BERLIN - Delivery Hero is closing tech hubs in Taiwan and Turkey and will cut jobs at its headquarters in Berlin, the German food delivery company said in a statement on Dec 18. 

The job cuts mean the company has reduced its workforce by about 13 per cent in the course of 2023, including a round of layoffs in January, Delivery Hero said. 

The hub closures and cuts are part of the company’s strategy to increase the efficiency and quality of Delivery Hero’s main platform and quick commerce businesses, chief executive officer Niklas Oestberg said in the statement. 

Delivery Hero has been focusing on reaching profitability while maintaining growth as investor confidence in the company started to wane after a pandemic-driven boost.

The company did not say how many employees would be affected. According to the company’s half-year financial report, 47,208 employees were working at Delivery Hero as at June 30, down from 51,118 at the end of 2022.

Delivery Hero’s Asian business, which is its largest market, has stagnated after Covid-19 lockdowns eased.

In September, Delivery Hero said it is in talks to sell the foodpanda brand in several South-east Asian nations, including Singapore, Malaysia, the Philippines and Thailand. BLOOMBERG, REUTERS