Logo with a quick response code for the Asian Food Delivery Service in Silicon Valley, Mountain View, California, January 3, 2021.
Smith Group/Gado Photo archive Gety pictures
New York – When Kelly Wu feels the disease and wants to hand over the Chinese porridge, which has been eating, it chooses a platform that many may not hear.
One of the residents of New York City does not open applications from billions of dollars Uber eats or Doordash. Instead, the 22 -year -old withdraws Phantoan, a start -up company in Vancouver, which is especially focused on the ecosystem surrounding Asian cuisine.
“I feel just the equivalent of” Asian “Dordsh or Uber Uber,” Wu said in an interview with CNBC.
Digital application platforms and their connection have become inherent in American daily life over the past decade, as companies such as Uber Atez, Duordsh and Groubpop are home names. But when it comes to Asian food, connoisseurs like Wu and restaurant owners choose smaller platforms like Fantuan or Hungrypanda competitor.
Farida strategy
Phantoan strategy is different from the larger food platforms given its focus on Asian companies, according to the co -founder Yafei Feng.
Feng said that the 11 -year -old company is sending representatives to speak to store owners personally about getting the platform instead of trying to reach them online. These conversations often occur in Chinese, given that he said that many entrepreneurs speak English as a second language.
“The way we gain their confidence is unique,” Feng said.
The presence of options besides the English language to apply is attractive to business owners who find it easier to communicate in their first language. Feng said that the design of the application also reminds us of Chinese platforms like alibaba more than American alternatives, which can provide familiarity.
Since Phantoan entered the first time in the United States in 2019, Feng said it has expanded to more than 50 cities ranging from large cities such as Los Angeles to college cities such as Davis, California. The fingerprint of the American company has been strengthened by it acquisition From the work of the Schubus delivery last year.
Instead of running large advertising campaigns, Fantuan is mainly spreading the word by providing brand holders in store facades and posters to delivery drivers. The startup also worked with influencers on platforms such as Tikhak and RednoteA famous short video application in China.
Feng said that the main bases of Customer in Phantoan are the first generation immigrants and international students who are eager for the original cuisine associated with their original country. He said that the company is meeting with university students to find potential customers coming to the United States from Asia.
But Feng said that there is a possibility of application to reach a broader audience as foods including bubble tea became prevalent in the United States, and the company said it had witnessed a growth rate of a total value of more than 20 % in the United States last year, before it reached 31 % in the first quarter of 2025.
“With immigration and social media, everyone loves Asian food,” Feng said. “If they want original options, they will also use the app.”
Hungrypanda application signs in Chinatown, NYC.
Alex Harring CNBC
After the acquisition of Chopos, many business owners and users are a major competitor to Fantuan. Wu said that she also has the Hungrypanda app, but she did not ask for this since she started using Fantuan for the first time, and she was happy to serve.
Hungrypanda did not respond to the investigation of CNBC’s interview for this story. Hungrypanda announced last year that it was 55 million dollarsAnd that will be partially used to calm fuel expansion in North America.
When it comes to the scene of the broader food delivery application, Feng said he sees the company “coexist” alongside companies that control greater instead of “competition”. This is because the Phantoan lot links authentic companies – and is often smaller – to customers instead of trying to beat large chains already use other platforms.
“It is very difficult … in the long run, competition with monopolies,” he said. “But we want to keep our unique way.”
Focus on Asian food
In Flushing, a neighborhood in the Queens region of New York City known for its large population of Chinese Americans, Andrew Zhao directly sees how the customer base has taken to Fantuan.
Zhao said his site from Yomie’s Rice X Yogurt sees about 50 requests every day on the platform. In comparison, Zhao said he was lucky to obtain one request every few days on applications such as Uber Ober or Dose Dose.
Chau loves to provide promotional offers for users and that he can communicate with customer service through WeChat, a famous messages platform in China. He also said that many nearby restaurants use the platform, as it is clear from companies that have Phanto’s slogans about their business.
Hungrypanda and Fantuan Delivery App Signage seen at the entrance in the Chinese district, New York City.
Alex Harring CNBC
“I can see a lot of slogans (slogans) of Phanto,” said Zhao, who owns five stores in the New York City area. “I can’t see a lot of eating or Doordash.”
Wu also said that she sees the logo regularly around the high -rate areas of Asian companies such as the well -known Chinese neighborhood in Manhattan. I also saw the drivers of the abroad wearing goods for both Phantoan and Hungrypanda.
For Wu, restaurant health on Fantuan is better than the most prominent food delivery platforms. She also believes that the reviews on Phantoan are more worthy of confidence.
“I can find dishes that I cannot find on American food order applications,” said Wu. “I feel that this is the way to go if I am looking for a traditional Chinese meal, instead of using an eating Uber or Doordash to get something like orange chicken.”
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