DRYVAR FOODS

Food and more on the move

Not your average takeout delivery service, this business aims at offering the ultimate food-fulfilment service. By RYLAND FISHER

Priven Reddy is used to disrupting industries. Now he has set his sights on disrupting food deliveries and the entire home delivery market. The 38-year-old tech billionaire, originally from Chatsworth in Durban, recently launched Dryvar Foods.

The company will have franchising opportunities, says Priven Reddy, the CEO of Dryvar Foods and Kagiso Interactive.

What the company aims to do, over time, is give away at least half of their delivery bikes to previously underprivileged youth who show an aptitude and willingness to own their own business. “If you come from a disadvantaged background and you have the skills to grow into logistics, we will empower you with a free bike and help you scale up to own at least five bikes. That is how we intend to develop more entrepreneurs.

“My thinking is that, if people have a vested interest in your company, they tend to perform better. People who own the fleet will work better and be more committed to the brand.

“We are also offering delivery franchises. For between R160 000–R180 000, franchisees can get five bikes, fully kitted with mobile phones, uniforms and bags.”

Reddy says he is passionate about developing young entrepreneurs. “I am always trying to see how I can help the next great entrepreneur. I was lucky. I was born at the right time and everything fell into place: the high-speed internet, the info tech boom, and the launch of app stores. Today it is difficult for start-up entrepreneurs to take off because

Priven Reddy

there is so much red tape. Maybe one in 2 000 tech projects will become successful.”

Reddy says that the seed for Dryvar Foods was planted three years ago when he launched an e-hailing app called Dryvar. “It did not work because we had too many problems with taxi associations.

“Our drivers were threatened, kidnapped and assaulted. We did well in Phoenix in Durban, but had to stop the service because our drivers were being extorted daily.

“While we were doing the e-hailing service, we also realised that a food delivery option would be ideal for us.”

Launched about two months ago, Dryvar Foods currently operates only in Durban, but plans to enter Cape Town and Johannesburg shortly. ›

“My thinking is that, if people have a vested interest in your company, they tend to perform better. People who own the fleet will work better and be more committed to the brand.” – Priven Reddy, CEO, Dryvar Foods

NEXT STEPS

Reddy says they want to own the entire value chain. “We are going to own the fleet, employ the drivers, create employment and ensure greater safety.”

He adds that they do biometrics and background checks before they hire their drivers, and now, with the COVID-19 restrictions, “we supply our drivers with masks and we have trained them in safety protocols. We screen our drivers twice a day and wash their uniforms every day. We have also launched tamper-proof seals. When your food comes to you, it has a holographic seal. If a driver tries to open the packet, it says, ‘Void. Do not accept’.

“All our drivers work directly for us, so there is accountability there.”

On top of takeout, Dryvar Foods has started including groceries in its offering. “Our aim is, within 24 months, to be the number-one food-fulfilment platform in South Africa. We want to be the first choice for deliveries, whether you want groceries, fast food or gourmet meals from a restaurant, whether you want frozen dinners or fresh fruit and vegetables,” says Reddy.

BEYOND FOOD

Despite being so new, Dryvar is already looking beyond food. “We want to deliver anything that can fit into a delivery bin within 60 minutes, whether it is stationery or a bunch of flowers,” says Reddy. “Our big picture is to extend our network in collaboration with Amazon. Like Mr D works with Takealot, we want to be Amazon’s fulfilment agent.”

He says that Kagiso Interactive, the mother company of Dryvar Foods, has “worked with Amazon on the technology part for Dryvar Foods”. The company will use artificial intelligence driven by Amazon to determine customer behaviour. “Our app will look at how often you order certain things and then recommend similar items to what you have ordered, based on patterns. It will also understand weather patterns. For instance, if Cape Town is very cold at the moment, it would recommend that you order something that will warm you up. It is about contextual awareness.”

Reddy says that he hopes to have an exclusive relationship with Amazon at some point in the future. “We do not plan on only being in South Africa. We have already started making our way into the Netherlands, Germany, the United Kingdom and Lebanon. Because of the markets we are entering, it will allow Amazon to offer small item delivery within 60 minutes, in any market place across the globe.”

“We want to deliver anything that can fit into a delivery bin within 60 minutes, whether it is stationery or a bunch of flowers.” – Priven REDDY, CEO, dRYVAR FOODs

ABOUT PRIVEN REDDY

Priven Reddy is the CEO of both Kagiso Interactive and Dryvar Foods. Kagiso Interactive is a mobile applications development agency.

FUTURE PLANS

A year from now, Dryvar Foods will not be a separate company, but it will be part of the Dryvar Group of companies, says Priven Reddy. “As part of the same company, you will have the Dryvar taxi service, Dryvar Foods, Dryvar electronics, flower pots, groceries, even household help. It is almost like a concierge service for your life.”

FOOD DELIVERY IS BIG BUSINESS

The COVID-19 pandemic has allowed Dryvar Foods to upscale the food delivery business, says Priven Reddy, CEO of Dryvar Foods. “When we started the company, we did not expect COVID-19 to push more people to order food from home. People who did not want to order groceries online previously are now doing so; people who did not order takeout regularly are now scared to sit in a restaurant and are ordering in instead. There is a greater demand out there.”