Canteen staff offered work during crisis
Most restaurants have had to cut their hours or even close as customers stayed at home and ordered takeaways during the ongoing coronavirus crisis.
Joint efforts have been put into place by interested companies to support canteens and restaurants who have suffered because of the ongoing virus epidemic.
An online hiring platform has been launched where canteen staff can apply for temporary positions at Alibaba's local consumer services unit and delivery site Ele.me.
Some 4,000 canteen staff have applied so far.
Ele.me said it intends to hire 10,000 temporary staff at first to help deliver meals or groceries. They can return to their usual posts after restaurants gradually resume business.
Most restaurants had to cut their hours or close when customers stayed home and ordered takeaways instead of eating out.
JD's grocery and offline retailing business 7Fresh is also offering to work with canteens to develop semi-prepared meals more suitable for takeaway.
The online retailer said it's offering to help canteens develop convenience food for consumers to eat at home instead of at restaurants as its logistics network can dispatch packaged prepared meals nationwide.
Hotpot chain Haidilao's online orders during the Chinese New Year break have tripled compared with the same period last year.
Eateries will also receive suggestions on customer preference in different regions based on JD's shopping data.
Nearly a hundred domestic restaurant chains have expressed an intention to partner with JD.
