Philippines, 14 May 2020 – Carousell, one of the world’s largest and fastest growing online classifieds, has partnered with Unilever Food Solutions in providing the local food and beverage (F&B) community the opportunity to continue business operations online. As the threats of COVID-19 force people to observe social distancing and movement restrictions, the online marketplace breathes life into F&B businesses.
The launch of the new “Food & Drinks” category offers local eats, special promotions and increased visibility to the platform’s millions of users. It also intends to connect diners to a wide array of food choices offering self-arranged delivery and pick-ups.
“Our love for food and eating is unquestionable. Food brings a sense of comfort, of belonging and excitement. We give utmost importance to strengthening our community and we know that the Filipinos’ shared love for food will connect us better. As we go through these trying times, we continuously find ways to innovate and bridge entrepreneurs and consumers through our platform’s newest food & drinks category. We support local F&B owners while they reinvent themselves online and thrive despite the current economic challenge,” shared Raffy Montemayor, General Manager, Carousell Philippines.
“Small local business owners like us find difficulty in sustaining our businesses. Though the government has provided avenues for financial aid, not all are eligible. Due to the quarantine measures, diners can’t eat out or visit our food stalls. As consumers shift from dine-in to food take-outs and deliveries, we look for ways to pivot operations that cater to the demands of a digitally-driven world. Carousell’s efforts to provide a marketplace that can accommodate our needs to reach a wider range of potential customers has been a great help to us,” said Jeff Uy from 24 Chicken (@24ChickenPH).
In partnership with Unilever Food Solutions, a key food service supplier with brands such as Knorr, Lady’s Choice, Best Foods, Lipton, and Carte D’Or, Carousell will be onboarding hundreds of F&B businesses onto the newly created “Food and Drinks” category on its platform. The onboarding process will ensure that business owners who have not had prior experience with online operations are still able to list on Carousell for increased visibility. With Carousell listings, F&B owners will be able to provide on-demand takeaway services without having to pay a premium or commission to external vendors, and Carousellers will be able to conveniently and directly support the local F&B establishments near them. Interested F&B outlets may list on Carousell following these simple guidelines:https://carousell.app.link/SupportLocalEats
“At Unilever Food Solutions we believe in supporting every food business, big or small. We are pleased to partner with Carousell and provide F&B businesses a platform to reach more diners, without added costs. This partnership shows our effort to help operators create new revenue streams in a digital and online environment. While the situation remains tough, we believe the F&B industry can persevere and emerge stronger together. Sama-sama, tulong-tulong.” said BJ Carreon, Managing Director, Unilever Food Solutions, Philippines and Vietnam.
They can also apply for the platform’s #SupportLocal SMEs campaign—a subscription service giving retailers a chance to gain exposure and keep businesses afloat. The company is committing Php 9 million worth of Carousell advertising currency to eligible applicants that apply via https://caro.sl/supportlocalph on or before May 31, 2020. In addition, from now till May 15, all active paid subscribers will get free CarouBiz for three months.
As the shift to the new normal persists, providing assistance and equipping local owners with tools essential to empower businesses is of utmost importance. For further information, you may visit www.carousell.ph.
