Member-only story
Why Are All the Meal Delivery Companies Acquiring Each Other?
…and how will they survive?
TL;DR — There’s mass consolidation happening in an oversaturated market. The pandemic means that meal delivery companies like DoorDash can raise more money and enjoy more engagement. This doesn’t solve the problems of not running a profitable business, though, and the companies will have to hike prices, expand their business model outside meals, or rely on cloud kitchens to turn the corner and sustain profits.
View this pandemic through the lens of what’s been selling out.
Where has the demand gone? First, back in March, every store was out of toilet paper, because...well, I still don’t fully understand that one. Then everyone bought the Nintendo Switch to pass the time with some Animal Crossing: New Horizons. Home gym resistance bands and free weights followed suit, as gyms were basically right behind bars as the most at-risk place to visit, even if things started to “open up”. Think about it…a designated room for people to breathe and sweat? Transmission heaven. Right now, it’s hard to get a beard trimmer, as it seems many people realized their quarantine cuts had shifted from charming to being uncomfortable.
