Tag: Grab

Jakarta, Indonesia – To commemorate this year’s World Earth Day, super-app Grab has partnered with Indonesian government officials, strategic business partners, and the private sector, to take #LangkahHijau campaign to the next level.

The #LangkahHijau (‘green steps’) is a campaign first introduced in 2019 by the ride-hailing app in order to supercharge its sustainability efforts. Its mission is to commit to a cleaner and greener Indonesia by introducing three efforts, which are Carbon Offsetting, Electric Vehicle Provision, and Recycling efforts with GrabExpress Recycle.

First off, the new carbon offset feature to reduce emissions allows consumers to carbon offset their Grab rides at a price of IDR200 for two-wheeled vehicles and IDR500 for four-wheeled vehicles. Through Grab’s partnership with Benihbaik.com and EcoMatcher, this contribution will go directly to tree planting in Central Java which is managed by the Bumi Hijau Lestari Foundation, a non-profit organization that focuses on renewing the environment and empowering local communities through reforestation and education. Consumers can participate in this initiative in the Grab application features through the Tree Planting Fund (Plant Tree Fund) starting 20 April.

In terms of its electric fleet, Grab will start piloting the GrabBike Electric Protect vehicle fleet in Jakarta, Bali, and Yogyakarta starting 22 April. Grab said that lessons learned from this trial will form the basis for further expansion of the use of electric vehicles for direct consumers to reduce carbon emissions.

Meanwhile, in terms of its recycling efforts, the super-app shared that it will be adding up to 50 waste bank points in the Jadetabek area and continue to expand to 40 delivery points in Bandung in order to make the activity of recycling easier and more accessible for consumers.

Ridzki Kramadibrata, the president of Grab Indonesia, stated that the company believes that realizing a reduction in carbon footprint and environmental impact also goes hand in hand with creating economic opportunities for local communities. 

“We are constantly looking for ways to reduce our carbon footprint and enhance our environmental sustainability initiatives through various partnerships. Our latest carbon offset program in collaboration with Ecomatcher and Yayasan Bumi Hijau Lestari will provide an opportunity for us to minimize the impact of our business on Indonesia’s environment,” said Kramadibrata.

In addition to the new initiatives, the super-app has also released a virtual exhibition of #LangkahHijau, which can be accessed by the public starting 22 April on the GrabForGood Step Hijau website. The virtual exhibition aims to raise awareness of the small steps consumers can take to protect the environment.

Neneng Goenadi, the country managing director of Grab Indonesia, commented, “We are very grateful for the support that has been given from the government, state-owned companies, private sector partners, and leading EV industry players. We will add a fleet of 1,500 electric vehicles so that more driver and delivery partners have access to electric vehicles on our platform.”

Manila, Philippines – PayLater, the buy now pay later feature from super-app Grab, has finally rolled out in the Philippines, giving Grab users in the country a solution to let them shop, dine, ride and pay later in one monthly bill across Grab’s services such as GrabCar, GrabFood, GrabMart, and GrabExpress.

PayLater is available to top-tier and long-time Grab users who regularly use the app’s features and those with significant transactions across the app’s different services. If a consumer qualifies for the feature, it will appear as a payment method for Grab transactions, along with other payment methods such as cash, GrabPay, and enrolled credit cards. The consumer has to click and subscribe to activate the PayLater feature.

The PayLater bill will be generated on the 1st or 15th of the month with seven days to settle, depending on the activation day. This will give consumers time to manage and plan their finances responsibly. 

In addition, the users can avoid any bill shock by tracking their transactions by going to the PayLater section and click the ‘view details’ button to see their current spending total, available balance, and transaction history. The entire PayLater system is transparent, so people can see that there are no hidden fees. To avoid late fees, users can enable their notifications to receive regular payment reminders before their due date. 

“This new feature allows our users to enjoy Grab’s suite of services such as delivery of food or other essential items and pay for them a whole month later. It allows them to better plan their finances and manage their cash flow, as they can review all their transactions in one monthly bill with zero interest,” said Erwin Yamsuan, head of Grab Financial Services in the Philippines. 

He added, “One of the best things about this service is that consumers will also earn points for every transaction which they can collect and exchange for great rewards. It’s been a challenging year for many Filipinos, and we hope that this new Grab service brings more convenience to many people.”

Aside from the convenience it offers to users, PayLater also offers a rewarding bonus to those who avail of the service. Grab users will earn reward points for any transaction they charge to their PayLater accounts.

Singapore – Ride-hailing platform Grab has announced a regional e-commerce partnership with DON DON DONKI (DONKI), the famous Japanese retail company, to serve as its preferred on-demand delivery partner in several countries across the Southeast Asia (SEA) region, such as Singapore, Malaysia, and Thailand.

The new partnership will also see Grab offering its cashless payment service across DONKI retail stores, which will first be available in Malaysia, enabling consumers to shop and pay for DONKI products on the Grab app through GrabMart and GrabPay.

First off, Grab users can look forward to an extensive catalog featuring up to 900 SKUs, including snacks, ready-to-eat meals, alcoholic and non-alcoholic beverages, as well as daily essential items across health, beauty and household segments.As per usual users can receive GrabRewards points for every transaction, where collected points from GrabRewards can be redeemed for special discounts on Grab services and at GrabRewards’ partnering stores.

Furthermore, the partnership will also be creating in-marketing campaigns to better engage consumers online and offline. During this month, both Grab and DONKI are launching a joint campaign in Singapore to encourage fans to explore the new GrabMart shopping experience. By using the promo code ‘DONKI’ upon checkout, consumers will be able to enjoy 30% off, as well as a free delivery with minimum spend on DONKI products on GrabMart.

Saad Ahmed, the managing director and regional head of commercial for Grab, shared that they are extremely excited to be partnering with DON DON DONKI on their Southeast Asia expansion, knowing that many Grab users are fans of Japanese products and are going to appreciate the retail company’s wide range of good-quality, value-for-money Japanese foods, fresh produce, and products.

“The Grab platform enables retailers like DON DON DONKI to easily plug into our ecosystem, connect with our large and growing base of online users and provide ultra-fast on-demand delivery to them through our scalable fleet. We are committed to supporting retailers in Southeast Asia build out their digital strategies and reach their business goals through our unique platform tools and services,” said Ahmed.

Meanwhile, Satoshi Machida, the president of Pan Pacific Retail Management (PPRM) Singapore and Malaysia, the parent company of DONKI, said that over the past few years, they have strived to bring Japanese products closer to consumers in SEA by opening up new stores in every corner of the region.

“As one of the leading e-commerce platforms, this partnership with Grab will allow us to gain a foothold online and reach out to more consumers as a complement to our on-going market expansion,” added Machida.

Manila, Philippines – Ride-hailing platform Grab has partnered with Philippines’ agri-social enterprise Zagana to launch the ‘Salamat sa Ani’ initiative, a campaign that aims to provide more options for people to show gratitude to loved ones and frontliners, as well as to support local farmers through patronizing their products.

The ‘Salamat Sa Ani’ initative (Grateful for the Harvest) will see Grab leveraging its platform to encourage more Filipino app users to show their appreciation to friends and loved ones through the ‘Salamat Sa Ani’ gift sets, which are produce directly obtained from Zagana farmers in the province of Benguet, Pangasinan, and city of Cavite. 

Through the sale of the gift sets, which consists of fresh corn, bananas, and lime, Grab aims to provide support to the farming communities that Grab helped digitalize since the Enhanced Community Quarantine (ECQ) phase in the country. 

During the height of the pandemic, one of the key ‘GrabForGood’ initiatives led by Grab Philippines is GrabBayanihan, a program that provided much-needed support to driver-partners, frontliners, and displaced individuals, as well as farming communities, and local governments. 

Country Head of Grab Philippines, Grace Vera Cruz, shared that using Grab’s platform and technology to help improve the lives and livelihoods of many Filipinos is what differentiates the app as a community partner. 

“We are grateful to have made a difference in the lives of millions of Filipinos through our GrabForGood program and we will continue with our commitment of using technology and our platform to encourage meaningful collaboration within our communities and help our kababayans overcome their daily struggles,” added Vera Cruz.

Meanwhile, Joshua Aragon, the chief executive officer of Zagana, said, “The pandemic has truly impacted a lot of lives. Our partnership with Grab has allowed us to continuously serve our customers and support our local farmers, by leveraging Grab’s platform and technology to provide our kababayans access to fresh produce, delivered right at their doorsteps while providing a livelihood for both the delivery partners and local farmers during these uncertain times.”

The ‘Salamat Sa Ani’ gift sets are available at GrabMart for ₱299.

Banten, Indonesia – In a bid to further reiterate its commitment to vaccination efforts in the country, Grab in Indonesia will be opening a new vaccination center in Banten Province, following the success of the Grab vaccine center in Bali, Indonesia. 

The ride-hailing app has partnered again with health tech company Good Doctor and the Minister of Health of the Republic of Indonesia to launch the vaccine center in Banten Province. The collaboration aims to leverage technology to provide comfort for vaccine recipients, especially the elderly and public workers in the transportation sector. The center will deliver a 3-in-1 approach: offering a choice of vaccination methods, namely drive-thru for cars, drive-thru for motorbikes, and walk-in.

The Banten Province Grab Vaccine Center will operate with the support of the local government health office at the ICE BSD Exhibition Hall 10, targeting to vaccinate 5,000 elderly and public workers in the transportation sector which consist of mass transport drivers and Grab driver and delivery partners. The first batch has already been administered on 13 to 14 March 2021 with the second batch slated on 10 to 11 April 2021.

The pre-registration, scheduling, and data management process for vaccination will utilize the digital infrastructure and technology of GrabHealth powered by Good Doctor in partnership with the government to ensure efficient vaccination implementation.

The Ministry of Health will provide the vaccines and will be available for those who meet the requirements of the National Vaccination Program Phase 2. The elderly residents in Banten Province who are interested in being vaccinated at the Grab Vaccine Center must register by filling out the online form available at GrabHealth.

Vaccine recipients will be screened first to ensure that they meet the criteria. The vaccination will be carried out by doctors and nurses from the Banten Provincial Health Office, and observation. After the vaccination, they will get a vaccine certificate issued by the BPJS (Social Security Administering Body) before leaving the center.

According to Budi Gunadi Sadikin, Minister of Health of the Republic of Indonesia, ten percent of Indonesia’s population are elderly and more than 50 percent of the people who died from COVID-19 are over 60 years old. He said that the priority is to protect those who are vulnerable to being exposed to the virus. 

“We appreciate Grab and Good Doctor for their ongoing commitment to support the National Vaccination Program through the Grab Vaccine Center. The vaccine center with the 3-in-1 approach pioneered by Grab and Good Doctor offers the convenience and efficiency of a safe and fast vaccination system,” added Sadikin.

Ridzki Kramadibrata, president of Grab Indonesia, said that once the vaccine is available, the next challenge is to vaccinate a large population in a short time, saying that a variety of mass vaccination methods can be used to ensure wider access to all segments of society. 

“The combination of Drive-Thru and Walk-In vaccination services offers a faster vaccination process and shorter waiting times to support the national agenda for mass vaccination for COVID-19. Hand in hand with a strong spirit of mutual cooperation in fighting COVID-19 will hasten the end of this pandemic,” said Kramadibrata.

Danu Wicaksana, managing director of Good Doctor Technology Indonesia, also commented, “We at Good Doctor are always ready to partner with the government in the success of the national vaccination program in various cities according to the direction of the Ministry of Health. In particular, we also provide an online participant registration process as well as a pre-screening feature for elderly people in the Grab application and the Good Doctor application; so as to reduce crowds and minimize canceled or postponed cases at the vaccination site.”

Manila, Philippines – Ride-hailing app in Southeast Asia Grab has partnered with internet service provider, Globe at Home, to offer another channel to customers in availing its prepaid internet services.

The team-up will enable users of Grab to choose and avail Globe at Home’s internet products on GrabMart, namely Globe at Home Prepaid, LTE-Advanced, and Xtreme Prepaid Wifi. The products can be shipped within a 10-kilometer radius and have them delivered directly to the customer. When customers make a minimum purchase of ₱900, they can also avail GrabMart’s unlimited free delivery promo, which runs until 31 March, with code UNLIFREEDEL upon checkout.

EJ dela Vega, head of deliveries for Grab Philippines, commented that being connected is more important now more than ever, saying that amid the shift to a work-from-home setup, a reliable internet connection enables productivity as well as to enjoy leisure time to stream movies and music. 

“It’s [also] a necessary instrument for online businesses to grow by reaching a wider audience. Most importantly, being connected allows us to buy groceries and other essentials in the comfort of our living rooms. The partnership between Grab and Globe at Home aims to give Filipinos the chance to enjoy affordable, and reliable internet connection when they need it,” said dela Vega.

Meanwhile, Vice President and Head of Broadband Business at Globe Darius Delgado said, “Globe’s home prepaid WiFi sets the bar for broadband not only because of its larger capacity, but more importantly for its affordability and accessibility. We decided to partner with Grab because of the shopping convenience it offers. Customers can order our budget-friendly internet solutions right in the comfort of their homes. All they have to do is browse through GrabMart and choose the package that suits their needs.”

Singapore – Ride-hailing platform Grab has signed a Memorandum of Intent (MOI) with Infocomm Media Development Authority (IMDA) and Digital Industry Singapore (DISG) to support the development of Singapore’s tech ecosystem. 

The signed MOI will see Grab working with IMDA and DISG to grow its core product and engineering teams’ capabilities through the support of talent development programs like the TechSkills Accelerator (TeSA), seeking to enhance professionals’ technical skills and to provide hands-on training opportunities to individuals in the tech sector.

Meanwhile, Grab will also be creating new job opportunities, hiring around 350 employees in Singapore this year. This move covers the expansion of products and services to support the digitalization of micro SMEs, the delivery of digital financial services across Southeast Asia, as well as the development of the upcoming ‘digibank’, which will be managed by a Grab-Singtel consortium.

New job opportunities will come from areas of AI, Cybersecurity, Data Science, Software Engineering, as well as Product Management and Design. Some of the new hires will be involved in projects that aim to develop merchants’ products, and improve the user experience of the merchant app, which will be an all-in-one solution featuring modularized Grab services to select from.

A majority of the new hires, on the other hand, will be involved in powering Grab’s innovation engine that uses deep tech to build and enhance services for its users. Besides tech roles, Grab will also be offering employment opportunities in areas such as finance, operations, legal, public affairs, and business development. 

Co-founder of Grab Tan Hooi-Ling commented that despite the challenges brought forth by COVID-19, the tech industry continues to hold promise for new and renewed opportunities for talent. 

“As a Singapore-based tech company, Grab fully supports the development of the tech ecosystem here. We are building products that positively impact millions across Southeast Asia, and we want to continue deepening our R&D capabilities and push the boundaries of innovation, right here at our strategic base,” said Ling.

Meanwhile, Lew Chuen Hong, chief executive of IMDA, said that to secure a digital future, Singapore must be the place where companies choose to build unique digital products that cater for global markets.

“We are pleased to partner Grab, to strengthen Singapore’s tech ecosystem in these two key areas – to build our local talent in product development, and grow Singapore as the base for high-end R&D in tech,” Hong added.

Vice President and Head of DISG Ang Chin Tah also commented, “We are excited that industry leaders like Grab are stepping up to deepen their R&D activities here while providing more job and skills development opportunities for Singaporeans. Together, we will continue to build a vibrant and sustainable tech ecosystem to drive innovation and capture growth opportunities.”

Manila, Philippines – GrabKitchen finally gets a second branch in the Philippines, which will be located in Sampaloc, Metro Manila, generally known as the ‘University Belt’, housing a number of top colleges and universities in the district. The branch adds to the overall 50 known GrabKitchen branches in the Southeast Asia region.

The concept of GrabKitchen revolves around a mix-and-match feature, which allows customers to satisfy their food orders from different merchants all in one order. 

The second GrabKitchen Philippine branch brings together eight brands to provide more food choices to consumers. It also aims to provide food entrepreneurs the opportunity to launch their brands in new locations with a lower setup cost and to reach a wider base of customers through GrabFood. 

The eight food chain brands include Conti’s, Sinangag Express, CoCo Fresh Tea and Juice, as well as Omakase, Mister Kabab, and Army Navy, and also Pizza Telefono, and Happilee. 

According to Grab Philippines Head of Deliveries EJ Dela Vega, GrabKitchen responds to both consumer demand and helping food and beverage entrepreneurs succeed in their digital business stints.

“Our first GrabKitchen has enabled merchants to establish their brands in Makati, where they didn’t use to have a physical store, with minimal upfront investments. At the same time, it has also provided food lovers the option to enjoy different cuisines they love in a single order and pay one delivery fee. We hope to bring the same benefits to consumers and businesses through the opening of our Sampaloc branch,” Dela Vega stated.

The country’s first branch was launched at shopping mall Glorietta 2 located in top business district, Makati City, where it facilitated six merchants.

Dela Vega also added that these merchants will add variety in terms of food choices in Manila. Omakase and Happilee are opening their kitchens in Manila for the first time, while the others hope to gain more customers through GrabKitchen. He further shared that Grab considered several factors in shortlisting the merchants, including identifying the in-demand food items in the area and leveraging data from historical orders to address cuisine gaps. 

“We are hopeful that our Sampaloc, Manila branch will give foodies more freedom to mix and match their orders. They can also take advantage of the fact that our GrabKitchen merchants offer long-distance deliveries up to 10 kilometers,” Dela Vega added.

GrabKitchen was a concept first introduced in Indonesia in 2018 and has since become the largest regional cloud kitchen operator in Southeast Asia. GrabKitchen’s branches expand in countries such as Thailand, Vietnam, Singapore, and Malaysia, where it has also recently opened a first branch. 

To celebrate the launch of the newest GrabKitchen branch, Grab is offering free delivery to customers from February 9 to 28, 2021 for orders with a minimum price tag of ₱550.

Singapore – Two beloved brands across the Southeast Asia region will soon be seen working hand in hand with the recent announcement of the partnership between health and beauty retailer Watsons and super app and delivery service Grab. The tie-up was birthed to significantly expand the retailer’s online reach in the region.

Both brands will be collaborating across multiple services starting with Grab’s GrabExpress, GrabMart, and GrabPay services, and the partnership will run across six markets in the region, namely, Malaysia, Philippines, and Singapore, as well as Thailand, Indonesia, and Vietnam. 

First off, GrabExpress will be integrated into Watsons as its last-mile express delivery partner, where customers purchasing through Watsons’ website and mobile app will now be able to receive orders within hours instead of days.

The partnership will also bring up to 2,200 Watsons stores in the six Southeast Asian markets onto GrabMart, making Watsons the largest health and beauty retailer to be on the platform.

Meanwhile, Grab’s digital wallet GrabPay will also soon be accepted as a payment option in Watsons’ Southeast Asia stores, where GrabPay will also be integrated into Watsons’ mobile app. 

Freda Ng, chief digital officer of Watsons International, said that with COVID-19 accelerating the growth of eCommerce, more customers expect purchases to be delivered fast. 

“With our unparalleled network of 2,200 stores in Southeast Asia which is a core touchpoint for customers and key to enabling fast deliveries, Grab is the ideal partner to complete the purchase journey,” said Ng. 

Grab’s managing director of its regional business development, Shawn Heng, added, “Grab’s open platform enables companies to scale by easily plugging into our ecosystem and leveraging our unique online and offline capabilities to grow together with us in this region. Our partnership with A.S. Watsons Group brings one of the world’s most trusted and well-loved health and beauty retailers onto our platform, giving customers a more convenient way to shop and pay for their favorite daily health and beauty products at home and in-store.”

The Watsons and Grab collaboration will be rolling out in phases across the region.

 

Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia – Superapp Grab and electronics company Panasonic have partnered to launch a marketing campaign for in-car air quality that provides overall in-car experience enhancement.

The marketing campaign will combine both offline and online advertising solutions, as Grab will turn 5,500 GrabCar Premium vehicles across four countries into mini-showrooms for Panasonic’s nanoe™ X generators. The promoted product is an air-purifying unit which cleans the air, and improves air circulation. Ads will also grace the Grab app. 

“Our partnership with Panasonic reflects our belief that advertising is not a one-sided relationship, but one where there is a value exchange between brands and customers. It also marks a milestone for our fast-growing GrabAds business that is increasingly becoming the advertising platform of choice for brands within and outside of our ecosystem to better connect and engage with the everyday Southeast Asian consumer,” said Ken Mandel, regional managing director for GrabAds, the advertising arm of Grab.

“We will continue to take a collaborative approach in working with brands and agencies to ideate and launch impactful campaigns in Southeast Asia,” added Mandel.

The campaign will also provide additional income opportunities for Grab driver-partners who will earn a monthly product placement fee throughout the campaign period, as well as  5,500 air purifiers to participating drivers at no cost.

The Grab x Panasonic collaboration will span across Singapore, Ho Chi Minh City, Hanoi, Kuala Lumpur and Jakarta for a period of two months, starting this January.