Zomato Does Away With Green Uniform For Pure Veg Fleet Amid Row, CEO Says 'Will Roll The Service Back If...'

New Delhi: In a surprising turn of events, Zomato CEO Deepinder Goyal has announced the rollback of the green uniform for the company’s newly launched “Pure Veg Fleet.” The decision comes after widespread debate and feedback from customers and riders alike.  CEO Deepinder Goyal clarified that while the “Pure Veg Fleet” will continue to serve vegetarian orders, the on-ground segregation using the color green will be removed. Instead, all Zomato riders—both regular fleet and vegetarian fleet—will now wear the color red. This move aims to prevent any incorrect associations between red-uniformed delivery partners and non-vegetarian food.

"This means that the fleet meant for vegetarian orders will not be identifiable on the ground (but will show on the app that your veg orders will be served by the veg only fleet). This will ensure that our red uniform delivery partners are not incorrectly associated with non-veg food, and blocked by any RWAs or societies during any special days… our riders’ physical safety is of paramount importance to us," he said in a X post.

Earlier on Tuesday, the CEO of food delivery platform had assured that they will "roll back the pure veg fleet service in a heartbeat" if it leads to adverse societal impacts. In a detailed late-night post on X, Goyal addressed worries that Zomato’s regular delivery fleet might be denied entry by certain societies and Resident Welfare Associations (RWAs).

Update on our pure veg fleet —

While we are going to continue to have a fleet for vegetarians, we have decided to remove the on-ground segregation of this fleet on the ground using the colour green. All our riders — both our regular fleet, and our fleet for vegetarians, will… — Deepinder Goyal (@deepigoyal) March 20, 2024

Goyal emphasized the paramount importance of rider safety. By eliminating the green uniform, Zomato aims to ensure that riders are not blocked by residential welfare associations (RWAs) or societies during special days. Additionally, the company acknowledges that some customers could face trouble with their landlords due to the visible association with non-vegetarian food.

Goyal expressed gratitude to users for their feedback, both positive and critical. The company’s willingness to listen and adapt led to this optimal decision. He assured customers that the “Pure Veg Mode” and “Pure Veg Fleet” do not serve any religious or political preference.

Clarification On 'Pure Veg Mode'

Earlier on Tuesday, Goyal clarified that the “Pure Veg Mode” or the “Pure Veg Fleet” does not cater to or exclude any religious or political preferences. He further explained the rationale behind the company’s decision to introduce the “Pure Veg Mode” service.

“But why did we need to separate the fleets? Because despite everyone's best efforts, sometimes the food spills into the delivery boxes. In those cases, the smell of the previous order travels to the next order, and may lead to the next order smelling of the previous order. For this reason, we had to separate the fleet for veg orders,” Goyal explained.