Foodpanda turns 10 with a new Singapore HQ and upskilling programmes

Did you know Foodpanda is already well into its 10th anniversary?

To celebrate, the platform unveiled its new regional headquarters in Singapore, along with a new upskilling programme called PowerUp! Tech Academy.

Let’s look at its brand new office first. According to Foodpanda, the new Singapore-based regional headquarters houses its 1,200 employees from its regional and local operations team.

Naturally, a platform with food delivery as its main service would have a designated drop-off point for Foodpanda riders to complete any orders. The lobby area also has a mini-fridge for riders, with some snacks and drinks to energise them mid-shift.

A HQ for 1,200 employees would also mean plenty of space for collaboration and socialising. The dining zone has a pantry area with a mini-amphitheatre for Foodpanda employees to meet and eat.

A floor below its main pantry area is a Foodpanda mannequin with standard delivery attire and more meeting areas.

This particular meeting room called Jamdani also doubles up as a mahjong room for Foodpanda employees with a flair for reading tiles and making big plays. Notice that it’s equipped with an automatic mahjong table and special Foodpanda mahjong tiles?

Besides a new office, Foodpanda is also making more inroads in both talent development and innovation through its suite of upskilling programmes for locals, riders, and merchants via the PowerUp! Tech Academy. The launch of this programme was officiated by Mr. Tan Kiat How, Senior Minister of State, Ministry of Communications and Information.

The PowerUp! Tech Academy consists of programmes and partnerships targeted at growing Singapore’s local tech talent pool, where opportunities are presented via internship or mentorship programmes, and also through upskilling programmes.

These upskilling programmes happen through partnered government authorities and tertiary institutes, like Nanyang Technological University (NTU) and Singapore University of Technology and Design (SUTD).

Food delivery riders can opt to upskill via free or discounted educational courses, which are also done in partnership with other tertiary institutions. Some of these courses have certification.

For merchants, Foodpanda provides digital tools to hawkers, street food vendors, neighbourhood shops, and home-based food businesses to boost their platform visibility and grow their customer base. According to its official statement, Foodpanda provides these initiatives to all its 11 markets in Asia.

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This article was first published in Hardware Zone.