Zomato Acquires Sparse Labs to Provide Real-Time Location Updates for Deliveries

Restaurant search and delivery service Zomato has decided to improve upon a crucial aspect of its service - delivery tracking. The company has acquired logistics technology startup Sparse Labs in order to provide real-time tracking of the rider to both users and the restaurant to ensure 'quicker and more efficient deliveries'.

Sparse Labs, which will now be renamed Zomato Trace, has developed an Android app that will help users to get a rider's route information and will therefore enable them to get their deliveries out faster.

Zomato says it will be rolling out Zomato Trace to its restaurant partners free of cost very soon.

"The system also allocates orders to riders based on their proximity to the restaurant, and uses machine learning to identify a rider's familiarity with a neighbourhood to further optimise delivery efficiency," Zomato said in a blog post. The company says that the restaurants will have the option of using a Sparse-developed proprietary GPS tracker that can be fitted onto the bikes.

Zomato said that the acquisition of Sparse will help the company provide real-time location updates and improve the overall experience on the app.

"While we were already working on making this feature available for deliveries handled by our logistics partners, Sparse Labs will now help us enable delivery tracking for restaurant-owned fleets as well," the company said.

As per Zomato, the changes will help the service become time and cost efficient from the restaurant's end. It further claims that it will help the restaurants optimise delivery routes.