Zomato’s non-profit arm joins hands with Delhivery to take on COVID-19

At a time when several brands are coming up with their initiative to help India fight the Covid-19 crisis, Zomato’s not-for-profit arm Feeding India has inked a partnership with Delhivery to source oxygen concentrators to hospitals across the country. 

Announcing the partnership on Twitter, Zomato’s co-founder Deepinder Goyal said that both the companies will also aim to deliver other important Covid-19 related supplies to hospitals and families. 

"We have already kickstarted the effort, and now need your help to raise Rs 50 crores for @FeedingIndia in the next few days (hours?) to save hundreds of thousands of lives. If we raise more, we will get more oxygen," Goyal said on Twitter. Domestic donors can head over to the Feeding India website to make donations while the platform will soon open for international donors, Goyal said on Twitter.

All the funds raised by Feeding India will be directed towards the cause, as Zomato is bearing the entire administrative costs. Till the time of writing, the not for profit organisation had raised over Rs 50 lakh of the Rs 50 crore target. 

Meanwhile, logistics firm Delhivery is working to import oxygen concentrators from China, with the aim to fulfil the unprecedented demand for life-saving gas.  A Delhivery spokesperson told Economic Times that the company is providing logistical support on an urgent and subsidised basis, and not importing the material itself. 

“We are going to fly these charters at subsidised prices to ensure that a capacity crunch on air freight does not delay or make the logistics of these essential items prohibitive. Besides the air movement, we will also help with local movement at both ends and assist with customs clearance, again through partners, in India,” the spokesperson was quoted as saying.