Every week, ILQ features a different Qatari startup in our ‘Startup of the Week’ segment. Qatar has some of the most creative, unique, and impactful startups in the region, and we cover them all across a variety of industries in Doha—from fashion and beauty to food and dining, health, education, technology, and more!
Know a startup we should feature on Startup of the Week? Please email us at [email protected]!
This week, we're featuring the newest food delivery service in Qatar - Foodak - a new platform that combines food, people, cultures, and entertainment! Launched just a month ago, Foodak currently has more than 500 restaurants and hundreds of exclusive combos – they also have a very unique and entertaining app interface that’s worth exploring; continue reading to find out why “Blue is the New!”
There are many reasons why you should try Qatar's latest food app, from 500+ restaurants & fast-food places (and growing) to their very unique and entertaining user-interface; this startup is just getting started. That’s not all. Throughout December, they have been offering FREE DELIVERY ON ALL RESTAURANTS! You read that right. QR 0 will be added to your food purchase upon checkout.
It’s Foodak’s mission to continuously give back to the wonderful State of Qatar through exciting and constant promotions and opportunities while delivering your favorite delights right to your doorstep; for December, you also have an opportunity to win a PlayStation 5, Apple Watch Series 6, or an iPhone 12 Pro Max! Just order a minimum of QR 50 using the Foodak app, and you could be the winner of one of these grand giveaways in December; the raffle draw is on January 3, 2021.
With Foodak, you also pay less for more! Enjoy unique and exclusive combo meals for one person, two persons, or five persons from 500+ restaurants on the app, exclusively on Foodak.
According to the founders, Foodak is here to redefine and set new benchmarks in both the food industry in general and food delivery in particular.
Foodak is for everyone, and the venture’s name is a combination of two linguistic worlds coming together: Arabic and English. "Foodak" is a combination of the words Food (English) and "Aklak," which means "Your Food" in Arabic.
"Blue is the New!" They chose blue for their brand colors as a reminder that the sky is not the limit. It's only the beginning.
Established to empower the local community & their partners, the Foodak team also wanted to create a new platform that combines people, food, cultures, and entertainment while creating new & exciting opportunities that engage Qatar’s citizens and residents.
"It has been our mission from the very beginning to provide everyone with the best services while giving back to the wonderful state of Qatar. We have been setting up the infrastructure for almost a year now. After careful planning and execution, we are currently into our fourth week of launched operations of the exciting venture."
If you look at the app's user interface, you'll see that Foodak is more than a food delivery service. You can find whatever suits your appetite and tastes from around the world, whether you're at home, in the office, or chilling in the park.
"One of the biggest things that also distinguishes us from similar businesses is the people who comprise the company; our teams are very passionate about what they do and work ceaselessly to make Foodak a unique online platform for food (and more) in Qatar. We are more than a food delivery, and time will tell; we are here to change the game. Our mantra is, “if we can do something good, we can do it better, and if we can make it better, then we can make it the best." We’re always striving for perfection," says Foodak founders
One thing that stands out to Foodak's customers is the team's level of preparation - from branding, user-interface, sales, and operations. The team's effort, focus, and creativity are evident when you use the app.
"After launching, they [the customers] pretty much couldn’t believe how young we were. While we recognize that growth never stops, preparation really is key; we all heard it before, and we take planning and preparation very seriously at Foodak."
"One of the things that make Foodak so unique and exciting is that it’s been built from scratch," says the app's founders. Thousands of hours were spent developing the app - from discussing the business, working on the app's interface, branding, business operations, partners' support, and more. The company has come a long way after a year, thanks to the team's passion and labor. "The quote “the harder the struggle, the sweeter the victory” speaks volumes to us," they added.
We also asked the Foodak team about the early stages of the company's growth and its achievements.
The Foodak team shared that they loved the early stages of building the company and found that phase exciting, engaging, and challenging. It’s all because they believed in their mission, team, and most importantly, in Foodak.
In no way they thought it was easy, though. "The early stages of any company’s growth are literally like raising a baby; you have to nurture its growth every second of the day. We work relentlessly around the clock to get things done. It’s a lot of work, but we have never lost optimism and passion, which is extremely important, especially when things get tough. Optimism isn’t saying “things are good” when they’re not, and it’s not about having a false illusion and saying “things will work out’ when something is not. Optimism is about believing not only in yourself but in your teams’ abilities as well. Optimism arises from faith in yourself and the people who are working with you and believing in the vision's beauty."
"Our biggest source of motivation and fuel is the vision and mission of the company. We know we have a unique vision, and we also have a culture that welcomes ideas and embraces creativity. Sometimes managing the execution can be a bit challenging because everyone here is so brilliantly creative. We’re constantly coming up with new and exciting ideas every day, and every day we remind ourselves, “this is where we are right now, and this is where we want to go, and this is what we need to do,” and we get it done."
You have to do your homework for what you’re up against; you have to be prepared. But you also have to recognize that no matter how much you’re ready, no matter how much data you’ve analyzed, everything is still ultimately a risk. Nothing is 100% certain, and at the end of the day, you have to listen to your instincts.
Patience, perseverance, and resiliency are critical. Find the balance between being reasonably impatient with action but patient with results. Expect endless unexpected hurdles and obstacles, but have the patience and perseverance to overcome them.
Have a plan, but understand it takes a lot of resiliency because, more often than not, things will not go according to plan, and you have to be flexible, agile, and creative with problem-solving. And never forget that a company’s reputation is created by its people’s character and actions and the quality of its product, so make sure you’re always surrounding yourself with people who are not only good at what they do but people who are simply good.
Since launching four weeks ago, Foodak now has well over 500 restaurants and hundreds more coming on board soon! Stay tuned for new and exciting features because the journey is only getting started. Download the app, follow Foodak's social media pages, and you will begin to understand why “Blue is the New."
Cover image credit: Foodak
Have you tried Foodak app? If not yet, then download it now through the links above. Don't forget to hit LIKE and SHARE!
Follow us on our social media channels:
@ILQlive
@ILQlive
@ILoveQtr
ILoveQatar
You have successfully registered your account!
Please confirm your e-mail address by clicking on the URL sent to you.The e-mail usually arrives in 5-10 minutes.
How ajeeb was that!? Thanks for contributing to our community! Your post will appear after we take a quick look!
