Latest news with #Munch:On
Time Out Abu Dhabi
01-05-2025
- Business
- Time Out Abu Dhabi
Careem has launched a three-course lunch deal for only Dhs29 in Abu Dhabi
Flying solo for lunch again? We've all been there – scrolling through endless menus, only to end up overpaying for a meal-for-one that didn't exactly hit the spot anyway. But now there's a slick new solution from Careem that's here to save your midday munch. Say hello to Meals:On. Launching in Abu Dhabi, Meals:On is Careem Food's newest feature and it's tailor-made for the city's solo diners. The idea is simple: curated, quality meal deals from top Abu Dhabi spots – all under Dhs29. We're talking mains, sides and drinks bundled together for less than the price of your favourite brunch drink. Here's why this is a game-changer: over 64 percent of Careem Food's customers in the UAE usually order for one, especially during lunch. Inspired by Careem's 2022 acquisition of solo-meal platform Munch:On, Meals:On was rebuilt from scratch to streamline lunch breaks and late-night cravings for solo foodies across the capital. And there's more good news. If you're a Careem Plus member, delivery is totally free – even if your meal costs just Dhs15. That means no more feeling guilty about ordering dinner for one or padding your basket just to hit a minimum spend. You'll find dishes from your Abu Dhabi faves like: Wagamama Wingstop Just Burger Papa Johns Allo Beirut Zaatar w Zeit Right Bite Barbar Costa Sushi Do (And more). Careem's promising even more coming soon, including options for couples, small group bundles, meal planning and scheduling. And Dubai, you're up next. So if your midday meetings are running long and your fridge is looking sad, fire up the Careem app, hit Meals:On and order something delicious without breaking the bank – or your lunch break. More going on in Abu Dhabi UAE residents can now save big time on flights thanks to a new Skyscanner feature No complaints here You can now get a robotaxi from Zayed International Airport Trips to the airport just got an upgrade Abu Dhabi's best restaurants: Everywhere you should eat at least once Your dinner inspo is sorted 20 incredibly fun ways to explore Abu Dhabi after dark The city is at its most fascinating once the sun goes down
Zawya
30-04-2025
- Business
- Zawya
Careem Food launches ‘Meals:On' in Abu Dhabi to simplify solo food orders
Careem Plus members get free delivery, even on low-priced solo orders Abu Dhabi, UAE: Careem announces the launch of 'Meals:On' in Abu Dhabi - a new Careem Food feature designed to simplify solo food orders and make high-quality meal deals more affordable for customers ordering alone. Ordering a solo meal often feels expensive, with a lack of reasonably priced meal bundles. Careem Food's 'Meals:On' solves this by offering a curated selection of complete, high-quality meal deals from top local and international restaurants, all priced under AED 29. Most meals include a main dish, side salad, and drink and can be found in a dedicated section on Careem Food for easy one-tap ordering. Careem's data indicates that over 64% of Careem Food customers in the UAE typically order for one during lunch hours. 'Meals:On' caters to that majority, drawing inspiration from Munch:On, the solo-meal platform Careem acquired in 2022, and has been rebuilt within Careem Food to meet the needs of today's solo diner. Following its Abu Dhabi debut, 'Meals:On' will roll out in Dubai in the coming weeks and expand to include options for two or more people, meal plans, meal scheduling, and bundles for small groups. Jaskaran Singh, VP of Careem Food, commented: 'Our purpose at Careem is to simplify life in the region, and with this launch we're doing just that for solo diners. Whether it's lunch during a busy workday or a quick dinner after hours, customers often feel overwhelmed by the choices and feel like they're paying too much for each meal. Meals:On eliminates that friction by making high-quality, affordable meals available with minimal effort.' Imad El Fay, VP of Growth at Kitopi, added: "We're excited to partner with Careem on the launch of Meals: On to make it easier and more affordable for customers to enjoy great food, especially when ordering for one person. This initiative aligns perfectly with our mission to deliver magical food experiences at scale, and we're proud to feature many of our brands in this curated collection.' Meals:On boats a number of popular Abu Dhabi restaurants including Wagamama, Wingstop, Just Burger, Zaatar w Zeit, Barbar, Papa Johns, Right Bite, Sushi Do, Costa, Allo Beirut, and more. Careem Plus members also enjoy free delivery on Meals:On orders, even if the order value is below AED 30 - a benefit designed specifically for solo meal purchases. Careem Plus members also enjoy benefits across Careem's other services, including exclusive discounts and free delivery on food and grocery orders, up to 50% off dining bills with Careem DineOut, member-only rates on international transfers through Careem Pay, cashback on rides, and more. To try Meals:On, customers in Abu Dhabi can download the latest version of the Careem app and tap on 'Meals:On' under Careem Food. About Careem Careem is building the Everything App for the greater Middle East, making it easier than ever to move around, order food and groceries, manage payments, and more. Careem is led by a powerful purpose to simplify and improve the lives of people and build an awesome organisation that inspires. Since 2012, Careem has created earning opportunities for over 3.5 million Captains, simplified the lives of over 75 million customers, and built a platform for the region's best talent to thrive and for entrepreneurs to scale their businesses. Careem operates in over 70 cities across 10 countries, from Morocco to Pakistan.
Yahoo
20-03-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
ClearGrid, armed with a fresh $10M, is developing AI to improve debt collection in MENA
Debt collection in emerging markets often feels outdated and can be costly — damaging borrower trust. As consumer lending surges and regulators push for fairer practices, legacy collection outfits are struggling to maintain pace. ClearGrid aims to help modernize debt collection — and recovery — with AI. The Dubai-based startup, which is emerging from stealth with $10 million in funding ($3.5 million pre-seed and $6.5 million seed), helps banks, fintechs, and lenders recover more debt without resorting to customer harassment. For a startup founded just in May 2023, the backing is significant. Co-founder and CEO Mohammed Al Zaben called it a crucial advantage for a "very ambitious company with a big mission in a very big market." Al Zaben stumbled into the debt collection space after selling his previous startup, Munch:On, to Careem in 2022. While taking time off following the exit, Al Zaben says he reflected on one of Munch:On's biggest challenges: collecting payments from corporate customers. That led Al Zaben down a rabbit hole into receivables management and unpaid invoices. Upon further reflection, Al Zaben realized consumer collections posed an even bigger problem. "When we spoke with collectors, it was clear the industry was stuck in the past — some agencies still used pen and paper, and the most advanced relied on basic CRMs," Al Zaben told TechCrunch. "Debt collection was a people-driven business where collectors relied on scare tactics and harassment. Borrowers had a terrible experience, and Saudi and UAE regulators were beginning to prioritize consumer protection." Simultaneously, consumer lending was booming. Buy now, pay later (BNPL) unicorns like Tabby and Tamara were handling billions in sales, and unsecured lending totals were skyrocketing in the Middle East. Al Zaben and his co-founders, Khalid Bin Bader Al Saud and Mohammed Khalili, sensed an opportunity. Despite having no experience in the collections market, they launched ClearGrid, creating software and AI to streamline recovery and collaborate with the existing vendors in the space. "At a time when lending is booming, regulations are tightening, and AI is reshaping industries, we see this as an opportunity to help lenders recover debt while building trust with borrowers." the CEO said. "This is just the first step in building the infrastructure for the future of debt resolution,' Bader Al Saud added. ClearGrid sits between lenders and borrowers, using AI to automate the collections process. Lenders integrate via ClearGrid's platform or API, sending borrower accounts for processing. ClearGrid says its AI models score things like repayment likelihood, help predict customer behavior, and personalize outreach across communication channels. According to Al Zaben, 95% of ClearGrid's operations are fully automated, including AI voice agents that handle hundreds of thousands of calls daily. For borrowers preferring human interaction, the platform facilitates direct conversations and feeds the insights into the startup's many models. ClearGrid's platform categorizes borrowers based on their ability and willingness to pay, then structures repayments into smaller, manageable chunks, nudging them toward repayment without coercion. The company claims its platform can cut collection costs by 50%. 'We're building purpose-built tools and finding ways to make lenders better at what they do while also creating an opportunity for consumers to get out of debt," said Al Zaben. Since launching in 2024, ClearGrid says it has managed hundreds of millions in debt portfolios and signed ten of the major fintechs and banks in the UAE. An unnamed major bank increased recovery rates by 30% and cut collection costs in half, ClearGrid claims, while a leading BNPL provider doubled recoveries by automating early-stage debt resolution. Across the board, Al Zaben says ClearGrid resolves debts twice as fast as traditional collection agencies, achieving between 38% to 50% resolution rates, while borrowers interact with the platform 60% more than they do with these agencies. ClearGrid makes money by charging a percentage fee on recovered amounts. The startup's revenues are growing 30% month-on-month in the UAE, where ClearGrid is already profitable, and the company is looking to enter Saudi Arabia this year, per Al Zaben. Al Zaben said with the funding raised, ClearGrid aims to "10x" revenue and accounts managed in 2024 (it engages with over 130,000 borrower accounts monthly.) The company also plans to double its engineering team in the next fiscal quarter to build what Al Zaben calls the "definitive credit orchestration infrastructure for the region." ClearGrid's investors include Middle East and North Africa-focused VCs Beco Capital, Nuwa Capital, and Raed Ventures and prominent angel investors such as Anu Hariharan (ex-YC, Avra founder), Amjad Masad (Replit CEO), Jason Gardner (Marqeta CEO), Justin Kan (Twitch co-founder), and Kenneth Lin (ex-CEO at Credit Karma). Sign in to access your portfolio
