Delivery Hero, a global company that runs local delivery services, announced it has been acquiring minority stakes in sustainable tech startups over the last two years. Specifically, these startups are developing alternative solutions to the very environmental problems that Delivery Hero’s business model perpetuates.
The investments are part of the German company’s overall effort “to make meaningful contributions towards a greener industry and environment, as well as safeguarding our communities and markets across the world from the effects of environmental challenges,” according to a press release. “One way we can do this is to support new innovations that replace polluting products within the food delivery value chain. Our minority positions in these sustainable companies support the disruptive solutions this planet needs,” says Jeffrey Oatham, director of CSR and sustainability.
So far the money has gone to two German teams innovating on take-out packaging and two California foodtech startups: BIO-LUTIONS, a Hamburg startup fighting plastic waste with eo-friendly, biodegradable packaging; Munich’s Wisefood, creator of an ‘innovative and edible alternative to the plastic straw’; JUST, which is creating plant-based food products in San Francisco; and Impossible Foods, producer of plant-based substitutes for meat.
The Berlin-based company also said its European operations became carbon neutral this past January, and the ultimate goal is to become fully carbon neutral — across its 42 operating countries and 25,000 employees — in 2021.
The sizes of the investments were not disclosed. Just seven months ago, the delivery giant paid $4 billion in cash to buy South Korea’s Woowa.
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