The labor movement is a huge part of the food and beverage industry right now. Over 200 Starbucks stores have voted to unionize. And now, gig delivery workers are starting to organize.
On Sunday, gig drivers for Lyft, Uber, DoorDash, Grubhub and others in Chicago joined a national coalition of gig drivers called Justice for App Workers, according to media reports. The move brings 20,000 more gig workers into the coalition, which touts itself as 100,000 people. The workers expressed concerns about carjackings and violence against gig delivery drivers.
Other news
Waitr finalizes plans to rebrand as ASAP
Louisiana-based delivery company Waitr is looking to expand beyond restaurant delivery and has completed a rebranding. The company is now known as ASAP and will deliver “a wider range of products and services.”
It recently announced agreements to provide technology for delivery at various stadiums around the country. The company is publicly traded and plans to announce a new symbol that reflects the name change.
DoorDash to begin delivering Facebook Marketplace purchases
In its ongoing push to expand into new markets, DoorDash plans to begin delivering items purchased through Facebook Marketplace. People who purchase items through the marketplace will be given the option of getting them delivered through DoorDash.
Deliveries must be within 15 miles and fit inside a vehicle’s trunk. It is unclear where the service is being offered, but DoorDash said the idea is still in the early testing stages, according to media reports.
Gwyneth Paltrow offering pizza through ghost kitchen
Last year, actress Gwyneth Paltrow, through her company Goop, announced plans to offer food through a ghost kitchen in Los Angeles. Called Goop Kitchen, the takeout and delivery concept originally sold rotisserie chickens and salads. The concept has expanded and is now offering pizza.
Goop Kitchen is part of the growing trend of celebrities cashing in the virtual brand and ghost kitchen movement.
