Deliveroo appoints Eric French as Chief Operating Officer

Deliveroo has announced the appointment of Eric French as Chief Operating Officer (COO). Eric joined Deliveroo in January 2021 as Chief Marketplace Officer. As COO, Eric will lead Deliveroo’s central business functions, bringing together the Marketplace and Consumer organisations. Eric will also take responsibility for International markets. The UK and Ireland (UK&I) will continue to be run by Carlo Mocci, Chief Business Officer UK&I. Both Eric and Carlo will continue to report directly to Will Shu, Founder and CEO.

This structure will support an even closer integration of the three-sides of the marketplace: consumers, restaurant and grocery partners, and riders. It will also help to streamline decision-making and maintain Deliveroo’s ability to execute rapidly as the business continues to scale, supporting delivery of the Company’s medium- and long- term objectives.

Eric joined Deliveroo from Amazon, where he worked for over 15 years, holding a variety of finance and operating roles. Most recently before joining Deliveroo, Eric was the Vice President for Amazon’s US Consumables business. In this role, he had responsibility for category leadership, product, technology, and private brands across the household, beauty, baby, and personal care product lines. Throughout his time at Amazon, Eric worked on a range of businesses including books, Fulfillment by Amazon, clothing & shoes, and the launch of new programmes such as Amazon Family and Subscribe & Save.

This development comes at an exciting time for the Company. Deliveroo had a strong year of growth in 2021, with gross transaction value (GTV) up 70% year-on-year in constant currency. The Company has 8.1 million monthly active consumers, has over 160,000 restaurant partner sites and close to 13,000 grocery sites live on the platform, and works with over 190,000 riders globally. In March 2022, Deliveroo set out medium-term guidance for GTV growth expectations in the range of 20-25% p.a. (in constant currency) with an aim to reach an adjusted EBITDA margin (as % of GTV) of 4%+ by 2026, with further upside potential beyond 2026.

Will Shu, Founder and CEO of Deliveroo, said: “I am excited that Eric is taking on this role. He has brought hugely valuable experience and expertise to the Company since joining and made an important impact. This change in structure sets us up to take advantage of the huge opportunity ahead and to further improve our proposition for consumers, restaurant and grocery partners and riders. Eric as COO will help us streamline the organisation to become more effective and efficient as a business. As the Company grows further, this will allow me to continue to spend time on product and tech with Devesh Mishra, our Chief Product and Technology Officer, and on overall strategy, as well as engaging with our external stakeholders.”

Deliveroo nearly doubles restaurant partners in Belfast since the start of the pandemic to meet growing demand

• Customers in Belfast can order from nearly double the number of restaurants on Deliveroo than they could at the start of the pandemic, as restaurant choice grows by 89%
• Orders in Belfast are over five times higher than at the start of the pandemic as consumer choice booms 
• Deliveroo has supported around 550 new jobs with restaurant partners in Belfast since the company began operating in the city

25 April 2022: Deliveroo has grown the number of its restaurant partners in Belfast by 89% since the start of the pandemic and is seeing strong growth in orders as it continues to expand its reach across the UK. Customers in Belfast can now order from almost double the number of restaurants through Deliveroo than they could, including Bao Bun, Yo Burger, WingIt, Banger and Kamakura.

During this period, burritos have secured the top spot as the most popular dish in Belfast, closely followed by a cheeseburger, whereas the most in-demand vegan dish is an acai bowl. While American and Mexican food are the most popular cuisines in Belfast, pizza is also one of the most searched for takeaways on the Deliveroo app. Belfast households are also experimenting with other cuisines, with Japanese food orders increasing by 65%. 

Deliveroo is now seeing more than five times the number of orders in Belfast compared to March 2020. The growth over this period comes despite the ending of lockdown restrictions, highlighting the continued popularity of getting the capital’s favourite restaurant and takeaway dishes delivered to your door in as little as 30 minutes. 

Deliveroo has provided a vital lifeline to the hospitality industry in the city throughout the pandemic by helping restaurants to keep trading and reach new customers during lockdowns. This strong growth in Belfast has helped job creation, with Deliveroo having supported approximately 550 new jobs with restaurant partners since the company began operating in the city in 2016.

Deliveroo is committed to supporting the growth of small and independent restaurants and it helped many partners implement new delivery services to sustain their business. 

Breffney Brass, Regional Director for Deliveroo Ireland said: “We’re really proud of our growth in Belfast and we’re excited to see what the future holds for us in the city, as we continue to bring great local independent restaurant dishes and groceries direct to consumers’ doors. Having delivered a vital service during the pandemic, we’re committed to continuing to support our restaurant partners and the local community as we move forward.” 

Gareth Bell, General Manager of Banger, one of Deliveroo’s restaurant partners in Belfast, said: “Deliveroo has been a key growth driver for our business, complementing our strong sit-in service venue. They allow us to take advantage of typically ‘slower’ days of the week, where we can target ads and promotions to grow our sales. Deliveroo’s customer service and Restaurant Support Services are second to none – very easy to use and efficient.”

Jonny Beckett and Callum Robson,Owners of Wing It, another restaurant partner in Belfast, said: “Deliveroo has complemented our business incredibly well. Since joining the platform at the end of the pandemic, we have already seen significant growth and an increase in return orders. The support we receive from the team at Deliveroo is great and most of all, they help us to reach new customers and we know that our food will always arrive to the customers just how it left!”