This archive report was first published on 21 August 2020.
On August 21, 2020, taxi hailing service Bolt announced its entry into the food delivery business in Kenya, marking a strategic move to diversify its revenue streams amidst the Covid-19 pandemic.
The company, which has already established a presence in over 30 markets across Europe and Africa, aims to leverage its existing network and customer base to break into the food delivery segment in Kenya.
According to Bolt, the decision to venture into food delivery was driven by customer demand, with the company noting that the segment has become the fastest-growing line for its competitor Uber, with delivery more than doubling in the second quarter of 2020.
Kenya has faced a series of restrictions since March, which have significantly impacted the transport and restaurant industry. The measures, including restricted movement and closure of some offices, have reduced the number of people commuting, forcing restaurants to rely on online apps to deliver food to consumers.
Popular eateries have set up e-commerce sites linked to existing delivery services, such as Jumia Food, Uber Eats, Glovo, and Yum, as well as in-house channels to meet the needs of consumers.
Bolt is yet to unveil its charges for the service, but other players charge between Sh50 and Sh200, pegged on distance. Jumia Food also offers a subscription option where users pay a monthly rate for unlimited deliveries.
