Zomato rival Swiggy launches 'Swiggy Seal' to enhance food quality and hygiene standards

IPO-bound food delivery company Swiggy, which competes with Deepinder Goyal-led Zomato, has introduced a new initiative called the ‘Swiggy Seal’ in 650 cities across the country.

With this, the company aims to enhance food quality and hygiene standards among its restaurant partners, ensuring that customers receive safe, well-cooked meals.

According to a company statement, the initiative started in Pune and will expand to other cities throughout November, 2024.

The development comes after both Swiggy and Zomato hiked their platform fee to Rs 10 ahead of the Diwali festival.

What is the Swiggy Seal?

The Swiggy Seal is a badge displayed on restaurant pages in the Swiggy app, highlighting those restaurants that meet high hygiene and food quality standards.

To qualify for the Seal, restaurants must demonstrate a commitment to maintaining strict food safety measures, proper cooking techniques, and quality packaging.

Swiggy uses insights from its 7 million verified customer base, accumulated over the past six months, to assess and identify restaurants eligible for the Seal.

Restaurants that consistently uphold these standards will display the Seal, signalling to customers that the establishment is trusted for cleanliness and food safety.

However, Swiggy has also emphasized that if a restaurant fails to maintain these standards, the Seal may be revoked.

Key focus areas of the initiative

1. Contamination Prevention: Ensuring that food is prepared in a way that minimizes the risk of contamination.
2. Optimal Cooking Methods: Promoting the use of proper cooking techniques to ensure food is safe for consumption.
3. Packaging Quality: Emphasizing the importance of delivering meals in high-quality packaging that maintains the integrity of the food during transit.

The company believes these focus areas are critical in addressing common concerns customers may have about food hygiene when ordering online.

Support for restaurants

Swiggy is also offering dedicated support to its restaurant partners to help them meet these standards.

This includes access to professional hygiene audits through partnerships with agencies accredited by the Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI), such as Eurofins and Equinox.

These audits are offered at discounted rates, making it easier for restaurants to ensure compliance with food safety regulations.

Additionally, Swiggy will provide restaurants with detailed reports based on customer feedback, offering actionable insights on areas for improvement.

The company is also conducting webinars to educate restaurant owners on best hygiene practices and offering exclusive services like cleaning and pest control.

What does this mean for customers?

The Swiggy Seal offers customers a new level of transparency and assurance. When ordering food through the Swiggy app, users can see which restaurants have been awarded the Seal, signaling that they meet high hygiene and quality standards.

The initiative is designed to help customers make informed decisions when choosing where to order from, particularly in a market where food safety is a growing concern.

With this program, Swiggy aims to raise overall standards across its partner network while giving customers peace of mind that the food they are receiving is prepared with care and delivered in safe, hygienic conditions.