Gorillas takes over Foodpanda drivers

Through an agreement with the logistics company that had employed Foodpanda's drivers, Gorillas now lets the drivers cycle for its own business. In the process, some who had been terminated by the company are also returning.

The more delivery start-ups emerge in Germany, the more drivers are needed. Clearly feeling this need is Gorillas, which, in addition to the shortage of couriers, is also struggling with its image of being a bad employer. Now the Berlin-based company is taking over the drivers from Foodpanda, which has just been shut down. According to a spokesperson, the associated logistics company Delivery Hero Germany Logistics (Pandalogistics), where the drivers are employed, has "concluded a non-exclusive "Logistics-as-a-Service" agreement" with Gorillas, as quoted by the Tagesspiegel.

The decision to do so took place back on December 23, 2021, and "gives Gorillas access to Pandalogistics' operational delivery capacities in several German cities. This will allow Gorillas to further expand its infrastructure to meet increasing customer demand. Drivers delivering orders for Gorillas under the agreement will continue to be employed by Pandalogistics and will be provided with equipment by them," the spokesperson's statement said.

This provides an interim solution for the drivers. The spokesperson left open whether they will be permanently employed by Gorillas in the future. He also did not comment on the number of riders, Spiegel speaks of 8000 riders. Their first day at work was anything but pleasant: As the Tagesspiegel reported, they had to wait outside some warehouses in Berlin in sub-zero temperatures, they were denied access.How good this arrangement is in the end for Gorillas itself remains open. Because some drivers have worked for Gorillas before, but left because of the poor conditions or were dismissed after the strikes last year. Now they are working for their old employer again, they are not happy about it: "I don't want to work for Gorillas", the Tagesspiegel quotes an anonymous rider.