Latest news with #digitalconvenience
Zawya
7 days ago
- Business
- Zawya
Keemart by Keeta launches in Riyadh, starting with Al Yasmin and Granada districts
Saudi Arabia - Keeta, the international subsidiary of Meituan - China's leading on-demand delivery giant - has officially launched Keemart, a new grocery delivery service designed to bring everyday essentials to users' doors in just 15 minutes. The service is now live in the Al Yasmin and Granada districts of Riyadh, with plans to expand across the city and other regions in Saudi Arabia. With Riyadh's fast-paced lifestyle and growing demand for digital convenience, Keemart comes at a time when convenience is no longer a luxury, it's an expectation. Keemart offers a practical and timely solution for residents seeking quick, reliable access to groceries and household necessities. The platform not only eliminates the need for last-minute store trips but also empowers local merchants by broadening their digital footprint. Keemart is built for everyday accessibility. Through the Keeta app, customers can browse an expanding selection of fruits, vegetables, snacks, beverages, dairy products, cleaning supplies, and personal care items. All products are sourced from trusted brands and suppliers to ensure freshness and quality. 'Our goal is simple: to make daily life easier for individuals and families across Riyadh,' said Aria Liu, Head of Keemart in Saudi Arabia. 'With Keemart, we're offering a faster, more reliable way to get everyday essentials delivered right to your door. This is part of our broader mission at Keeta to help people eat better, live better.' Couriers are stationed at local fulfillment hubs for immediate dispatch. All frozen and temperature-sensitive items are packed with ice packs to maintain optimal quality. Deliveries are powered by a smart dispatch system and an advanced last-mile logistics network - ensuring precise, efficient, and professional service from order to doorstep. Keemart's growth strategy includes rapid expansion into more Riyadh neighborhoods, followed by a nationwide rollout. This initiative aligns with Keeta's long-term vision to enhance quality of life through digital innovation while supporting Saudi Arabia's Vision 2030 through technology, job creation, and the empowerment of local commerce.
Gulf Business
12-05-2025
- Business
- Gulf Business
Talabat profit soars nearly 4x as groceries drive growth
Image credit: Getty Images Online food delivery outfit Talabat has kicked off the year with a sharp surge in profitability, reporting a near fourfold increase in net income to $103m for the first quarter of 2025, marking a strong performance in a sector known for tight margins and growing competition. The Dubai-headquartered company, which operates in eight MENA markets — the UAE, Kuwait, Qatar, Bahrain, Oman, Egypt, Jordan and Iraq — now serves over 6.5 million active users. The strong Q1 performance underscores rising consumer demand for digital convenience and the platform's ability to diversify beyond restaurant orders. Gross merchandise value (GMV) climbed 30 per cent year-on-year to $2.1bn in the quarter to March. Revenue rose 34 per cent to $846m, and adjusted EBITDA — a key profitability measure — was also up 34 per cent to $140m, representing a margin of 6.7 per cent. Adjusted net income, which excludes volatile items such as foreign exchange effects and shareholder loan interest, came in at $99m — up 24 per cent from a year ago. This figure provides a cleaner picture of core operational performance and is particularly relevant in a sector where bottom-line results can be distorted by swings in currency or one-off costs. CEO Tomaso Rodriguez attributed the growth to deepening customer loyalty, a broader product mix, and regional scale. 'Our Groceries and Retail vertical contributed approximately one-third of GMV when including InstaShop for the full quarter,' he said. Read more: 'This reinforces the opportunity in scaling this vertical further.' While Talabat's food delivery segment remains strong — especially across its core GCC markets — it is the grocery and convenience segment that is seeing faster growth. Non-GCC markets such as Egypt, Jordan and Iraq are gaining share, driven by rising order frequency and the rollout of subscription service talabat pro. In February, Talabat finalised its acquisition of InstaShop, a leading grocery delivery marketplace. The company expects to realise 'meaningful cost synergies' from the integration over the coming quarters. Adjusted free cash flow rose 39 per cent to $135m, with a cash conversion ratio of 96 per cent — underscoring the operational leverage in the business. Talabat's Q1 2025 results are its first full quarterly report since listing on the Dubai Financial Market (DFM) in December 2024. Talabat's initial public offering (IPO) was the largest in the GCC in 2024 and the largest technology sector IPO globally last year. Upon listing, the company pegged its market capitalisation at around $10bn, but as of 9 May 2025 that figure was around $8.75bn. Read more:
