Deepinder Goyal, the CEO and co-founder of Zomato, an online food delivery service, announced on March 19 the introduction of a 'Pure Veg Mode' and a 'Pure Veg Fleet'. This new feature is specifically for customers who strictly follow a vegetarian diet.

The decision to launch these new services was influenced by feedback received from vegetarian customers. In 2019, Zomato had stated that it was challenging to accommodate both vegetarian and non-vegetarian preferences in their delivery logistics. This statement was in response to a strike by a group of executives in Howrah, West Bengal, who claimed they were being forced to deliver beef and pork against their will.

The company's stance at the time sparked a variety of reactions on Twitter, with some questioning if Zomato still believed in its 'Food has no religion' claim.

pure veg mode
Image : Hindustan Times

However, the company later defended its position. Goyal stated on platform X that India has the highest proportion of vegetarians in the world, and they are very particular about how their food is prepared and handled.

To cater to these dietary preferences, Zomato launched the 'Pure Veg Mode' and 'Pure Veg Fleet'. The 'Pure Veg Mode' will feature a selection of restaurants that only serve vegetarian food. The 'Pure Veg Fleet' will exclusively deliver orders from these vegetarian restaurants, ensuring that no non-vegetarian or vegetarian meal from a non-vegetarian restaurant will be placed in the green delivery box used by the 'Pure Veg Fleet'.

Goyal emphasized that this new service does not favor or discriminate against any religious or political preference.

He also mentioned that Zomato is considering adding more specialized fleets to cater to specific customer needs. For instance, a special cake delivery fleet with hydraulic balancers to prevent cakes from getting smudged during delivery is in the works.

This feature will be gradually rolled out across the country in the coming weeks. Goyal reiterated Zomato's commitment to listening to its customers and serving the community in the best possible way.

Goyal shared a photo of himself and Rakesh Ranjan, the CEO of Zomato's food delivery service, wearing the green jacket of Zomato’s newly launched 'Pure Veg Fleet'. Goyal even delivered a few orders himself on the first day of the launch.

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