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Careem introduces “Everything App”, making a strategic shift in Pakistan, moving away from its traditional ride-hailing services. This app is designed to directly challenge Foodpanda’s dominance in the food and grocery delivery market, with over 10 million customers.
This move, announced by Careem CEO Mudassir Sheikha, signifies a renewed focus on building a comprehensive super app ecosystem in the country.
Effective July 18, 2025, Careem will cease its ride-hailing operations in Pakistan, redirecting its resources towards developing and scaling its multi-service super app. This new “Everything App” will primarily focus on food, groceries, and payment services. The development will be spearheaded by Careem Technologies, a newly established spinout company that retains a significant team of nearly 400 employees in Pakistan, covering engineering, product, and operations.
Careem is also actively recruiting for over 100 local roles to support this expansion, emphasizing Pakistan’s role as a base for its regional product development. This strategy aligns with the global trend of “super apps” like China’s WeChat and Southeast Asia’s Grab and Gojek, which integrate various services into a single platform for user convenience.
Careem already has a track record of expanding its offerings beyond ride-hailing, with existing services like Careem Food, Careem Quik (grocery delivery), and Careem Pay. The “Everything App” aims to consolidate and expand these verticals, providing a seamless user experience for diverse daily needs.
The direct competition with Foodpanda is inevitable given Careem’s focus on food and grocery delivery. Foodpanda has established a dominant position in Pakistan’s online food delivery market, reportedly handling a considerable volume of orders daily. It operates in over 50 cities, boasts a vast network of restaurants and riders (20,000 to 25,000), and has expanded its services to include pandamart (groceries), pandapro (subscription benefits), pandago (efficient item deliveries), and HomeChefs (homemade meals).
Foodpanda’s strong market presence, coupled with its AI-driven tools for restaurants and a large customer base, presents a significant challenge for Careem. According to statistica Foodpanda’s userbase is expected to go over 22 million by 2030, so breaking the market wouldn’t be that easy.
Careem’s aims to leverage its existing user base and technological capabilities to carve out a substantial share in these lucrative markets. The competition is expected to benefit consumers through potentially more competitive pricing, better service, and a wider range of options.
The success of Careem’s “Everything App” will depend on its ability to offer a truly integrated and superior user experience, along with aggressive market penetration.
