Lockdown effect: Swiggy plans to serve 5 lakh meals daily to the needy

Food delivery platform Swiggy has tied up with commercial kitchens, NGOs and state governments to provide a daily meal to thousands of underprivileged, daily wagers and stranded migrant labourers during the 21-day lockdown.

Swiggy is leveraging its network of restaurants, caterers and commercial kitchens to support several state governments in their efforts to distribute meals in COVID-19 relief camps. Each 400gm meal comprises rice, dal and vegetables, to ensure nutritional needs are taken care of.

The company has launched ‘Hope, Not Hunger' initiative to feed the needy. It is in the process of crowdsourcing funds from corporates and individuals in order to scale the initiative with the goal is to serve 5,00,000 meals daily.

Swiggy CEO Sriharsha Majety said, "There are restaurants that run the very real risk of shutting down permanently due to lack of business. Considering the nature of our business, we are in a unique place to contribute by making something as essential as food available to the needy while providing business opportunities for our restaurant and kitchen partners, so that we can together make it through to the other end of this crisis.”