The Delivery Prophets

Hosted by theDelivery.World

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Jun 2026

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From the impact of technology on delivery logistics to changing consumer demands and preferences, from the rise of dark kitchens to the opportunities from virtual brands, listeners will gain a deep understanding of the forces shaping the sector. Whether you’re a delivery company, technology business, restaurant owner, or investor, tune in to The Delivery Prophets for insights, interviews and analysis. The perfect way to stay ahead of the delivery curve.

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38 recent

June 9, 20268 min

38. AI Ordering Revolution – Why Restaurants Are Ditching Delivery Apps

What happens when ChatGPT becomes your food ordering platform? The answer might transform how restaurants connect with customers forever.In this week's minisode, Peter catches up with Bites founder Bala Subramaniam on their breakthrough as the first AI native food marketplace integrated into ChatGPT. Discover how restaurants are bypassing traditional delivery apps to offer conversational ordering that keeps control of margins and customer data in-house.Links mentioned in this episode:Bala Subramaniam on LinkedInBitesLike the show? We’d be hugely grateful if you could help us spread the word by taking 1 minute to leave us a rating and review on your podcast platform of choice. Full instructions at https://www.thedelivery.world/ratingsandreviews

March 24, 202635 min

37. Delivery as a Skill: Lessons From Fat Pizza’s Growth

Sunny Chhina is the CEO and co-founder of The Fat Pizza, a rapidly expanding franchise operation opening one store per week across the UK. Starting in his family's Perfect Pizza business at age 12, Sunny has built a tech-forward delivery empire that combines traditional hospitality values with cutting-edge AI and automation. As chairman of the Pizza and Pasta Association, he shares insights on scaling through franchising, the future of delivery, and how family businesses can embrace innovation while maintaining their core essence.In this episode, we discuss:Growing from family pizza shop roots to tech-forward franchise empireUsing AI and automation to optimise delivery operations and menu personalisation  Franchising vs equity models and maintaining control while scaling rapidlyThe critical importance of volume and own-driver fleets in delivery successBalancing traditional hospitality values with modern technology innovationLinks mentioned in this episode:Sunny Chhina on LinkedInFat Pizza Like the show? We’d be hugely grateful if you could help us spread the word by taking 1 minute to leave us a rating and review on your podcast platform of choice. Full instructions at https://www.thedelivery.world/ratingsandreviews

January 23, 202635 min

36. Slerp and the Future of Direct Restaurant Delivery with JP Then

In this episode of Delivery Prophets: Tech Smart, JP Then, founder of Slerp, joins us to reveal how restaurants are quietly taking back control – one direct order at a time. From inventing the sourdough doughnut at Crosstown to building tech that lets even small operators access delivery networks once reserved for the giants, JP shows how ‘unbundling’ from the marketplaces is reshaping the game for everyone, not just the big brands.In this episode, we discuss:Unbundling delivery platforms and expanding restaurant optionsRise of direct ordering channels and customer data ownershipTechnical and operational challenges of delivery integrationDelivery’s shift from resistance to an essential revenue streamIncreasing role of AI and digital efficiency in operationsFuture trends: innovation in transport and ongoing digital growthLinks mentioned in this episode:Connect with JP on LinkedInSlerpLike the show? We’d be hugely grateful if you could help us spread the word by taking 1 minute to leave us a rating and review on your podcast platform of choice. Full instructions at https://www.thedelivery.world/ratingsandreviews

December 9, 202534 min

35. Decentralised Ordering: Partnering with POS to Disrupt the Delivery Ecosystem with Bala Subramaniam

In our second episode of Delivery Prophets: Tech Smart, we’re joined by Bala Subramaniam is the Founder of Bites, the AI-first restaurant marketplace built for POS providers and restaurants to reach diners directly across AI search.Drawing on his experience at Instacart and Amazon, Bala exposes how aggregator apps took control during the chaos of COVID, driving up costs for both restaurants and families. But change is on the horizon – Bala reveals how AI, decentralisation, and empowered POS systems could give restaurants back their customers and their profits.In this episode, we discuss:Post-pandemic power shifting from restaurants to aggregatorsHow delivery tech is rapidly evolving and reshaping restaurant operationsCurrent app models remain costly, inefficient and outdatedAI poised to democratise ordering and streamline deliveryDecentralised, POS-connected networks replacing traditional aggregatorsLinks mentioned in this episode:Bala Subramaniam on LinkedInBitesLike the show? We’d be hugely grateful if you could help us spread the word by taking 1 minute to leave us a rating and review on your podcast platform of choice. Full instructions at https://www.thedelivery.world/ratingsandreviews

November 19, 202538 min

34. The Real Cost of Convenience: Sustainability and Technology with Jeremy Hibbert-Garibaldi

Jeremy Hibbert-Garibaldi is the founder and CEO of Collectiv Food, a company focused on decarbonisation and automating supply chains for restaurants. Together, we explore the meaning of “value” in delivery – whether through the convenience offered to consumers or the efficiency streamlined for restaurants – and the profound differences between food delivery platforms and wholesale distributors.In this episode, we discuss:Redefining value in food delivery servicesComparing restaurant delivery vs wholesale distribution modelsConvenience as a key driver for operators and consumersTechnology and automation reshaping food supply chainsSustainability and decarbonisation in delivery logisticsLinks mentioned in this episode:Jeremy Hibbert-Garibaldi on LinkedInCollectiv FoodLike the show? We’d be hugely grateful if you could help us spread the word by taking 1 minute to leave us a rating and review on your podcast platform of choice. Full instructions at https://www.thedelivery.world/ratingsandreviews

October 22, 20253 min

33. Feeding London’s Workplaces: The Rise of &Dine with Charles Brafman

In this minisode of The Delivery Prophets, Peter Backman chats with Charles Brafman, founder of &Dine – the fast-growing marketplace redefining how London’s businesses eat. From office lunches to high-end events, &Dine is connecting companies with independent food vendors, giving street-food chefs and small operators a powerful new route to scale.Charles lifts the lid on what makes the UK catering market so different from the US, how indie food brands can thrive in the B2B space, and why the next big opportunity might just be corporate dining.Tune into the full episode here: https://open.spotify.com/episode/3C7MbCYxHm1ap5JI8jMzic

September 9, 202538 min

32. How S4D is Driving Restaurant Success: Omnichannel Strategies, AI and Customer Experience

Welcome to the first ever Delivery Prophets: Tech Smart, brought to you by TheDelivery.World in partnership with S4D.In this conversation, host Peter Backman sits down with Benjamin Kool, CEO and founder of S4D, to examine the fast-changing world of food delivery technology. Together, they explore the pressures and opportunities facing restaurants as the global delivery market continues to surge, from navigating first-party versus third-party logistics to leveraging data as a driver of growth and competitive edge.Benjamin shares how S4D was founded to give restaurants back control of the customer journey, and why seamless omnichannel experiences are critical to staying ahead. If you’re looking to understand where food delivery tech is headed, and how to position your business for what’s next, this episode is for you.In this episode, we discuss:Shifting from third-party to first-party deliveryOmnichannel delivery’s hidden challenges and real payoffsWhy the right tech partners unlock operational innovationAI in restaurants: early adoption, lasting impactWhy delivery markets aren’t the same everywhereProfitability vs. control: the delivery model trade-offLinks mentioned in this episode:S4DConnect with Benjamin Kool on LinkedInRestaurant & Takeaway Expo/ Hospitality Tech ExpoAttend Benjamin Kool’s Talk @ Restaurant & Takeaway Expo / Hospitality Tech Expo 2025Like the show? We’d be hugely grateful if you could help us spread the word by taking 1 minute to leave us a rating and review on your podcast platform of choice. Full instructions at https://www.thedelivery.world/ratingsandreviews

August 13, 202539 min

31. Maturing Delivery Markets – How Pizza Pilgrims Embraces Delivery Market Changes with Gavin Smith

Gavin Smith from Pizza Pilgrims returns to the show to share how Pizza Pilgrims has navigated the ups and downs of the past year, from tackling rising costs and competitive pressures to the strategic move of appointing a dedicated delivery manager to drive growth on platforms like Deliveroo. The trio explore the challenges and opportunities in maintaining a great brand experience, both in-restaurant and through delivery, and get candid about topics like price parity, packaging innovations, and future trends like catering.In this episode, we discuss:Importance of clarity, communication, and win-win outcomes in deliveryHow Pizza Pilgrims drives delivery growth through dedicated leadershipLeveraging data, tech, and ad spend to enhance delivery performanceManaging delivery ratios and the impact on restaurant team welfarePackaging innovations to solve cold pizza issuesMaturing delivery market: competition, exclusivity, and future collaborationsLinks mentioned in this episode:Gavin Smith on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/hospitalitygav/ Pizza Pilgrims: https://www.pizzapilgrims.co.uk/ Adapting to Demands: Pizza Pilgrims' Approach to Delivery with Gavin Smith: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eWLniOoZv1A Like the show? We’d be hugely grateful if you could help us spread the word by taking 1 minute to leave us a rating and review on your podcast platform of choice. Full instructions at https://www.thedelivery.world/ratingsandreviews

July 15, 20256 min

30. Scaling Delivery Ops: Balancing Tech, Brand, and Market Readiness with Dan Warne

What happens when scaling fast becomes more of a risk than an opportunity? And what do VCs really expect when they back the next big thing in delivery? In this week’s minisode, Dan Warne, founder of Sessions, takes us inside the high-stakes world of delivery startups fueled by venture capital. Dan unpacks why rapid growth isn’t always the answer, and how obsession with scale, spurred by easy funding, can outpace what consumers actually want.Tune into the full episode here: https://open.spotify.com/episode/2N8IqufZnDfD8oAoXfxWXW?si=Z8aFSo4aR5-0peJFesu7LQ

June 24, 202534 min

29. Partnerships, Customer Data, and Restaurant Success with Cornelia Raportaru

Peter Backman and Tim Alderson speak with Cornelia Raportaru, CEO of Stuart, the logistics company powering deliveries for some of the biggest names in restaurants, grocery, and retail. From the growing importance of direct customer relationships to who really owns the data, and why that matters, they explore the deeper shifts shaping the future of food delivery. You’ll hear real insight into white-label delivery, cross-market challenges in places like the UK, France, and Poland, and the strategies businesses need to stay profitable, agile, and close to their customers.In this episode, we discuss:Data ownership challenges for restaurants using food delivery marketplacesHow direct delivery gives restaurants more control over customer relationshipsDifferences between restaurant, grocery, and retail delivery operationsEvolving customer expectations around convenience, speed, and delivery timingThe impact of market consolidation on restaurant flexibility and choicesPartnerships and ecosystem collaboration as the future of food deliveryLinks mentioned in this episode:Cornelia Raportaru on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/corneliaraportaru/Stuart: https://stuart.com/ Like the show? We’d be hugely grateful if you could help us spread the word by taking 1 minute to leave us a rating and review on your podcast platform of choice. Full instructions at https://www.thedelivery.world/ratingsandreviews.