Focus on UK Immigration and Life in the UK: According to the latest financial report, the largest online food delivery company in the UK, Just Eat, achieved a profit of £9 million last year, quadrupling from the previous year. This company connects diners with restaurants through the internet, currently having 18,000 restaurants and takeaways as partners. The company believes that the use of online food delivery is still in its infancy, with vast potential ahead. Professionals point out that the Chinese restaurant industry needs to consider franchising or launching their own websites.
Just Eat originated in Denmark in 2001 and currently has branches in major Western European countries. The UK website was launched in 2006, allowing various types of restaurants, takeaways, and fast food outlets to join. Diners can find every type of delivery service available in their area on the website, including Chinese, Indian, Japanese, French, Mexican, British, Lebanese, and more. Diners order their favorite food online, and the order is sent directly to the selected takeaway, which delivers it to their door, while the website company collects a commission.
Currently, there are 18,000 food establishments in the UK that have joined the website. According to the latest financial report, the gross revenue of the website company reached £41 million in 2012, nearly doubling from £21 million in 2011, with net profit rising from £2 million to £9 million. The company's general manager's annual income was £174,000 in 2011, which increased to £1.3 million last year.
It is understood that restaurants and takeaways that join the website can generally increase their turnover by 15-20%. The company states that currently, the number of online food orders in the UK only accounts for ten percent of the restaurant industry's business. As more people use computers and go online, online food ordering is expected to grow exponentially in the coming years, presenting a huge market opportunity.
The proportion of Chinese establishments joining this website is not high, which may be related to the limited understanding of the internet among Chinese operators. The UK Chinese Takeaway Association recently pointed out that, in the long run, online food ordering is a development trend, and Chinese operators need to equip themselves with computer skills and the necessary ordering networks. Restaurants and takeaways should launch their own webpages and, if necessary, join the website company to achieve greater profits at the lowest cost.
