The parent company of Irish food ordering app Bamboo, Norse Starlit Limited, has merged with the owner of on-premises food and drink order-and-pay app Fetch, POS8 Limited.
As reported by The Irish Independent, Bamboo, which launched in 2018 and is used by approximately 150 restaurants across Dublin, Galway and Cork, enables customers to order ahead for a contactless pickup at restaurants.
POS8 Limited, which did not disclose the value of the merger transaction, said that its acquisition of Norse Starlit Limited "accelerates [POS8's] global expansion goals and enhances [its] service offerings to venue partners and customers".
According to a statement, the merger of Bamboo and Fetch will result in new features and functionality for venues and customers.
An "Easy" Merger
The Irish Independent quotes Fetch co-founder and chief executive Jason Jefferys as saying, "When looking at competitors in Ireland, only one stood out for its level of customer care, and that was Bamboo. Since this is the most important thing for us here at Fetch, merging with them was easy, and I'm pleased to announce that we're keeping the entire team together."
"Now for the fun part, introducing Bamboo's clients - and the rest of Ireland's restaurants, pubs and bars - to technology and features that only last year were considered science fiction."
"Very Excited"
Meanwhile, Bamboo investor and managing director of Morgan McKinley's Toronto office Andrew Connolly, who led a group of investors that acquired the app during a restructuring period after Bamboo fell into difficulty last April as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic, said, "The Bamboo team is very excited to join forces with Fetch and we look forward to rolling out some exciting technology to our loyal customers in the coming months. Our eagerness to make a deal with Fetch was founded in the belief that we need to support the Irish hospitality sector even more after a difficult 2020, and, in our opinion, we have found the right partner as their experienced team and unique technology will really please customers."
© 2021 Hospitality Ireland – your source for the latest industry news. Article by Dave Simpson. Click subscribe to sign up for the Hospitality Ireland print edition.
