Targeting millennials, Grab offers bubble tea vouchers, platform for donations to charities

SINGAPORE — In an effort to get millennials to use its e-payment service GrabPay, ride-hailing firm Grab is launching a bubble tea “subscription service”.

This is part of its “experience-led offerings” made available through its mobile application here, it said in a press release on Thursday (Oct 3).

A study commissioned by Grab and international survey agency YouGov found that 89 per cent of Singapore millennials value experiences more than material possessions.  

Grab’s head of marketing Gillian Ang said: “As our users interact with our app more times a day to fulfil their transport, food, payment and more needs, we foresee an increasing demand for experience-led offerings on the platform.

“It is also evident from the study that millennials in Singapore are only likely to continue a relationship with a brand that provides good service, as well as personalisation and innovation — all of which adds up to their experience.”

Grab has collaborated with bubble tea chains Gong Cha, LiHo, Woobbee and iTea for the subscription plans, which will be made available to users from Oct 18 onwards. 

One, for those new to GrabPay, allow users to pay S$5 for five S$3 discount vouchers. Another, for existing GrabPay users, gives them five S$3 discount vouchers for S$9.

The vouchers can be redeemed at the four bubble tea chains.

A separate study conducted by Grab found that there has been a more than 700 per cent increase in bubble tea orders in Singapore from May to December last year. 

The study also found that users of food delivery service GrabFood in Singapore order an average of three cups of bubble tea a month — just behind Thailand and the Philippines where GrabFood users order more cups.

Another new feature that Grab will be unveiling is Gourmet Tribe, where users may reserve tables at restaurants such as Nonya Bong and Dotonbori. 

Some of these places also offer unique dining experiences from make-your-own-bento-box classes to guided yoga sessions before dinner. 

Linked to this is a coupon package, the GrabPay Dealbook: Gourmet Tribe Edition, where users pay the promotional price of S$14.90 for 100 one-for-one deals at restaurants.

Ms Ang said that beyond “lifestyle experiences”, Grab also wants to offer its users “a platform to do good”.

From now until Oct 14, for example, users may donate their GrabRewards points to Mr Alson Wang, a GrabFood delivery-partner and para-athlete with cerebral palsy. 

He will be taking part in the Relay Majulah Challenge, a ground-up initiative to form a 200-man running team to cover 2,000km over 200 hours. This is to raise money for the President’s Challenge and its 67 supported charities. 

Every 800 points donated by Grab users will contribute S$2 to Mr Wang’s cause, and Grab will match the contribution dollar-for-dollar.