JD's food delivery orders surge after service launch

Online orders in certain cities have surged over 100 times since the Chinese e-commerce giant JD launched its food delivery service on Feb 11, according to a report by Sina on Thursday.

Some industry insiders believe that JD aims to boost its instant retail sector through the food delivery sector, according to Shanghai Securities News.

JD's food delivery service is now available in 39 cities nationwide, with expansion plans underway. Nearly 200,000 catering enterprises have already joined the platform, and the number continues to grow.

On Feb 19, JD announced that it will provide full-time food delivery riders with comprehensive social insurance and housing funds, making it the first platform in China to offer such extensive insurance coverage to delivery personnel.

JD's platform is selective, only accepting "quality dine-in restaurants". Catering businesses that register on its platform before May 1 will enjoy commission-free services for the entire year, along with comprehensive support. In comparison, Meituan, another major food delivery platform, charges catering businesses a commission fee of 6 to 8 percent, according to Shanghai Securities News.

JD has provided on-demand delivery services since 2015, covering supermarket products, fresh fruits and vegetables, medicines and health products. In 2024, the company's instant retail business underwent a comprehensive upgrade, with the promise of "delivery in as fast as 9 minutes".