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Why did Zomato launch ‘pure veg fleet'? Deepinder Goyal explains amid backlash

Deepinder Goyal cited feedback from vegetarian customers as the reason for the launch of the ‘pure veg mode’ and ‘pure veg fleet’ services.

Updated on: Mar 20, 2024, 07:27:24 IST
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Zomato faced severe backlash after CEO Deepinder Goyal on Tuesday announced the launch of a "Pure Veg Mode" service to cater to customers who have a vegetarian dietary preference.

Zomato CEO Deepinder Goyal said he was stepping out to deliver some 'pure veg' orders with the newly launched 'pure veg fleet'. (X/@deepigoyal)
Zomato CEO Deepinder Goyal said he was stepping out to deliver some 'pure veg' orders with the newly launched 'pure veg fleet'. (X/@deepigoyal)

The feature, once selected, shows users only restaurants serving vegetarian food.

Additionally, the orders placed through this mode will be picked and delivered by Zomato’s “Pure Veg Fleet” carrying green delivery boxes.

With social media users weighing in on the feature, “Zomato” became the top trending keyword on X (formerly Twitter).

Why did Zomato launch “Pure Veg Fleet”?

Deepinder Goyal said a separate fleet for “pure veg” deliveries was launched because sometimes, food gets spilled into the delivery boxes and thus, the smell of the food is inevitably carried to the next order.

“For this reason, we had to separate the fleet for veg orders,” he said.

Take a look at Deepinder Goyal's post on X:

Also Read: Zomato launches ‘pure veg mode’, dedicated vegetarian fleet. Deepinder Goyal steps out to deliver orders

Zomato faces backlash

Goyal defended the feature amid concerns from a section of internet users that the feature could make certain housing societies and residents’ groups ban the entry of the regular Zomato delivery agents who wear red t-shirts and have red boxes on their vehicles.

Goyal said Zomato will stay alert for any such cases and work with residents’ associations to not let this happen.

“We understand our social responsibility due to this change, and we will not back down from solving it when the need arises,” he said.

“And I promise, that if we see any significant negative social repercussions of this change, we will roll it back in a heartbeat.”

He said he got “an overwhelmingly positive response” to the new service from many people

“A lot of comments from young people who eat non-veg food saying ‘now my parents can also use Zomato’,” he wrote on X.

Goyal had said that delivery persons on “pure veg” services will exclusively deliver orders from “pure” vegetarian restaurants and won't handle any non-vegetarian meals. Additionally, they won't enter non-vegetarian restaurants. while carrying the green delivery box.

  • Shylaja Varma
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    Shylaja Varma

    Shylaja Varma is the Trending Editor at Hindustan Times. Having worked in some of India’s top newsrooms, she has established herself as a keen observer of internet culture. Her work often bridges the gap between fast-paced digital developments and traditional reportage. From writing about the human toll of disasters and decoding the hottest memes to tracking what Elon Musk, Indian CEOs, billionaires and tech leaders are doing on social media, Shylaja’s editorial lens is defined by accuracy, speed and a deep understanding of the online landscape. She also writes stories about Indians abroad, the NRI life and struggles. She also has a keen eye for stories about Bengaluru and its startup and IT culture, having grown up in the Karnataka capital and seen its evolution. Prior to her current role, Shylaja spent several years at CNN-News18, NDTV and Moneycontrol, where she honed her skills in real-time news reporting and digital storytelling. She started her career in television news, reporting from Bengaluru and New Delhi. Shylaja built Moneycontrol’s Trends vertical and set up the team, turning it into a high-traffic destination. She also did video interviews for events like Startup Conclave and The Creator Economy Summit A microbiology graduate from Mount Carmel College, Bengaluru, she went on to complete a Master’s in Journalism and Audio-Visual Communication from COMMITS, Bengaluru.Read More

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