With innovations drawing no boundaries, technology has altered industries and our daily lives alike. One such industry that has undergone a remarkable transformation is the food service sector. Traditional brick-and-mortar restaurants are expected to evolve with the technologically advanced world to stay significant in the market. grubtech has been helping many restaurants digitize and serve customers in a better way.
Explore the fascinating journey of this end-to-end kitchen management platform with Mohamed Al Fayed, the co-founder and CEO of grubtech.
Established in 2019, grubtech is a cutting-edge technology platform specifically designed to streamline and optimize restaurant operations. With a global presence and a team of over 150 dedicated individuals, their mission is to revolutionize the way people experience hospitality. They are modernizing the outdated technological systems employed by traditional restaurants and integrating them with the current digital channels through which we communicate with the food industry. Today, grubtech proudly serves major companies like Burger King, Subway, Texas Chicken, Buffalo Wild Wings, Eataly, and many more in over 18 countries.
The journey of grubtech began with three co-founders, each with a unique background. Each of them brought a unique skill set to the table, Mohamed Al Fayed, his experience in retail, and Omar Rifai, his expertise in private equity and hedge funds. The credit for building the Middle East's first automated logistics platform lies with Mohamed Hamedi. Together, they recognized a striking similarity between patterns that reshaped retail and logistics that were emerging in the hospitality industry. Mohamed Al Fayed says,
"The customer no longer interacts with the restaurant in the store but engages with it through social media, food aggregators, and various other digital touchpoints."
Customers were engaging with restaurants through digital channels and the existing technology could not keep up. By developing this cutting-edge technology platform, they bridged the gap between restaurants and digital touchpoints revolutionizing the interaction between restaurants and customers.
Mohamed Al Fayed attributes the remarkable expansion of grubtech to two key principles. First, despite lacking a background in the food industry, they brought fresh and innovative thinking to the challenges restaurants face. Second, they made the customers the central focus of their operations. He says,
“At the core of our approach, we place the customer at the center of every decision. We listen and learn from our initial customer cohort, understanding their challenges and how they envision solving them.”
This customer-centric approach helped them gain positive word-of-mouth and valuable support during their initial years. As a result, grubtech's footprint extended from Southeast Asia to Europe marking their global success.
With a rich career spanning both retail and e-commerce, including significant roles at Al Tayer Group and Macy's, Mohamed Al Fayed brings a wealth of experience to grubtech. A fundamental principle deeply influences his leadership approach; empower talent and preserve their innovative spirit. He tries to develop an environment that supports independence and innovation by acknowledging that each team member contributes a distinctive passion and skill set to their work. He says,
“I strive to establish an environment where they have the autonomy and freedom to pursue their passions.”
This approach helped him to foster a culture of creativity and problem-solving, which has been instrumental in grubtech's success.
The food service industry is undergoing a profound transformation, driven by technology. Mohamed Al Fayed sheds light on how grubtech is driving this change and molding the future of food service. He highlights a significant shift in customer behavior. Diners are no longer engaging with restaurants solely through traditional means like phone calls or walk-ins. The consumer expectations have also shifted demanding swift and efficient service, with meals arriving promptly and matching the enticing images online.
Pre-COVID technology was not prepared for this transformation. This left the restaurants struggling to adapt to the new customer journey and order lifecycles. grubtech offered solutions addressing the changing dynamics of customer interactions and expectations. They have been able to create technology that helps in processing millions of orders with accuracy and improving both restaurant profit margins and the industry's capabilities.
As the CEO of grubtech, Mohamed Al Fayed recognizes the specific challenges involved in bringing technology to the conventional offline food industry. The core issue lies in the slim profit margins of restaurants which leave little room for technological investments amidst expenses like food costs, labor, and rent. This poses a substantial hurdle for experimental innovations. To address this challenge, they focus on designing solutions that prioritize effectiveness, efficiency, and most importantly, affordability. They have strived to make their technology accessible to restaurants without burdening their already tight profit and loss (P&L) margins. grubtech maintains a commitment to creating value that surpasses the cost to ensure that its technology solutions are a worthwhile investment for its clients and the industry as a whole.
With a career that seamlessly blends technology and retail, Mohamed Al Fayed has insightful perspectives on the future of the retail and food industries. He envisions a rapidly evolving landscape driven by technologies like the metaverse, artificial intelligence, and advanced language models. He shares,
“I can envision a future where your smartwatch suggests your lunch based on your morning exercise, your physical condition, and even your medical needs.”
He predicts that in the near future, there will be a convergence of technology, food, and medicine. Robotics will be employed to ensure consistent quality and speed in food preparation. The possibilities are endless, and technology will continue to reshape the way we consume food.
He highlights the rising influence of large language models such as Chat GPT and Claude which are poised to revolutionize our lives over the next two decades. He anticipates their impact on the F&B industry with hyper-personalization at scale becoming a reality. This means customizing ingredients, recipes, and tastes to individual preferences.
What sets grubtech apart in the market is its unique approach to treating its clients. Mohamed Al Fayed proudly says,
“We are known for our equal treatment of customers, whether it's a global chain like Burger King with hundreds of locations or a small local entrepreneur with just one or two. Everyone gets the same level of attention and care.”
At grubtech, the customer success and operations team go the extra mile not just offering technology but also sharing best practices and readily addressing queries. They also extend their assistance beyond their core services. They like to see themselves as a partner in the ecosystem rather than a typical technology vendor. This commitment towards their customers is demanding in terms of time and resources but has proven immensely successful, with many customers remaining loyal over the years.
grubtech boasts an impressive clientele that includes prominent names like Talabat and international food chains. This end-to-end platform caters to the diverse needs of their clients. He compares it to an aircraft carrier capable of adapting to different speeds and requirements. Clients can use it as a set of building blocks to create a system that suits their needs, budgets, and issues. Thanks to the architecture of grubtech, Mohamed Al Fayed shares that they can onboard customers in as little as 8 to 10 hours offering not just a service but also the expertise and guidance required for success.
Mohamed Al Fayed's commitment to driving digital disruption and maintaining innovation in a rapidly evolving technological landscape revolves around his philosophy of surrounding himself with brilliant individuals. He shares,
“I surround myself with incredibly smart people. I try to learn from every individual I come across, regardless of their age. I have a firm belief that they are going to teach me something, opening my eyes to a new idea or a new fact.”
Mohamed Al Fayed attributes his team's outstanding contributions to their success. He says that the key to staying ahead of the curve lies in the combined effort and intelligence of the people working with him.
Aspiring tech disruptors and innovators can take inspiration from Mohamed Al Fayed's journey. The entrepreneurial path is challenging, requiring grit and determination. He advises,
“You need to have passion, and if you are not passionate about the sector, the problem, and the value you are trying to create with the technology that you are bringing into the market, I don't see how you can make it.”
The innovative spirit of Mohamed Al Fayed and his team is driving the F&B industry to a new era. As technology keeps advancing, grubtech's journey promises even more exciting changes in how we experience dining and food services.
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