Ambev invests in startup to help reopen bars and restaurants

Ambev has partnered with startup Get In, which owns an application of the same name, to help reopen bars and restaurants that have been affected by the quarantine of the new coronavirus. The platform developed by the Brazilian beverage company will digitize many operations of the establishments. Available for Android devices and iPhone, the program already has more than 250,000 registered users and, according to Ambev, 400 points of sale have already joined the platform. This figure is expected to reach 10,000 by the end of this year. The registration of companies can be done on this site. Ambev did not give clear details about the partnership with the startup and reported that it "brought Get In into Z-Tech" and that "it will give structure and investment to boost the app". Z-Tech is the technology arm of the beverage company and responsible for creating digital services aimed at small and medium-sized enterprises. The idea is that the app will help marketers take a step towards digital transformation of their business. In practice, Get In allows you to make digital payments, provide virtual menus, manage table and seat reservations in line, and make it easier for users to get to the site with an integration with Waze. Another novelty will be the possibility of restaurants integrating their delivery platforms with the application, but this feature is still in the testing phase and is not expected to be incorporated into the platform officially. In a statement, Ambev stressed the moment when the application is coming to market. "Covid-19 is forcing people and businesses to change the way they do activities," wrote Jean Jereissati, CEO of Ambev. According to the executive, the company will "be able to help the ecosystem of bars and restaurants to have a more digital business management and adapted to the current world". The social isolation of coronavirus directly affected establishments such as bars and restaurants. A recent survey by the Brazilian Association of Bars and Restaurants (Abrasel) revealed that 40% of establishments in this segment should permanently close in the city of São Paulo due to the pandemic.