Careem co-founder and CEO Mudassir Sheikha said in a statement that the partnership with elmenus, which connects customers with over 12,000 eateries in five Egyptian cities will extend their reach in one of their largest ride-hailing markets. The Dubai-based firm follows Egyptian payment firm Fawry and the former CEO of Just Eat in investing in elmenus, which launched as an online directory a decade ago before adding deliveries in 2018. Its competitors include Delivery Hero SE’s Talabat and Jumia Technologies AG. The North African country of 100 million people, where everything from a slice of cake to a blood test can be sent to your door, represents a sizable and still largely untapped market for apps like elmenus. While Egypt’s food delivery market is worth an estimated $2.8 billion, 90% of customers still order by phone, according to Careem’s statement. The partnership with elmenus, according to Careem, is a step closer to launching its Super App across the region. The function in the United Arab Emirates provides 11 services, including ride-hailing, food and grocery delivery, and payments. Its own meal delivery services cover Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates, Jordan, Pakistan, and Qatar.
