Israeli Food Delivery Service 'Ten Bis' Cancels Pilot Program, Cuts Staff

Ten Bis, an Israeli food delivery service, has decided to discontinue its Just Eat pilot program in the southern cities of Be'er Sheva and Ashdod by the end of the year. The company will not expand the service to additional cities and will lay off approximately 15 employees as part of this decision. The regular delivery service operated by Ten Bis under its established brand will continue as usual.

The decision to end the pilot, which was launched to compete more directly with services like Wolt, was communicated to employees via email by CEO Tomer Pepper. The pilot, initially launched in Be'er Sheva and later expanded to Ashdod under the parent company's brand, Just Eat, reportedly showed positive results. However, Ten Bis concluded that a nationwide rollout would require an excessive investment relative to the business opportunity.

Instead, Ten Bis will refocus its resources on its business-to-business (B2B) operations, serving companies and their employees. This market is experiencing increasing competition, with Ten Bis recently launching a new card that expands its offerings beyond meals to include cashback and discounts in fashion, pharmacy, tourism, and lifestyle sectors. This move aims to strengthen its position in the corporate catering and employee benefits market, where it faces competition from Sibus and Wolt Benefits.

This strategic shift away from expanding its business-to-consumer (B2C) activities contrasts with earlier statements by CEO Tomer Pepper, who in late July described the Just Eat pilot as a growth frontier and stated the company was providing a strong challenge to Wolt in the consumer market. The company's statement emphasized a strategic review of its operations and a focus on its core B2B activities, citing significant growth in that sector in Israel. Ten Bis affirmed its commitment to continued investment in innovation and service development for both companies and employees, both during and outside of work hours.