AIRASIA Group aims to become the biggest food delivery and ride-hailing company in Asia, following its successful acquisition of local online food delivery platform Delivereat.

CEO Tony Fernandes said he is confident that the Food and Super apps can become one of the biggest food delivery and ride-hailing companies and online travel agency in Asia.

“When (I started) AirAsia, I always wondered if we can become the biggest airline, and we did. We are the fourth biggest airline in Asia… We started with only two planes, 200,000 passengers, and now we have grown to 90 million passengers.

“So I sit back and think: can we become the biggest food delivery and ride-hailing company? Today, I officially say, I think we can… I think we will go out there and (outgrow) existing competitors the same way we outgrew other airlines.”

He said he is looking forward to expand the app’s full services to Thailand, the Philippines, Singapore and Indonesia in the near future.

Fernandes earlier announced the appointment of Delivereat founder Tan Suan Sear as AirAsia Super App group head of food and Leong Shir Mein as AirAsia delivery arm, Teleport, head of on-demand.

The group is excited about the partnership as it supports the company’s strategy to continue serving the underserved and become the best value delivery company in Asean, he added.

Fernandes said he is impressed with Delivereat, a local delivery company that is able to stand on its own, maintaining sustainability in operations and offers business and employment platform to the community.

Last August, Teleport signed an agreement to acquire a 100% equity interest in Delivereat for US$9.8 million (RM40 million) to strengthen its delivery service in the country. – Bernama, January 16, 2022.