1 hr ago
Wow! Momo Founder Urges Food Platforms to Cut Commissions
Food-delivery apps help restaurants receive orders from customers.
But these apps often take 20% to 25% of each order as commission.
Binod Homagai of Wow!
Momo said lower commissions would make it easier for restaurants to earn money.
Some restaurant groups have even threatened to stop using major apps because of these costs.
Homagai also said the apps have helped change how people eat and have helped new food brands grow.
Wow!
Momo expects more people to order food because many are working longer hours.
The company is also selling frozen momos and other packaged foods in new markets.
It plans to open more stores while continuing to grow its online business.
Wow! Momo co-founder Binod Homagai said delivery-platform commissions of 20% to 25% should be reduced to improve restaurant sustainability.
Restaurant associations, including those in Bengaluru, have raised concerns about commissions, discounts and other deductions charged by Swiggy and Zomato.
Homagai credited food-delivery platforms with changing consumer habits and helping create restaurant brands, while expecting online ordering to keep growing.
Wow! Momo operates more than 950 company-owned stores, plans to add 150 to 200 outlets, and has a valuation of about Rs 3,400 crore.
The company is expanding packaged-food exports and FMCG products, with online orders currently accounting for 45% of its sales.
- Who
- Binod Homagai, co-founder and chief operating officer of Wow! Momo, along with restaurants and food-delivery platforms such as Swiggy and Zomato.
- What
- A debate is continuing over food-delivery commissions, while Wow! Momo is expanding its stores, online sales and packaged-food business.
- Where
- India, with packaged-food exports to the Middle East and potential expansion to Singapore and the United States.
- When
- The article does not provide a specific publication date; Homagai discussed the company’s plans for the next couple of years.
- Why
- Restaurants are seeking lower commissions and fewer deductions to improve sustainability, while food-delivery companies are expanding as consumers order more meals online.
Restaurant Concerns
Platform Benefits
Commission levels
Restaurant Concerns
Restaurants say commissions, discounts and other deductions make it harder to operate sustainably, and some Bengaluru associations threatened to stop accepting orders through Swiggy and Zomato.
Platform Benefits
Food-delivery platforms charge commissions for handling orders, but Swiggy and Zomato did not comment on the issue when approached by NDTV.
Role of delivery platforms
Restaurant Concerns
Restaurants are seeking more favorable commercial terms and lower costs for using delivery services.
Platform Benefits
Binod Homagai said food-delivery platforms have changed consumer preferences, created brands and done a “fantastic job.”
Future of physical stores
Restaurant Concerns
The growth of online ordering could increase restaurants’ dependence on platforms and their commissions.
Platform Benefits
Homagai said physical stores remain important because customers need to see and recognize a brand before ordering it online.
Key facts
- Platform commissions
- Typically 20% to 25% of restaurant orders, according to Binod Homagai.
- Wow! Momo stores
- More than 950 company-owned stores in India.
- Planned store expansion
- An additional 150 to 200 stores over the next couple of years.
- Company valuation
- Approximately Rs 3,400 crore.
- Sales mix
- Online orders account for 45% of sales and offline sales account for 55%.
- Packaged-food expansion
- Frozen packaged momos are being exported to the Middle East, with Singapore and the United States under consideration.
- Potential public listing
- Homagai said a public offering could happen in a couple of years.
Quotes
Binod Homagai
Wow! Momo co-founder and chief operating officer
“Food delivery platforms have also created a lot of brands and changed consumer preference. So, that credit we have to give to them -- they have done a fantastic job”
NDTV
“If commissions become a little less, then sustainability for the restaurant becomes much better”
NDTV










