Food delivery giant Deliveroo today announced a call for applications for its first-ever "Deliveroo Foodiepreneur", a competition for food entrepreneurs who aspire to open a new restaurant and launch their own venture. This latest initiative by Deliveroo is aimed at supporting local talent to start or advance their food businesses and will provide an opportunity to showcase their ideas and culinary skills as well as network with other bright minds in the industry.
The competition is centred on Deliveroo's commitment to mentoring the next generation of game-changers in the food industry. Participants will stand a chance to realize their dreams, win S$10,000 in cash and the chance to set up shop at Deliveroo Food Market, in addition to receiving mentorship and business skills training during the competition.
Deliveroo Singapore's General Manager, Siddharth Shanker shared, "Deliveroo has come a long way since we launched in Singapore in 2015, and we could not have achieved this without strong support from our restaurant partners, riders and customers. With Deliveroo Foodiepreneur, this is our opportunity to give back and support local talent in the industry, and provide them with a platform and space to take their business to the next level and bring amazing, innovative food concepts to more people in Singapore."
Competition Process:
The 2019 Deliveroo Foodie-preneur Competition application period begins on June 25, 2019, and runs until August 9, 2019. Open to both individuals and teams, applicants will be required to sign up at https://forms.gle/ZHHMsUmrTXB8v6Hh8 and complete the application form outlining their personal profiles and proposed business concept. They will be asked for details such as their business and cooking experience, food business concept, and ambitions for their business.
The competition will consist of two rounds. In the first round, applications are evaluated by executives from Deliveroo to shortlist the top five candidates. In the second and final round, the five finalists will have the chance to pitch their business ideas to an expanded panel of judges that includes experienced food entrepreneurs in Singapore, in the hope of securing the cash prize and a three-month rent-free contract to set up their own kitchen at Deliveroo Food Market.
Mentorship from Industry Professionals:
The five finalists will undergo two half-day training workshops, aimed at helping finalists refine their business concept and industry knowledge. Workshops will include discussions around menu optimisation, financial planning, lean workflow planning, amongst others.
Pitch Day:
All the finalists' efforts will culminate in a final pitch day in September 2019, where finalists will pitch in their concepts to the panel. Finalists will make their pitch and present their business plans and key dishes to the judges, followed by a rigorous question and answer segment to assess the soundness of their business plans, the consideration made to prudent financial management and how the concept will stand out in the highly challenging landscape, beyond the quality of their food.
The winner will walk away with a grand prize, comprising three months rent-free kitchen space at Deliveroo Food Market, outfitted with basic kitchen equipment (worth S$15,000), as well as S$10,000 in cash.
Yeoh Mei Ling, Director for Food Services Division, Enterprise Singapore commented, "In today's era where convenience is prized, online food delivery is a trend that continues to have strong momentum. Singapore's own online food delivery market is projected to increase by 13% annually for the next 3 years. We are heartened that an established player like Deliveroo is partnering and guiding Singapore food companies on growing their online delivery business. Food entrepreneurs should tap on such mentorship and training activities so that they can start their business on the right footing."
