Page 40 - FMT April

Industry Insight

COVID-19 Boosts Direct Selling

of Sea Food & Drink

By Tan Heng Hong*

he COVID-19 pandemic has their financial situation is tight and GoFood recorded a 50% rise in
dealt a blow to the Southeast they are on just making ends meet. the number of partners joining
TAsia market. According to the the platform in 2020 compared to
International Labour Organisation The financial downturn has forced 2019. Many of the new merchants

(ILO), an estimated 8% of working many people to leverage their skills are small, micro and medium
hours were lost in Southeast Asia and or acquire new ones to generate enterprises. In Thailand, the number

the Pacific in 2020 which is equivalent additional revenue streams to get of mobile food operators, including
to 24 million full-time jobs. them through the diffi cult times. stalls and food trucks, doubled in the

According to reports, Indonesia’s first 10 months of 2020.
Due to loss of employment or leading food delivery platform
having their pay reduced, many Opportunities exist for packaged
people turned to the food industry food brands to harness the
as a means of supplementing CORPORATES CAN entrepreneurial spirits of Southeast
their income. COVID-19 has seen a GENERATE POSITIVE Asians to expand their product reach,
significant number of consumers VIBES BY ENGAGING while still supporting employment.

land in fi nancial diffi culty, as Mintel IN CORPORATE SOCIAL
research highlights that, seven EXPLORING NEW ROUTES TO
RESPONSIBILITY (CSR)
in 10 Indonesian consumers* are MARKET
worried about the fi nancial impact PROGRAMS TO TACKLE With jobs impacted due to the
of COVID-19 on themselves/their UNEMPLOYMENT. BY pandemic, packaged food players in
family, whereas one in fi ve DOING SO, THEY CAN Southeast Asia
Thai consumers s a y POTENTIALLY ATTRACT (SEA) have an

CONSUMERS WHO WANT
TO BE ASSOCIATED WITH
COMPANIES/BRANDS.

Food Marketing & Technology 40 April 2021