Delivery, Sustainability and Technology: Learnings from the Food & Drink EXPO, Birmingham

Zoomo spent three exciting days exhibiting at the Food & Drink Expo at the NEC, Birmingham. After several canceled years due to Covid, the excitement shown by all exhibitors and visitors was evident, mirroring the resurgence of the retail world as the world re-opens. 

The Rise of Rapid Delivery 

Zoomo’s UK General Manager Nicolas De Juniac was part of a panel discussing the rise of rapid delivery, talking with the co-founder of Jiffy, Marat Bolatov, and retail insight solutions company Lumina Intelligence about what is driving trends across the sector, and the impact it is having on the wider industry. 

The discussion highlighted just how much the evolving e-commerce space has changed customer expectations regarding rapid delivery. Today’s ‘Amazon-native’ consumers expect quick, reliable and quality deliveries, with rapid delivery services an extremely profitable and scalable option for modern businesses. Nicolas discussed, to the agreement of the panel, that e-bikes are the fastest and most efficient mode of delivery over short distances, and provide the best option for delivery companies looking to shift into quick-commerce. 

‍

‍

The Changing Gig Economy 

Jiffy’s Marat Bolatov also raised the debate between delivery companies employing drivers or utilising the gig economy, and what it could mean for the future of the industry. Despite acknowledging that it is tough to predict what avenue companies will go down, the overriding view from the panel was that if delivery companies are to succeed, they need to protect their riders and manage their fleets better. 

Zoomo cares deeply about the conditions of delivery riders, and produces light electric vehicles that are safe, reliable, and theft-proof. Zoomo’s payment options also provide important accessibility and flexibility for couriers. Therefore, whether future quick-commerce players employ riders directly or use the gig economy, Zoomo’s bikes provide the most reliable option for riders to feel safe and in control, both on and off the road. 

Recurring Industry Themes 

Speaking to other exhibitors and visitors away from the panel, it was clear that the food and drink industry is witnessing similar key themes: 

• Consumer expectations are changing: Collecting groceries is ‘old fashioned’ and consumers want to receive reliable deliveries at any time and in any quantity, with retailers in need of flexible fleet management solutions to benefit from this trend. 
• Sustainability is key: Retailers are looking for ways to improve their carbon footprint, with the use of cars, motorbikes, and vans noted as unsustainable and unessential modes of transport, particularly across the last-mile. 
• Embrace technology: Whether it is to boost customer’s shopping experiences or to improve the efficiency of delivery fleets, technology and smart systems are imperative if companies are to thrive. 

To utilise these trends, a fleet of e-bikes is the best way for on-demand delivery players to keep their promise of rapid at-scale delivery. If companies need to find a modern, cost-efficient, and sustainable way to deliver their goods, Zoomo’s ‘one-stop’ delivery and fleet management solution is the perfect answer. 

‍