SkipTheDishes and its parent company, Just Eat Takeaway.com, are set to lay off approximately 800 employees.
On Tuesday, SkipTheDishes CEO Paul Burns announced on LinkedIn that around 100 workers in Canada would be leaving the food delivery service. In addition, about 700 employees from Just Eat Takeaway.com, the company's owner, will also be affected.
Burns acknowledged that such decisions are challenging, but emphasized that these steps are necessary for maintaining the right resources and structure to support long-term growth. He noted that a more streamlined approach would help the company enhance its customer offerings and deliver exceptional service.
This announcement follows Burns' appointment as CEO of SkipTheDishes roughly a year ago. Before joining SkipTheDishes, Burns managed Twitter Canada, a company that underwent significant staff reductions after being acquired by Elon Musk.
Under Burns' leadership, SkipTheDishes has navigated a transition in ownership and dealt with the impacts of the health crisis. The company, which has been based in Winnipeg since its founding in 2012, was purchased by Just Eat for $110 million in December 2016. This acquisition was followed by Just Eat's merger with Takeaway.com in 2020, during the height of the pandemic.
The pandemic initially boosted demand for food delivery services as people stayed home. However, as pandemic restrictions eased, rising inflation and interest rates began to affect consumer spending, leading many to cut back on expenses.
In 2022, SkipTheDishes had already laid off about 350 workers in Winnipeg, mainly from remote contact center roles. The company attributed these layoffs to a comprehensive review of its global logistics workforce, aimed at aligning its operations with long-term growth objectives.