It’s no secret that the global pandemic has been wreaking havoc on ride-hailing services. Grab, in particular, saw its ride-hailing drivers facing severely reduced incomes — so much so that they’ve since switched to carrying out on-demand deliveries. 

Things are no different for Tada, the relatively newer player in Singapore’s ride-hailing market. But instead of going the food or parcel delivery route, the company launched Tada Fresh Market, a new platform for people to order groceries online from various wet markets at wet market prices. 

“The idea of Tada Fresh Market was borne out of the need to provide a source of livelihood to our Private Hire Vehicle Drivers as there lesser rides during the circuit breaker,” Tada’s Southeast Asia General Manager Jonathan Chua told AsiaOne.

“As the market recovers, it will continue to supplement their livelihoods by providing them with delivery jobs during off-peak periods. We are currently working with a pool of close to 100 drivers in Singapore with plans to scale up by the end of 2020.

Chua also mentioned that orders on Tada Fresh Market have been doubling every week since the platform had a soft launch in the middle of the circuit breaker. Covid-19 has accelerated the digitisation of small business owners, he says, and that includes wet market vendors both old and young. 

Right now, users can pick and choose fresh vegetables, fruits, meat and poultry from 36 stalls across Tekka Market and Tiong Bahru market daily, and the items cost just as cheap as it would be if one were to physically purchase them on site. 

The catch here is that shoppers will have to place a minimum order of $30 and pay a delivery fee of $3.85. Compile an order list of above $50 and delivery will be free. Further discounts are offered for Singtel, SAFRA and NTUC members. 

The company aims to onboard more vendors from other markets, including those in Bedok, for the next phase of their wet market digitisation drive.

ilyas@asiaone.com

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