Latest news with #Talabat
Mid East Info
a day ago
- Business
- Mid East Info
NBO Offers Exclusive Benefits for Its Infinite Credit Cardholders - Middle East Business News and Information
MUSCAT, 21 July 2025 The National Bank of Oman (NBO) offers a range of exciting features for its Infinite Credit Cardholders, tailored for individuals seeking a unique combination of convenience, exclusivity, and meaningful rewards. Such cards provide exclusive discounts, milestone rewards, and exceptional privileges designed to complement a modern lifestyle. Commenting on the launch, Maha Al Raisi, Assistant General Manager and Head of Products at NBO, said: 'We are dedicated to deliver exceptional value to our customers by catering to their needs, and offering rewards and lifestyle benefits that elevate their everyday experiences. Our infinite credit card features include a 50% discount on Talabat that equals a saving of OMR 3 twice a month, exclusive complimentary parking at the Mall of Oman, additional chauffeur-driven airport rides, and milestone rewards featuring Shell V-Power vouchers. The Infinite Credit Card also offers an outstanding range of premium benefits, including 1% cashback on spends, unlimited airport lounge access with one guest, and multi-trip travel insurance for added peace of mind. Cardholders can also enjoy 50% off VOX Cinema tickets, with up to six tickets per month, including two Gold Class tickets, as well as 2-for-1 offers on Xperience with Entertainer. These exciting offers further enhance the card's privileges, reinforcing our commitment to being a trusted financial partner.'
Arab Times
4 days ago
- Business
- Arab Times
‘Talabat' relaunches free vending machines for rider summer relief
KUWAIT CITY, July 19: As part of its summer campaign for riders and broader commitment to their wellbeing, Talabat, the region's leading on-demand online ordering and delivery platform, has relaunched its 'Vending Machines for Summer Relief' initiative for the second consecutive year. With temperatures on the rise, an exclusive vending machine has been installed in a high-traffic rider zone, offering Talabat riders access to essential hydration and light snacks to help them stay safe, nourished, and energized on the job. This initiative reflects Talabat's continued efforts to provide on-the-ground, people-first solutions that support rider health and safety all year long, especially during summer. Commenting on the initiative, Bader Al-Ghanim, Vice President and Managing Director of talabat Kuwait, said: 'After receiving positive feedback from riders last year, we're excited to reintroduce this initiative for the second year in a row as part of our summer campaign for the riders. It's designed to support their health, comfort, and efficiency. We've strategically placed a vending machine that provides riders with quick and easy access to water, refreshments, and snacks — all free of cost — to help them stay hydrated and well-nourished during their working hours.' To further strengthen its rider support initiatives, the company continues to invest in rider safety and education, offering regular multilingual workshops and training sessions in collaboration with government bodies and leading institutions in Kuwait. These sessions cover key topics including traffic regulations, vehicle safety, and health tips to help riders manage blood pressure and sugar levels during their shifts. By equipping riders with this knowledge, Talabat aims to ensure they adopt healthy coping approaches to the job requirements. Building on the success of last year's rollout, Talabat remains committed to enhancing its summer campaign for riders and other rider-focused efforts that reflect its long-term corporate social responsibility (CSR) strategy. With initiatives like these, Talabat continues to set a benchmark for how companies can support those at the heart of the on-demand delivery ecosystem through inclusive, human-centered programs that prioritize health, safety, and well-being in this fast-paced line of work.
Hi Dubai
5 days ago
- Business
- Hi Dubai
30% rise in mobile food delivery orders in the UAE & Saudi Arabia during H1
Recent data from Syrve MENA, a leading restaurant software provider in the Middle East, reveals that the first half of 2025 brought about a substantial shift in consumer behaviour in Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates. According to Syrve MENA data, food aggregators continue to be the most popular mobile order channel in both markets. Approximately 75% of mobile orders placed by surveyed restaurants are processed by apps like HungerStation, Talabat, and Deliveroo. The remaining 25% is handled by call centres, proprietary apps, and websites run by restaurants — a tactic that larger chains seeking greater control over operational procedures can afford. Syrve MENA reported that the majority of orders come from mobile devices. More than 70% of all food delivery transactions are made through mobile phones, reflecting the region's preference for digital convenience. While it is challenging to accurately estimate the increase in mobile orders in H1 2025 compared to 2024, Talabat reports a 30% year-over-year increase in Gross Merchandise Value (GMV) in Q1, which may indicate a significant rise in order volume in H1 2025. Revenue and adjusted EBITDA both grew by 34%, while adjusted net income rose by 24%. Seasonal trends and daily delivery patterns Syrve MENA reported that mobile delivery activity in the UAE reached its first peak in March 2025, coinciding with Ramadan, a time traditionally associated with increased food ordering. Another seasonal surge is expected between June and September, when high temperatures make outdoor dining less appealing and consumers turn to delivery more often. The time slot from 8:00 PM to 11:00 PM consistently yields the highest volume of mobile delivery orders across most restaurant categories. For fast food, Italian, Indian, and international restaurant chains, this evening window is the most popular. However, Arabic food exhibits a distinct trend, with traditional breakfast items driving the highest delivery activity between 10:00 AM and 12:00 PM. Popular dishes range from kebabs in Arabic restaurants to rotis and butter naan in Indian chains. In the global H1 2025 market, the most popular time for food ordering is generally 6:00 PM local time, according to restaurant industry reports. Additionally, there's a noticeable increase in breakfast orders, particularly on Monday mornings. The later evening peak in orders observed in the UAE and Saudi Arabia may be linked to Ramadan, when evening meals shift to after sunset. UAE vs. Saudi Arabia: Comparing the Markets Despite differences in scale and speed, both the UAE and Saudi Arabia are experiencing mobile-driven growth. Through 2033, the UAE's online meal delivery industry is anticipated to expand at a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 10.2%, driven by consumer demands for convenience, speed, and loyalty benefits. The Saudi Arabian market is significantly larger and is projected to grow at a 15.4% CAGR through 2030. This surge is primarily driven by urbanisation, advanced digital infrastructure including widespread internet access and smartphone usage, and a growing middle class with increasing disposable income and preference for digital convenience. Mobile-based delivery will remain central to foodservice strategy in both the UAE and Saudi Arabia as they continue to develop digitally and increase mobile order volumes by over 10% year-on-year. Consistent seasonal peaks, changing spending habits, and rapidly advancing technology are making mobile-first dining the new norm, said Alexander Ponomarev, CEO at Syrve MENA. According to reports, as mobile order volumes continue to grow steadily and consumers demand digital convenience, forecasts predict that the share of mobile-based orders will exceed 80% in both markets by the end of 2025. This trend is further fueled by high digital penetration, making the digital transformation of the food delivery market inevitable. The dominance of food aggregators and restaurants' increasing drive toward process automation are also contributing to this shift. Source: Syrve MENA
Khaleej Times
6 days ago
- Business
- Khaleej Times
UAE: How companies are adapting to work in increasingly hot conditions
By midday in Dubai, the heat isn't just felt — it's navigated. The air wraps around you like plastic, thick with humidity and grit, turning basic tasks into slow, deliberate movements. Sunglasses fog. Water bottles warm. The beaches are patchy with visitors, the boardwalk sparsely populated, and only a few tourists venture into the water. Even the Gulf breeze arrives overheated, as if passing over a stovetop. Construction cranes hang still above vacant lots, the usual clamour of machinery replaced by silence. On the roads, Careem and Talabat riders pass by, shirts soaked, asphalt steaming well before noon. What was once dismissed as 'just summer' now reads like a stress test — not just for outdoor workers, but for the companies relying on them to keep their operations running. From June 15 through September 15, the UAE's Midday Break pauses outdoor labour during peak heat hours. Companies violating regulations could be fined Dh5,000 for every worker per breach, up to a maximum of Dh50,000, according to the Ministry of Human Resources and Emiratisation. In most Gulf countries, including the UAE, there are between 100 and 150 days per year when daily highs exceed 40°C, underscoring how extreme heat has become a constant, not a seasonal anomaly, according to a joint study by the Vital Signs Partnership and Human Rights Watch. This year, with temperatures projected to top 50°C in some areas of the UAE, companies in construction, delivery, and logistics aren't just following mandates — they're rethinking how to function altogether. Globally, workers in outdoor-heavy sectors, such as agriculture and construction, lose more than two weeks of labour each year to heat stress, according to Climate Interactive, a US-based think tank focused on climate modelling. But because it could take decades for the climate to respond to new policies, even aggressive heat adaptation policies implemented today in the UAE won't significantly reduce outdoor labour losses until the 2040s. The economics are just as stark. A climate resilience report by PwC projects that the region's real GDP could grow by 41.8% by 2035. However, experts warn that when factoring in climate threats — including extreme heat, water scarcity, and flooding — growth drops by 13.9 percentage points, down to 27.9%. The cost of inaction isn't abstract; it's a drag on productivity, earnings, and investor confidence. The warning signs are hard to miss. According to a recent working paper by experts at the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD)—an intergovernmental body that tracks global economic trends and advises on policy—heat stress is among the most pressing labour challenges tied to climate change. The paper estimates that each additional 10 days above 35°C in a year can reduce firm-level labour productivity by roughly 0.3%, while a single 5-day heatwave can cut it by 0.2%. That may sound small, but it compounds quickly: in the Gulf, where more than 100 days a year regularly surpass 40°C, cumulative losses can approach 3% annually for exposed sectors. To put that in perspective: if just half of the UAE's ~$500 billion economy is tied to outdoor-heavy industries like construction, logistics, and delivery, that's an estimated $7.5 billion in productivity lost each year to extreme heat alone. In a country where such conditions are no longer an exception but a seasonal norm, those losses aren't theoretical. They're a growing drag on real output. For industries that rely heavily on outdoor work, this isn't just a weather problem — it's an economic one. 'Heat-related illness is a hazard for anyone working outdoors during the UAE summer — and if left untreated, it can be fatal,' said Najeeba Al Jabri, Chief ESG & Sustainability Officer at Emirates Global Aluminium (EGA), the country's largest industrial company outside the oil and gas sector. 'It is, however, entirely preventable.' At EGA, where smelting operations can't shut down and generate high levels of heat year-round, summer protocols are built into daily operations, making the company something of a blueprint for heat resilience in the region's industrial sector. 'Our industrial processes generate additional heat and can't be shut down,' Al Jabri said. 'That's why we go all-in on prevention.' The company's 'Beat the Heat' programme — now in its second decade — includes hydration tests before and during shifts, scheduled cooling breaks, access to cold showers, and dedicated rest zones at its facilities. This year, EGA introduced full-body cooling units at select sites and medical centres to provide rapid, non-invasive relief. The approach appears to be working: since 2021, the company hasn't recorded a single heat-related illness. 'The vast majority of our operational areas are covered and shaded year-round. For the limited areas that are not, we fully comply with the UAE's midday break requirements,' Al Jabri said. In the delivery sector, however, where work rarely pauses, companies like Careem are treating heat like an infrastructure problem. The company has expanded its seasonal response with air-conditioned, solar-powered mobile rest stations in Dubai, Abu Dhabi, Sharjah, and Ras Al Khaimah — part of a partnership with the MAJRA National CSR Fund now serving over 60,000 delivery riders, regardless of employer, according to Bassel Al Nahlaoui, the Careem's Chief Business Officer. 'Careem has also set up cold water dispensers in key delivery zones,' Al Nahlaoui said. Delivery drivers receive 'Captain Kits' stocked with cooling towels, reusable water bottles, sunscreen, and hydration supplements — essential gear for frontline work in 45°C heat. Unlike other sectors, delivery platforms aren't bound by the UAE's midday break rule. That makes internal safeguards all the more critical. 'We empower delivery captains with flexible scheduling,' said Al Nahlaoui, noting that riders can shift hours to avoid peak heat. Many captains temporarily leave the country during peak summer. But for those who stay, Careem has added free medical screenings through its renewed partnership with the Pakistan Medical Center. Careem has also heavily leaned on technology. Its driver app now displays nearby rest zones with turn-by-turn navigation. Heat maps, fatigue analytics, and real-time traffic tools help optimise delivery routes and flag high-risk patterns early. The company is even using gentle nudges in its app, asking users to offer cold water or tip generously during heat waves. 'Technology alone is not enough to avert the risk of heat-related illnesses. Authentic leadership that prioritises safety, effective awareness programmes, and a safety-first culture that empowers individuals to take action and equips them to do so – these factors are all key,' Al Jabri said. Technology, however, is doing more than just routing drivers or reminding customers to tip. At Emirates Global Aluminium, it's being worn. Since 2022, the company has piloted the Kenzen wearable strap, which offers an industrial-grade system designed to monitor real-time physiological indicators such as core body temperature, heart rate, and hydration levels, on hundreds of employees. This summer, around 300 workers volunteered to wear these devices as part of EGA's 'Beat the Heat' initiative. But EGA is still an outlier. Kenzen's industrial-grade monitors offer a promising solution — but they remain limited in scope. This is mostly due to the fact that the technology isn't cheap. Kenzen operates on a rental model, typically in bundles of 10–50 units, and is primarily used in highly controlled industrial environments, not fragmented, fast-moving sectors like food delivery. While the sensors offer lab-grade accuracy, their deployment demands training, real-time supervision, and medical staff to interpret the data. That adds logistical and financial strain, especially for companies operating with thin margins or decentralised workforces. Personal monitoring is one key component. But across Dubai, researchers are asking a bigger question: what if the environment itself could be redesigned to reduce risk? Dr. Wael Sheta, an Assistant Professor at The British University in Dubai and a specialist in climate resilience and sustainable design, has spent the last several years studying how Dubai's built environment affects heat exposure, particularly for migrant workers living in high-density accommodations. His research spans both indoor and outdoor conditions, combining field measurements with simulations to test how layout, vegetation, and local materials influence 'thermal comfort' and productivity. But Sheta's also investigating how design interventions—such as shaded pathways, buffer green zones, and the use of native plant species—can reduce heat stress in dense industrial areas, including Al Quoz and Jebel Ali. More shade and improved airflow can lower surface temperatures, enhance pedestrian comfort, and reduce the physiological toll of daily work in exposed conditions, Sheta said. 'Vegetation helps reduce ambient temperatures significantly by providing shade, which directly lowers the heat exposure,' he explains in reference to worksites and walkable zones. He adds that certain plant types, such as 'local deciduous tree species,' are beneficial, not only for shading but for 'reflecting and scattering solar radiation throughout the year.' For now, the growing number of midday rest shelters across Dubai is one of the most visible signs the city is taking heat stress seriously, Sheta says. 'Many researchers should begin evaluating this experiment by conducting wide-ranging surveys among the labourers,' Sheta said, noting the need for better data to understand what's working and where gaps remain. Sheta sees this as the central challenge: regulation and research have not yet caught up to a lived reality. 'Bridging the gap between academic research and industry application is essential to transform pilot studies and conceptual innovations into real-world, impactful projects,' he says. For him, the next phase of climate adaptation in labour-heavy industries won't hinge on a single innovation. 'Integration — of policy, technology, research, and stakeholder collaboration — will characterise the next stage of climate adaptation in Gulf labour-intensive industries.' In the Gulf, the real challenge isn't just working through the heat — it's keeping up with it.
Zawya
16-07-2025
- Business
- Zawya
Aggregators dominate food delivery, with mobile orders up by 30% in the UAE and Saudi Arabia in H1 2025
Recent data from Syrve MENA, a leading restaurant software provider in the Middle East, reveals that the first half of 2025 brought about a substantial shift in consumer behaviour in Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates. Dubai, the UAE: According to Syrve MENA data, food aggregators continue to be the most popular mobile order channel in both markets. Approximately 75% of mobile orders placed by surveyed restaurants are processed by apps like HungerStation, Talabat, and Deliveroo. The remaining 25% is handled by call centres, proprietary apps, and websites run by restaurants — a tactic that larger chains seeking greater control over operational procedures can afford. Syrve MENA reported that the majority of orders come from mobile devices. More than 70% of all food delivery transactions are made through mobile phones, reflecting the region's preference for digital convenience. While it is challenging to accurately estimate the increase in mobile orders in H1 2025 compared to 2024, Talabat reports a 30% year-over-year increase in Gross Merchandise Value (GMV) in Q1, which may indicate a significant rise in order volume in H1 2025. Revenue and adjusted EBITDA both grew by 34%, while adjusted net income rose by 24%. Seasonal trends and daily delivery patterns Syrve MENA reported that mobile delivery activity in the UAE reached its first peak in March 2025, coinciding with Ramadan, a time traditionally associated with increased food ordering. Another seasonal surge is expected between June and September, when high temperatures make outdoor dining less appealing and consumers turn to delivery more often. The time slot from 8:00 PM to 11:00 PM consistently yields the highest volume of mobile delivery orders across most restaurant categories. For fast food, Italian, Indian, and international restaurant chains, this evening window is the most popular. However, Arabic food exhibits a distinct trend, with traditional breakfast items driving the highest delivery activity between 10:00 AM and 12:00 PM. Popular dishes range from kebabs in Arabic restaurants to rotis and butter naan in Indian chains. In the global H1 2025 market, the most popular time for food ordering is generally 6:00 PM local time, according to restaurant industry reports. Additionally, there's a noticeable increase in breakfast orders, particularly on Monday mornings. The later evening peak in orders observed in the UAE and Saudi Arabia may be linked to Ramadan, when evening meals shift to after sunset. UAE vs. Saudi Arabia: Comparing the Markets Despite differences in scale and speed, both the UAE and Saudi Arabia are experiencing mobile-driven growth. Through 2033, the UAE's online meal delivery industry is anticipated to expand at a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 10.2%, driven by consumer demands for convenience, speed, and loyalty benefits. The Saudi Arabian market is significantly larger and is projected to grow at a 15.4% CAGR through 2030. This surge is primarily driven by urbanisation, advanced digital infrastructure including widespread internet access and smartphone usage, and a growing middle class with increasing disposable income and preference for digital convenience. 'Mobile-based delivery will remain central to foodservice strategy in both the UAE and Saudi Arabia as they continue to develop digitally and increase mobile order volumes by over 10% year-on-year. Consistent seasonal peaks, changing spending habits, and rapidly advancing technology are making mobile-first dining the new norm,' said Alexander Ponomarev, CEO at Syrve MENA. According to reports, as mobile order volumes continue to grow steadily and consumers demand digital convenience, forecasts predict that the share of mobile-based orders will exceed 80% in both markets by the end of 2025. This trend is further fueled by high digital penetration, making the digital transformation of the food delivery market inevitable. The dominance of food aggregators and restaurants' increasing drive toward process automation are also contributing to this shift. About Syrve MENA Syrve MENA is a leader in all-in-one POS and Restaurant Management Software solutions in the Middle East. With its headquarters in Dubai and a presence in 57 countries, Syrve has been revolutionising the food service market for over five years. Serving over 9000 customers worldwide, including renowned restaurant chains and small businesses, Syrve is committed to automating restaurants and hospitality businesses.
