Sodexo partners with Grofers to enable users pay on delivery

Sodexo, the leader in employee motivation & benefits services, today announced an innovative solution in partnership with online grocery startup Grofers.

The paper voucher company has launched an IVR-based payment solution that will enable users of Sodexo Meal cards to pay for groceries and other food items on delivery, at their doorstep, reports ET.

Sodexo meal vouchers and cards are used by 11,000 corporate entities of India and accepted at around 30,000 merchant outlets and are used by around 30 lakh consumers. The company, which operates in 80 countries across the globe, has the highest chunk of the market share in the Indian meal voucher space.

Grofers already accepts these vouchers on delivery, and this will enable digital acceptance as well.

The Gurugram-based e-grocer entity had received DIPP (Department of Industrial Policy and Promotion) approval for food retail in India. Following the nod from the government, the company intends to invest $40 million in its food retail unit.

"This partnership with Grofers will help our three million daily users to buy food and non-alcoholic beverages with complete security and also enable hassle-free ordering," said Sodexo BRS India CEO, Stephane Michelin.

In November last year, the firm had launched Sodexo Ventures, a 50 million euro venture capital fund, whose investments will combine agility and creativity with the Group's investment capacity, skills and expertise in sectors as varied as Food-Tech, health and wellness, data, mobility and smart buildings.

The Venture firm aimed to invest in start-ups with high growth potential in line with Sodexo's current or future activities. This investment strategy will allow it to closely monitor, anticipate and respond to evolutions in its rapidly moving sectors and markets.

Following the RBI’s mandate to phase out paper vouchers, the French company had joined hands with Zeta, a financial technology startup to tide over a major regulatory hurdle of phasing it out by the end of this year.

Launched in 1966 by Pierre Bellon in Marseille, France, Sodexo is a food services and facilities management company.

Sodexo: Website