Zomato launches ‘Pure Veg Mode’ and ‘Pure Veg Fleet’ for food deliveries

Food delivery platform Zomato has launched a “Pure Veg Mode” on its food delivery application, along with a “Pure Veg Fleet” of delivery riders, company CEO Deepinder Goyal announced on Tuesday.

“India has the largest percentage of vegetarians in the world, and one of the most important feedback we have gotten from them is that they are very particular about how their food is cooked, and how their food is handled,” Goyal wrote in a social media post.

He said that the service was launched for customers “who have a 100% vegetarian dietary preference”.

According to Goyal, the “Pure Veg Mode” service will allow Zomato users to choose from restaurants that serve only vegetarian food. The service will not include outlets that serve both vegetarian and meat items.

“This means that a non-veg meal, or even a veg meal served by a non-veg restaurant will never go inside the green delivery box meant for our Pure Veg Fleet,” the Zomato CEO said.

Sharing plans to add more specialised fleets in the future, Goyal said that the “Pure Veg Mode” and the “Pure Veg Fleet” are not aimed at alienating “any religious, or political preference”.

However, his post received criticism from users on social media platform X, formerly Twitter.

Congress MP Karti Chidambaram responded to Goyal’s post with a question: “Will this ‘fleet’ exclude delivery personnel based on their personal dietary choices?”

He added: “That’s the hidden agenda, I fear.”

Journalist and author Sucheta Dalal called the move a “divisive decision”. “What next?” she asked. “Pure Jain delivery ‘executives’? There have already been incidents about not accepting delivery from people of certain religions.”

Some also attempted to remind Goyal that the majority of Indians consume non-vegetarian food.