Today in Food Commerce: Mondelēz Sees Digital Growth; Zomato Backs Tech Startups

Today in food commerce, Mondelēz reports rising eCommerce sales, and rapid delivery service Zapp raises $200 million in Series B funding. Plus, FAT Brands Chief Operating Officer Thayer Wiederhorn discusses the differences in Johnny Rockets’ digital strategy domestically and abroad.

Zapp Grabs $200M to Expand Rapid Delivery in UK

Rapid delivery service Zapp raised $200 million in a Series B funding round to expand its footprint in larger U.K. cities, enhance its technology and improve its overall customer experience, according to a press release emailed to PYMNTS.

Mondelēz Sees eCommerce Growth but Downplays Role of D2C

Retailers are not the only food sellers taking advantage of the sales opportunities posed by the digital shift — brands are getting in on the action as well. Mondelēz International, for instance, parent company of Oreo, Cadbury, Philadelphia Cream Cheese, Trident and other popular brands, shared on an earnings call Thursday (Jan. 27) discussing the company’s fourth-quarter 2021 results that its digital growth has continued, soaring above mid-lockdown numbers, even in periods when mobility has been close to pre-pandemic levels.

Restaurant Roundup: Restaurants Feel the Impact of Omicron; Brands Launch New Loyalty Apps

Restaurants face pandemic challenges, small brands launch new loyalty apps, Reef gets sued by an airport restaurant operator and Lunchbox launches a ghost kitchen marketplace.

Zomato Adds Minority Stakes in UrbanPiper, Adonmo Through NBFC

India-based food delivery app Zomato has unveiled an unnamed, non-banking financial company (NBFC) and invested in ad technology firm Adonmo and B2B software platform UrbanPiper Technology, part of its quest to dole out $1 billion to startups, moneycontrol.com reported Friday (Jan. 28).

Ghost Kitchens Make More Sense Abroad Than in the US, Says FAT Brands CMO

“Overall, new tech grows faster internationally and often can’t take hold in the US because the economics don’t make sense,” FAT Brands Chief Operating Officer Thayer Wiederhorn told PYMNTS in an interview.