If there is one thing that people enjoy and love is a good meal, and it is even better when it is delivered to our doorstep. Thanks to applications like DeliverEat, a food delivery platform born in Malaysia’s own food paradise, this is all possible.
Tan Suan Sear and Leong Shir Mein, both alumni of INTI International College Penang, started the platform in 2012 which now has a fleet of some 4,000 delivery partners sending food from over 4,500 merchants. Today, DeliverEat has catered to more than one million orders.
The husband-and-wife team, who recently signed a USD9.8 million agreement with AirAsia’s digital logistics venture Teleport, have always dream and wanted to own their own company because they believe there is always room for improvement.
Warmest congratulations to INTI Alumni, Tan Suan Sear and Leong Shir Mein, on achieving another milestone for DeliverEat.
According to Shir Mein, the idea came to mind when she worked in the advertising department of a newspaper publishing company. Her portfolio there consisted of the ‘Gourmet Guide’, a series of tiny columns published weekly in the newspaper that targeted local food and beverage establishments.
“It was at that point that the concept germinated, and we decided that having online advertisement for food operators would be more efficient, so we needed a platform where we could list pricing, carry out promotions, and track sales volume.
“Suan Sear, on the other hand, added a delivery component to the notion, claiming that it provides extra value to consumers and is also one of the most effective ways to track conversion of sales volume from the platform,” she said.
The idea was a great opportunity for them as there were no meal delivery platforms in the market in 2012 except a few tiny ones in KL, but none in Penang. People then were only used to ordering pizza over the phone and started to engage in online shopping. The DeliverEat app was the first food delivery in Penang.
Christmas celebration in 2019 with the DeliverEat team.
From professional careers in engineering and accountancy to founding one of Malaysia’s online food delivery companies, Suan Sear and Shir Mein is proof that there is truly no limit to what you can achieve.
“DeliverEat has been growing its rider community over the nine years it’s been established and now we have 4000 registered riders delivering food to consumers in an average of 35 minutes. Not only do we collaborate with well-known food brands, but we are also no stranger to smaller scale outlets like hawkers, so don’t feel left out if you’re a foodie with a diverse palate. We are Penang’s largest hawker destination, with up to 1000 hawker stalls to choose from,” Suan Sear said with a smile.
With a mission to enable everyone to eat and live better through technology, the team is also experimenting with artificial intelligence and big data to improve order prediction accuracy in each location and accurately recommend the correct meal to customers which saves them time from having to browse.
“When you realise that you are establishing a start-up that can provide value and impact to your community, it makes you feel stronger and inspired to continue growing,” said Shir Mein when asked what their greatest source of motivation was.
DeliverEat’s journey has been a dream come true so far, not only in terms of career development, but also personal development for the duo.
Suan Sear earned his Diploma in Electrical and Electronic Engineering from INTI College Penang before he pursued his bachelor’s degree and master’s degree in Engineering in the United Kingdom. After returning from the UK, he worked in the R&D departments of numerous multinational corporations.
DeliverEat Heroes. As of today, more than 4000 riders are registered with the platform.
Shir Mein considers her husband to be a powerful motivation. “Suan Sear has always been exceptionally hardworking and ambitious, making sure that he takes advantage of every opportunity to advance in his engineering career. To earn a little extra money, he also lectured engineering subjects at INTI,” said Shir Mein who pursued the New South Wales Higher School Certificate (NSW HSC) offered by INTI College Penang before completing tertiary education in Australia.
“Every lesson at INTI has touched me and made me whole,” Suan Sear shared when asked how their tertiary education experience at INTI had served them well in their work.
She continued saying that their experience at INTI was unforgettable, adding that it was a time when they were fresh out of high school and still trying to figure out who they were and where they wanted to go. It was the beginning of adulthood, and it was a time of new experiences and amazing friendships.
To INTI students and aspiring start-ups, Suan Sear and Shir Mein would like to offer some words of encouragement.
“Do not give up on what you are working on; stay focused and persistent. I have always convinced myself that the more difficult the path, the closer I’ll go to success.
“It is always a good idea to start your career as an employee in order to learn and get experience. If you want to be an entrepreneur, you can choose to work in a start-up company and learn directly from the founder,” Suan Sear concluded.