For RunningMen Catering, it's crucial for catering businesses to adapt and stay ahead in this dynamic landscape.
An innovation that has proven transformative in their business is the use of on-demand delivery through Lalamove.
In this article, we had a conversation with Justin Lee, the COO of RunningMen Catering, about how they utilise Lalamove to streamline deliveries and facilitate their adaptation to the ever-changing business model.
A Different Beginning
RunningMen initially started as a modest venture by a group of university friends seeking to offer solutions to students struggling to get dinner without exiting the university premises.
Having no personal transportation and a platform for collating food delivery requests, Justin and his friends had to physically run from eateries to the student's dormitory to deliver meals. This inspired their name, "RunningMen".
Throughout the years, RunningMen has significantly progressed from a food delivery service to the catering business it represents today.
As Malaysia's #1 Creative Caterer, as their tagline suggests, RunningMen offers adaptability and aesthetic appeal bringing a new experience to catering that goes beyond mere convenience and satisfying empty stomachs.
Adapting To Last-Mile Logistics
As RunningMen moved towards bigger missions for their catering business, the issue of logistics came into focus.
During high-demand periods such as Valentine's Day, they encountered instances where they were flooded with delivery requests, which fully engaged their internal delivery capacity.
This forced their internal workforce to undertake the task of delivering food to customers.
Then, Lalamove emerged.
Taking full advantage of Lalamove's diverse vehicle fleet to facilitate logistics from warehouse and suppliers to their main kitchen in Petaling Jaya, Lalamove attains 95% of RunningMen’s daily logistics operations.
This led to a substantial increase in the total number of deliveries they could manage annually. In 2021, when deliveries were operated by a modest internal fleet and occasionally by their staff, they were only able to handle 3256 deliveries. In 2022, upon registering for a Lalamove Business Account, their annual deliveries shot up to 5017.
The subsequent year, 2023, witnessed an even higher volume of deliveries, reaching 6214, thanks to Lalamove logistics. This comprises a substantial increase of 90%.
Secret To Prompt Food Delivery
Ensuring the freshness and quality of their food for extended periods is a principal concern for many catering companies.
For RunningMen, the task is more daunting as their offerings go beyond food. They offer an extensive and meticulously detailed catering setup which necessitates appealing props and equipment.
This challenge is addressed through multiple deliveries facilitated by Lalamove.
Take for example, if an event is scheduled at 5:00 pm, a Lalamove delivery order would be placed beforehand. The pickup of props and equipment from RunningMen's warehouse is then arranged to be delivered two hours before the event's opening time.
Then, a subsequent delivery will be necessary, more proximate to the event's schedule. This will not just preserve the food's freshness but also prevent contamination from other items.
In another example, a client once required meal preparation on the site and immediate serving to guests. This demands large vehicles, almost relocating their entire central kitchen to the event's venue.
With the help of Lalamove's large vehicles, a 14-ft Large Lorry was utilised to transport their kitchen and a successful on-site kitchen was established to prepare meals that served 500 guests.
Expanding Business With Lalamove
Several years into its business, RunningMen Catering is still pursuing its ultimate vision to be the top caterer in Asia.
To fulfil this long-term vision, Justin Lee emphasises that a last-mile logistics partnership with Lalamove is essential to their growth. The primary aim is to extend their operations to areas where Lalamove is present, currently planning expansion in Penang, Johor and Malacca.
This strategy will not only speed up the expansion process but also reinforce the indispensable role of Lalamove in its operations, regardless of the location.
Are you a catering business owner looking for an efficient on-demand delivery service?
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