BANGKOK — The viral phenomenon known as “Moo Deng Fever” has significantly impacted Grab’s business performance in Thailand throughout 2024, driving unprecedented growth in both transportation and food delivery services.
The superapp reported a remarkable 267% increase in ride-hailing trips to Khao Kheow Open Zoo, as both local and international tourists flocked to the destination amid the Moo Deng craze. The trend’s influence extended to food delivery services, where pork-based dishes saw a notable 38% surge in orders during September, particularly for traditional favorites like Thai stew pork belly with eggs (Kai Paloh).
Expansion in Secondary Cities
Grab’s presence in Thailand’s secondary cities has shown remarkable growth, with provinces like Chiang Rai, Tak, Udon Thani, Ubon Ratchathani, and Phitsanulok experiencing a 90% increase in ride-hailing services. This expansion aligns with government initiatives to promote tourism beyond major urban centers.
Events and Tourism Drive Growth
Thailand’s positioning as a “World-Class Event Hub” contributed to a 25% increase in rides to major venues including Rajamangala Stadium, Queen Sirikit National Convention Center, Impact Arena, and BITEC Bangna. Popular destinations among international users remained concentrated around shopping districts, with ICONSIAM, CentralWorld, Siam Paragon, and the newly popular EMSphere in Sukhumvit seeing significant traffic.
Innovation in Services
The company’s advance booking feature, expanded to allow reservations up to seven days ahead, has gained particular popularity for airport transfers at major airports including Suvarnabhumi, Don Mueang, Phuket, Chiang Mai, and Krabi. The environmentally conscious EV Rides service recorded a 200% increase in usage, reflecting growing environmental awareness among users.
Food Delivery Trends
Beyond traditional Thai cuisine, which maintained its dominance, several new trends emerged in the food delivery segment. Premium fruit teas from brands like JIAN CHA, CHAGEE, and Naixue saw tenfold growth, with Cheese Cream Grape Tea emerging as a standout item. The health-conscious segment boomed with Oh! Juice Smoothies recording a 400% sales increase within three months.
Beverage preferences remained strong with iced Americanos leading at 5 million cups sold, followed by Thai iced tea, particularly the viral Slurpee Thai Tea. The platform also saw unprecedented demand for Middle Eastern-inspired treats, with Dubai chocolate and pistachio-infused desserts experiencing a twenty-fold increase in orders.
Enhanced Group Features
Grab’s Group Order feature, now accommodating up to 10 participants with split-payment options, doubled its usage throughout the year. The Dine Out feature showed particularly strong performance in the fourth quarter, with an eleven-fold increase in usage, especially benefiting buffet restaurants like Mo-Mo Paradise, Kouen, and Sukishi.
The comprehensive growth across multiple service segments underscores Grab’s strengthening position in Thailand’s digital economy, demonstrating the platform’s ability to adapt to and capitalize on both viral trends and changing consumer preferences while maintaining consistent service innovation and expansion.
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