JOIN USNow an online delivery app for Bengaluru's street food
Four Bengalureans have started an app to order and deliver street food. It is called Gogappi.
The app was launched in March this year and is currently servicing HSR Layout, Koramangala, and Malleshwaram, says co-founder Arjun Ramesh.
From the momo cart near your college to the chaat stall parked opposite the local park and small eateries, the app wants to onboard these vendors in a bid to organise the unorganised sector. “We have so far onboarded over 2,000 vendors,” he informs.
“There are so many small places around our house or office that offer good food but we don’t know their names because most don’t have one and lack an identity. They are often called by the landmarks around them. We want to change this,” says Arjun, who started this venture along with Arvind Shekar, Samhitha Kottamasu, and Kalyani Natarajan.
These entrepreneurs feel an online presence will boost the street business. Walk-ins have fallen since the pandemic broke out and depending on walk-ins alone won’t bring sales, many of the vendors they have onboarded have realised this, he says.
The current spell of heavy rains has also impacted business, street vendors Metrolife spoke to admitted.
Despite the burgeoning of online delivery, many small eateries and vendors have stayed away from the revolution due to the lack of digital literacy.
“Some are eager to join the app as they already make use of takeaway parcels. But many others fear the change as it is a new concept,” he says. Before onboarding a vendor, they educate him/her about how an online delivery app works and also help them list their menu. “We do a couple of test runs to help them understand the app and ensure all transactions happen smoothly,” points out Samhitha.
Once the onboarding is done, the startup claims it conducts monthly hygiene checks on them.
“In the future, as a long-term objective we plan to provide them with better infrastructure like better quality carts. This may provide legitimacy to these vendors who are otherwise shooed away by the police,” says Arjun.