Zomato CEO Deepinder Goyal has announced the removal of on-ground segregation for the pure veg fleet, which was initially distinguished by the colour green. Instead, all Zomato delivery partners, including those catering to vegetarian orders, will now don the uniform colour red. This move aims to prevent any misidentification of delivery partners and mitigate potential issues with landlords or residential welfare associations (RWAs) during special occasions.
Update on our pure veg fleet —
— Deepinder Goyal (@deepigoyal) March 20, 2024
While we are going to continue to have a fleet for vegetarians, we have decided to remove the on-ground segregation of this fleet on the ground using the colour green. All our riders — both our regular fleet, and our fleet for vegetarians, will…
In a post on X (formerly Twitter), Goyal announced these revisions to its policy just a day after introducing its pure veg fleet. He stated that the adjustments came after concerns were raised by customers and stakeholders, who worried Zomato delivery partners in red uniforms may not be allowed to enter strict societies or face discrimination for carrying non-vegetarian food.
"While we are going to continue to have a fleet for vegetarians, we have decided to remove the on-ground segregation of this fleet on the ground using the colour green. All our riders — both our regular fleet and our fleet for vegetarians, will wear the colour red," Goyal said.
Goyal emphasised the paramount importance of rider safety and customer satisfaction in driving these modifications and acknowledging the unintended consequences of the previous rollout.
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"Vegetarian orders will not be identifiable on the ground... This will ensure that our red uniform delivery partners are not incorrectly associated with non-veg food, and blocked by any RWAs or societies during any special days… our riders' physical safety is of paramount importance to us," he added.
Zomato introduced its "Pure Veg Mode" service on Tuesday to cater to customers with vegetarian dietary preferences. This initiative aimed to address the specific needs and preferences of India's substantial vegetarian population.
Initially, the introduction of specialised fleets, including the pure veg fleet, was part of Zomato's efforts to enhance customer experience. However, the company faced backlash online, prompting Goyal to reassess the implementation of the "Pure Veg Mode" service.
"We now realise that even some of our customers could get into trouble with their landlords, and that would not be a nice thing if that happened because of us," Goyal said.
Responding to backlash, on Tuesday night, Goyal clarified that the pure veg fleet "doesn't serve or alienate any religious, or political preference."
Goyal explained that the segregation of fleets was primarily driven by practical considerations, such as preventing food spillage and maintaining the integrity of orders.
He added that the delivery platform plans to create more specialised fleets, such as a "cake fleet" that would come with "hydraulic balancers that prevent your cake from getting smudged during delivery."
Moving forward, delivery personnel for the veg fleet will not handle non-vegetarian food, however, they will continue to wear the red Zomato uniform.
