New Delhi, May 1: Reaffirming strong partnership, the National Restaurant Association of India (NRAI) and the Open Network for Digital Commerce (ONDC) on Thursday refuted media reports which claimed that the restaurant body has paused or withdrawn from its engagement with the e-commerce platform. Media reports cited operational instability and a lack of strategic commitment by ONDC, to claim that NRAI paused its plans to onboard members onto the platform.

“We jointly clarify that these claims are inaccurate and misleading,” the organisations said in a statement, adding that the "collaboration remains active, deliberate, and forward-looking".

It noted that both organisations are working more strategically to develop an inclusive framework which will support the growth and digital empowerment of food businesses across the country. “We have not paused anything. Our engagement with ONDC is ongoing and purposeful. We are currently in the process of building a viable and scalable model and engaging in discussions through ONDC's Food Council which includes participation of all stakeholders, like restaurateurs and Network Participants and NRAI,” said Sagar Daryani, President, NRAI.

Daryani said the restaurant body believes “in the transformative power of ONDC’s open, interoperable network for our members and the broader food service ecosystem”. The NRAI had, in January, actively explored onboarding member restaurants onto the government-backed ONDC. The partnership was aimed to enable restaurants to participate in digital commerce on equitable and transparent terms. “We have an ongoing engagement with the NRAI and together, we are working to build an inclusive, transparent, and interoperable network that empowers lakhs of restaurants and food brands to participate in digital commerce on their own terms,” said Marichi Mathur, SVP at ONDC.

“This partnership is crucial to driving access, visibility, and equitable growth for food businesses of all sizes -- from neighbourhood outlets to national brands. We are exploring innovative pathways that benefit both industry stakeholders and consumers,” Mathur added. ONDC aims to empower food businesses of all sizes to grow and thrive in the digital economy. The organisations urged stakeholders to rely only “on verified, official communication and not be swayed by speculative narratives that misrepresent the ground reality”.

(IANS)

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