SINGAPORE — From next month, popular website HungryGoWhere will be starting a food takeaway service, allowing online orders on its platform and self-collection from among 50 or so establishments.

A pioneer in Singapore’s online scene for food reviews and restaurant reservations, HungryGoWhere also ventured into the food delivery market in January, tying up with industry player foodpanda to do so. About 1,100 restaurants are available for this service.

In a one-on-one interview with TODAY, HungryGoWhere Singapore’s chief executive officer Frank Young said that these two latest initiatives for the company are also set to be launched in HungryGoWhere Malaysia next year.

On the list of participating restaurants for the takeaway service, Mr Young said that discussions are still ongoing but there would be some familiar names.

When asked why it took so long for the company to go into online delivery and takeaway services, Mr Young — who joined the company last July — said that HungryGoWhere does not see itself foremost as a technology company.

“This idea has been fermenting for over a year. We started thinking about it a year-and-a-half ago, and we took time to put together the plan, business case and potential,” he said.

“While we are digitally focused in order to reach out to the digitally savvy, we are not a technology company. Our business is in satisfying consumers’ desire to eat good food. That can be done through delivery and takeaway services, and it is why we are collaborating with the largest food delivery company here, foodpanda.”

So while the delivery option is on the HungryGoWhere website, the technology behind it, as well as the delivery, is run by foodpanda.

Here is how it works for online delivery: Users key in their postal code and a list of the participating restaurants who can deliver to that address will be shown. Payment is then made online, and delivery time and fees will vary according to the restaurant.

The takeaway option will work similarly. Users order and pay online, but they are able to choose the time of collection: It could be as early as in 30 minutes’ time, any time within the same day, or they may even order in advance to collect the next day.

“Previously, they would have to turn up, queue and wait for the food to be prepared. Now it will be more convenient for customers,” Mr Young said.

Given that HungryGoWhere also features reviews of hawker fare, can its users expect the same food-collection or delivery services from popular hawker stalls?

Mr Young said that this is a challenge, but it would be the next segment for the company to focus on over the next 10 years.

“For now, it is an uphill battle to get hawker centres to adopt technology. But once the old hawkers retire, and the new generation of hawkers takes over, we definitely foresee that new technology will increasingly be adopted,” he said.

HungryGoWhere was founded by three entrepreneurs, Mr Dennis Goh, Mr Tan Yung Yih and Mr Wong Hoong An. In 2012, it was acquired by telcommunications company Singtel for S$12 million.

Only Mr Wong is still with the team as the other two have left.

At its peak in the past 12 months, the website drew 1.67 million unique visitors, with an average of 1.15 million unique visitors per month.