Careem, in a bid to expand its business from a ride-sharing company and compete with Uber Eats, has launched a delivery service in Jeddah and Dubai.
Careem Now, similar to Uber Eats, will let users track the progress of their order from start to finish. Although currently it only allows the users to order food, Careem says that it is not focusing on only food delivery. The app will soon deliver everything from food to pharmaceuticals, making it a much more diverse product as compared to Uber’s offering.
While talking at the launch of this product, Careem co-founder and CEO Mudassir Sheikha said:
“We believe the opportunity for deliveries in the region is even bigger than ride-hailing. It is going to become a very significant part of Careem over time.”
Currently the service is only launching in Dubai and Jeddah, however, Careem has plans for its rapid expansion to other middle eastern countries. It charges a flat delivery fee of 7 dirhams (265 Pakistani Rupees) in Dubai, while 15 Saudi Riyal (556 Pakistani Rupees) in Jeddah. However, prices will surely vary when it finally launches in Pakistan.
Talking about expansion to other regions, Mudassir Sheikha told Reuters:
“Once you see us prove the model in the UAE (United Arab Emirates) and Saudi (Arabia), you will see us very quickly go to new markets. Egypt and Pakistan will come next and then very soon the rest of the footprint will follow.”
It is reported that Careem is investing about $150 million in this new delivery service. We will keep you updated if and when the service officially launches in Pakistan.
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