Effective restaurant supply chain management is a crucial part of the highly competitive hotel, restaurant, and catering industry.
A seamless supply chain not only helps in controlling cost, but can also reduce food waste and meet customer needs in a timely manner.
For Egyptian entrepreneur Tamer Amer – who spent 25 years in the restaurant industry, managing establishments in the US and Egypt – the significance of a well-oiled supply chain is something that cannot be overstated.
In 2022, when he co-founded OneOrder with Karim Maurice, his aim was to revolutionise the fragmented supply chains in the industry across the Middle East and Africa.
"A key challenge that repeatedly surfaced was managing the balance between inventory levels and customer satisfaction," says Mr Amer, who is also chief executive of OneOrder.
"Excessive inventory can significantly inflate costs, while insufficient stock risks compromising customer satisfaction and can adversely impact service quality."
OneOrder's solution streamlines the entire supply chain by providing a one-stop shop through strategically located warehouses.
The company's web and mobile platforms offer personalised virtual warehouses with online ordering and delivery of more than 700 stock-keeping units, or SKUs, along with analytics to manage operations and financing options to fuel growth.
"By consolidating all supplies into a single platform, our customers benefit from a streamlined process –receiving everything from one source results in just one delivery, one truck, one invoice, and one receiving point," says Mr Maurice, the company's chief technology officer.
"This simplification significantly reduces the logistical complexity and time traditionally spent managing multiple suppliers each day."
Egypt’s food service market (comprising cafes, cloud kitchen, and full-service and quick-service restaurants) is expected to grow to $18.14 billion in 2029 from $9.04 billion in 2024, at a compound annual growth of 14.94 per cent, according to Mordor Intelligence.
In the GCC, the growth of the industry is driven by a variety of factors, such as a growing population, rising tourism and evolving consumer preferences.
At present, it plays a crucial role in bolstering the region's economy, while also supporting the GCC's broader objectives of reducing dependence on oil.
OneOrder's advanced AI routing system determines the contents of each delivery lorry on a daily basis, allocating space for frozen, chilled or dry goods to optimise packing efficiency and minimise wasted space and energy use.
This technology has significantly decreased the manual labour needed for delivery planning and routing, enabling OneOrder to extend the deadline for next-day delivery orders.
The company has already formed partnerships with more than 1,000 customers, including major hotel chains, restaurants and catering businesses.
The platform has processed more than 100,000 orders, with an average monthly gross merchandise value exceeding $1 million.
Most recently, the start-up secured $16 million in a series-A funding round led by Delivery Hero Ventures, with participation from Norrsken22, Nclude, and A15.
The investment follows earlier pre-seed and seed rounds totalling $4 million, setting the stage for the company's ambitious expansion plans into the GCC region.
With the series-A funding, OneOrder is focusing on expanding its presence in the GCC countries, starting with the UAE in autumn.
The expansion will establish warehouse operations in the UAE, refine its warehouse management systems, and offer flexible payment terms and financing options to clients.
Further expansion into Kuwait, Oman and Saudi Arabia is planned for within the next 18 to 24 months.
"In the next five years, I envision OneOrder becoming the leading supplier for the hospitality and restaurant industry not only in North Africa and the GCC, but also expanding our reach into Europe and Latin America," Mr Amer says.
"Our goal is to redefine how restaurants and hotels globally manage their supply chains, making our platform an indispensable tool for the industry."
The start-up aims to transform its technology into a sophisticated restaurant management solution, integrating with point-of-sale systems.
This integration will allow for real-time profit and loss statements as well as projections.
By offering these, OneOrder aims to empower the sector with more efficient and data-driven decision-making.
The journey of OneOrder has not been without challenges.
As a start-up navigating the complex industry, the company had to continuously adapt and refine its platform to meet the unique needs of its customers.
Building trust and establishing long-term partnerships with suppliers and clients was crucial to OneOrder's success.
"Our team's deep understanding of the industry, combined with our cutting-edge technology, has allowed us to overcome these challenges and create a truly game-changing solution," Mr Maurice says.
"We are constantly learning, innovating, and pushing boundaries to better serve our customers and drive the industry forward."
Going forward, as OneOrder gears up to replicate its Egyptian success in the GCC, the company is striving to establish itself as a full-stack technology solution provider for the HoReCa industry through its innovative approach to tackling supply chain inefficiencies.
Q&A with Tamer Amer and Karim Maurice, co-founders of OneOrder:
What inspired you to create OneOrder with Karim Maurice, and how your platform is addressing challenges in the hotel, restaurant and catering industry?
Amer: My decision to co-found OneOrder was driven by a profound understanding of the supply chain challenges faced by the hospitality industry, drawn from extensive personal experience.
Having been involved in the restaurant industry for over 25 years, I have developed a keen awareness of the intricacies and pain points inherent in this sector.
How has OneOrder's technology benefitted customers and improved operations?
Maurice: Since its inception, OneOrder has revolutionised the way our customers handle their supply chain and logistics. By consolidating all supplies into a single platform, our customers benefit from a streamlined process – receiving everything from one-source.
"This simplification significantly reduces the logistical complexity and time traditionally spent managing multiple suppliers each day.
"Through our user-friendly app, customers receive detailed information about pricing, stock availability and product specifications, ensuring they receive exactly what they need, every time.
Our advanced AI routing system guarantees on-time deliveries, addressing one of the most critical pain points in restaurant management.
How do you plan to use the recent funding round, and what are your expansion plans for the GCC?
Amer: Our immediate focus is on expanding our footprint within the GCC, starting with the establishment of our UAE branch. This funding will primarily be allocated towards setting up our warehouse operations and refining our proprietary warehouse management systems in the UAE. These foundational steps are crucial as we aim to replicate our successful model in new markets.
Looking beyond our initial steps in the UAE, we are excited to announce plans for further expansion into key GCC markets, including Kuwait, Oman and Saudi Arabia. Our goal is to establish our presence in these countries within the next 18 to 24 months, leveraging our proven technology and operational strategies to meet the unique needs of each market and enhance the efficiency of local HoReCa sectors.
How does OneOrder's AI-assisted system work?
Maurice: At OneOrder, we have developed a proprietary AI routing system that is truly at the forefront of technological innovation within the logistics and supply chain sector. This sophisticated system utilises a blend of genetic algorithms and machine learning to optimise daily logistics operations in several ways.
The system assigns orders to trucks and meticulously plans their delivery routes. By analysing countless data points, including traffic patterns, delivery locations and order sizes, our AI optimises routes to minimise driving time and fuel consumption.
This not only significantly reduces our logistics costs – savings that we pass directly on to our customers through better pricing – but also enhances our operational efficiency.
Who are your role models, and what skills have you learnt since launching OneOrder?
Maurice: One of my foremost role models has always been Steve Jobs, primarily due to his relentless focus on product innovation and customer satisfaction. Jobs's philosophy centred around understanding and meeting customer needs – even before they themselves recognised those needs.
This approach has been instrumental in guiding my vision for OneOrder, where we strive to anticipate and fulfil the evolving demands of the HoReCa industry.
Since launching OneOrder, I have also had the privilege of learning a great deal from my co-founder, Tamer Amer. His insights into entrepreneurship have been invaluable.
From him, I have learnt the true essence of what it means to be an entrepreneur – the sacrifices required, and the resilience needed.
Where do you see OneOrder in five years?
Amer: In the next five years, I envision OneOrder becoming the leading supplier for the hospitality and restaurant industry not only in North Africa and the GCC, but also expanding our reach into Europe and Latin America. Our goal is to redefine how restaurants and hotels globally manage their supply chains, making our platform an indispensable tool for the industry.
