook Foodpanda for the primary time to guide Hong Kong's meals supply market by variety of orders with a 43 p.c share, in line with native analytics agency Measurable AI.
However Keeta, which has solely been within the Saudi marketplace for lower than three months, might face fierce competitors from international rivals reminiscent of Uber Eats and Zomato, in addition to HungerStation and Jahez.