Shane Delia’s Providoor Collapses

Providoor was a food delivery marketplace enabling Australians to access the nation’s best restaurants from home. It was launched in Melbourne by celebrity chef Shane Delia amid the 2020 COVID-19 lockdowns, which significantly impacted the region’s food and beverage industry. With ongoing staffing issues affecting the hospitality industry, as well as lingering health concerns, this service offered an alternative for customers looking to enjoy a nice meal without needing to leave the house and continued to see success after lockdown.

As of Friday April 28, Providoor has collapsed.

The news was revealed on Friday in a message on the company’s website posted by founder and chef Shane Delia, “It is with a heavy heart that I announce the closure of Providoor, a business borne out of the very worst days the hospitality industry has ever seen. While today is a very sad day, I am proud of Providoor and what it has achieved. We served more than one million meals and built something that made a difference during some very dark days.”

The website now simply redirects to a notice reading: “Please take notice that, on 28 April 2023, Jonathon Colbran and Tristana Steedman of RSM Australia Partners were appointed as Joint and Several Liquidators of Providoor.”

AFR has reported up to 20 staff was made redundant, and RSM Australia Partner Jonathan Colbran has said gift card customers who had unused vouchers and those who had booked future meals were unlikely to get a refund. “Based on our initial assessment of Providoor’s financial position, there is presently insufficient money to pay a dividend to creditors or provide refunds to customers, including gift card holders,’’ he said.

At its peak, Providoor featured over 30 restaurants in Melbourne and a strong portfolio across NSW and Queensland. Over 80 of Australia’s best restaurants trusted Providoor’s premium at-home service, with its selection of over 1800 menu items, including banquets, à la carte, and gifts. Restaurant partners included Supernormal, Maha, Curtis Stone, Three Blue Ducks, Rockpool, Saké, Spice Temple, and more.

Tim MacKinnon, Providoor CEO posted his thoughts on LinkedIn on Saturday, writing. “Yesterday was tough. A great idea, nurtured by a brilliant team, has finished mid-course. I’m gutted for our people, customers, restaurants and partners. Premium food at home is a huge opportunity, we just didn’t have the opportunity we thought we had to create it.

”We sold over 1,000,000 meals, maintained an enviable NPS and delivered on our mission of making exceptional food experiences accessible.”

Providoor is the third prolific food delivery company to collapse in April. While fellow gourmet food delivery company CoLab was saved when bought by Efoodz, MilkRun has not had the same luck.

“I created Providoor during lockdown, when the hospitality world was in disarray and we needed to find a way to survive,” wrote Delia on Friday. “Providoor meant we could secure and create jobs as well as give people a little bit of restaurant joy during a pretty dismal time. When people kept using Providoor after social restrictions were lifted, it showed us that it was a really good idea. I just wish it had been given the opportunity to work through the challenging economic conditions, the same facing so many in the restaurant and hospitality sector right now.”

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