Providoor’s gourmet meal delivery business in Melbourne, Sydney, Brisbane announces collapse

Gourmet restaurant delivery service Providoor has announced its sudden collapse as the company enters liquidation.

Co-founded by celebrity chef Shane Delia, Providoor offered customers the opportunity to enjoy meal packages from fine dining restaurants at home – an idea that proved a hit during the COVID-19 lockdowns.

WATCH THE VIDEO ABOVE: Delivery service MilkRun has gone under.

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In a statement on Friday, Delia confirmed “with a heavy heart” that Providoor would be closing.

“Later today, Providoor will be officially liquidated,” he said.

“But from now on we won’t take any more orders.”

It comes just weeks after popular grocery delivery service MilkRun announced it was closing and laying off its 400-strong workforce.

Best known for his Maha restaurant, Delia launched the service in 2020 with well-known Melbourne restaurants such as Supernormal and Rockpool before expanding to Sydney and later Brisbane in early 2022.

“I started Providoor during lockdown when the hospitality world was in disarray and we needed to find a way to survive,” he said.

“Providoor meant we could secure and create jobs and bring a little bit of restaurant joy to people during a pretty bleak time.”

Delia said the service was popular even after social restrictions were lifted, but could no longer withstand the difficult economic conditions.

“We’ve served over a million meals and created something that made a difference on some very dark days,” he said.

“I only wish it had been given the opportunity to handle the challenging economic conditions that so many in the restaurant and hospitality industry are currently facing.”

The closure will lay off the company’s 15 employees, reports The Australian.

It is also unclear what happens to vouchers from Providoor customers and whether they can be redeemed.

The closures of Providoor and MilkRun follow the closures of delivery competitors Send and VOLY, which also shut down last year, just days after Deliveroo pulled its services from the Australian market.