This pandemic, especially with how long the lockdown has been, has taken so many things away from us; friends we used to hangout with often, family whom we visit on weekends, going out on dates with your significant other, going to your favorite malls and restaurants, and playing contact sports are just some of the many aspects of our lives which have drastically changed with these very unusual times.
My family in particular loves dining at our favorite restaurants which, of course, we haven’t been able to do at all. With GrabFood, we’ve been able to satisfy our cravings of our favorite restaurants every now and then. The only problem, however, was that only nearby establishments to our house were available for delivery, consequently limiting our options.
Lucky for us (and for everyone else), GrabFood has enabled a number of their partner restaurants and establishments to deliver even outside of their vicinity. From enjoying our favorite nearby restaurants only, we’re now able to enjoy practically any of our favorite restaurants. Although multiple partners of theirs are now available for Long Distance Delivery, not all of them are able to do so as there are still limitations and precautions “to ensure that food is always fresh and delivered quickly.”
Lately, I’ve personally been using GrabFood significantly more, especially during breakfast as I’ve been waking up in the wee hours of the morning for the past month or so to catch the restart of the NBA season (Go Blazers!). I used to be faced with the dilemma of having limited choices as I wasn’t only restricted to nearby establishments, but restaurants that opened early in the morning as well. In addition, my family and I still haven’t been able to eat out for what feels like an eternity, but with GrabFood expanding their partners’ delivery range has likewise expanded our choices of restaurants. We still might not physically be at the restaurant, but enjoying the same food in the comfort of our homes along with the people we love is more than we can ask for during these trying times.
Nowadays, health and safety is of utmost priority. It is no different when ordering food, as what used to be merely receiving and consuming the food has become a rigorous process of sanitation and safety. What I personally do when receiving deliveries is keeping my distance from the deliverer, sanitizing the packaging and then reheating the food before finally enjoying my meal. There is only so much that I, as a consumer, can do in terms of protecting my health, but there are so many other external factors that may come into play as well.
This is exactly why Grab, as part of the GrabProtect Program, has recently partnered with Unilever to launch their “Safer Meals Philippines” campaign, which aims to raise safety and hygiene standards in the food delivery industry. To ensure cleanliness on their end in terms of food preparation, handling, and up to delivery, hygiene kits along with safety training will be provided to Grab’s merchant-partners and delivery-partners. Unilever, who will be providing the hygiene kits, will supply Grab food partners with Lifebuoy sanitizers and Cif multipurpose cleaners. These products can be used in various situations, from use within the restaurant, staff personal hygiene, and to deep cleaning protocol within establishments.
As previously mentioned, I can only do so much as a consumer in terms of health and safety, which is exactly why GrabFood and Unilever launched these projects to build trust across communities and consumers, especially given the challenging situation we currently find ourselves in. Ed Sunico, Unilever’s VP for Communications, Southeast Asia, states that “with our well-loved and effective hygiene and sanitation brands like Lifebuoy and Cif, we hope that families and individuals continue to trust and rely on the safe meal delivery services of Grab Philippines.
For both Grab and Unilever, their partnership more than made sense as they both share the same philosophy and vision in making a difference through the Safer Meals Philippines launch. According to Grab, the extended quarantine has doubled the demand for food delivery. Not only do they want to meet this demand, but to also meet the consumers’, as well as their own expectations of practicing utmost safety and hygiene. Both Grab and Unilever realize the importance of all of this during these times, evident by their multiple launches, programs and initiatives.
As a frequent Grab user and, quite frankly, as a person concerned with not just my own health and safety but of others’ overall wellbeing as well, it makes me that much more comfortable and assured knowing that both Grab and Unilever are trying to make a difference in the new normal we find ourselves in.
