After introducing 'platform fee', Swiggy shuts grocery delivery vertical 'Handpicked'

Swiggy, the online food ordering and delivery platform, has shut down its premium grocery delivery pilot program, 'Handpicked'. The company's spokesperson confirmed the development.

"At Swiggy, we're continuously experimenting with new propositions in line with our vision to enable unparalleled convenience to consumers. Handpicked was being piloted in a few zones in Bengaluru and we have had several positive learnings from it," the spokesperson said. The development comes soon after the online food delivery platform Swiggy announced a “platform fee” of Rs 2 per order, irrespective of the cart value, as the company looks to control its costs.

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The additional charges are introduced in the cities like Bengaluru and Hyderabad the company is yet to roll out this in major cities such as Delhi and Mumbai.

In January, the company closed its meat marketplace and laid off around 380 employees. Reportedly, the company is also in talks to raise $300 million from existing investors.

Meanwhile, in the food-tech space, Pluckk, a digital lifestyle-oriented fresh food brand in the fruits and vegetables (F&V) space, acquired KOOK, an Indian food-tech startup that offers a range of DIY Meal Kits for consumers, at a deal value of $1.3 million.

ALSO READ: Food-tech startup Pluckk acquires DIY meal kit brand KOOK