Fans attending the opening round of the Victorian NPL this weekend may have access to Get DUCK, a mobile food ordering system through an app set to be rolled out across local sporting venues in coming months.
Supporters will be able to order food and drinks from their seat – or favoured place on the terrace -without lining up, and receive a notification when it’s ready for collection. The queue-less system is aimed at ensuring fans can keep their focus on the football for 90 minutes, while still supporting their club’s canteen in the post-Covid-19 era.
Get DUCK co-founder Peter Saisanas told Soccerscene the company was born facing a conundrum familiar to many sports fans, across many levels. How do we quickly navigate queues during short breaks in play?
“I’ve been a South Melbourne fan for many years, and I’d always be hit with a dilemma: to either go to the canteen and miss the last five minutes of the first half, or go at halftime and mis the first five minutes of the second,” Saisanas said.
“Whatever the decision was, you’d always miss a goal. The frustration was in going to games at South, where the canteens are tucked away from the ground, or Oakleigh, where the lines are just massive.”
Fellow co-founder Rowan McNamee believes Get DUCK will not only benefit those in the stands, but those within the clubs too. As local sport looks to bounce back from the impacts of Covid-19, it is essential to find means to regenerate lost revenue.
McNamee told Soccerscene the biggest deterrent to a sport club’s canteen is the queue, but with this now removed, people may be more likely to dip into their pockets once more.
“We’re of the belief that there is no reason to have a queue, and this product solves that problem. It’s also easier for the staff as they don’t have to spend time taking manual orders and manual payments, they can spend more time preparing great food and drinks,” he said.
“The issue that the actual venue has is they are losing revenue because people are making that decision to stay away, so that’s where we thought we could help.
“Then it’s also better for the fan. They don’t have to miss any of the action, they don’t have to waste time waiting at the canteen for it to be prepared, they just go grab it when it’s ready.”
Get DUCK has to this point been entirely self-funded, and McNamee is confident it’s ease of implementation and low-maintenance infrastructure will see it spread without significant financial backing in the short-term.
“You just have a tablet or laptop at your canteen and bar, the orders are sent there, you then accept it with the click of a button and complete it with the click of a button. There’s no need for any new infrastructure, all you need is an internet connection and you’re right to go,” McNamee said.
“We’ve only just launched in 2021, and we’ve been trialling it at Malvern City, which is where I play personally. They’ve been very supportive, they’re a great club and they do an amazing job with their canteen.
“We’re trying to get some more validation from our first clients, we’re going to really work hard to get some more data, get some feedback from the venues and fans, and then we’ll look at raising capital a bit later on. But for now it’s trying to get the best possible product out there and get some feedback.”
McNamee and Saisanas have made no secret of their ambition to grow Get DUCK across not just NPL Football, but across Victorian sport in general. A deal has been struck with a VAFA (Australian Rules) club for their upcoming season, and discussions are underway with State League soccer clubs for the coming winter.
“We’re starting in the heartland of where we’ve grown up, Victorian soccer, but we’ve also got a couple of footy clubs lined up as well, so we want to go hard in our local market. Basketball centres, netball centres, tennis clubs and golf club houses, we are very ambitious.
“Our dream is to take this overseas and have it in clubs and venues around the world, and we think it has that potential. We also want to bring more value where we’re not just mobile ordering down the line.
“We want to help sponsor activation, fan engagement, and make it a better experience for everyone that translates across all markets.”
Get DUCK requires patrons to scan a QR Code and pay for their order over the phone, which is then sent directly to canteen staff. The minimal face-to-face contact, and lack of cash payment and queuing also allows for social distancing to be observed, providing safety for customers and staff.
Access to customer data also allows the vendor to track consumer habits and insights, and tailor marketing offers and events. McNamee is confident Get DUCK will be commonplace by the time winter football codes come to an end for 2022.
“We already have some State League clubs lined up too, and what’s great is there are some really forward thinking State League clubs. They’re preparing for the future, they want to go up and have as professional a setup as possible, and that’s been really encouraging.
“Even at junior clubs it’s great for parents on a Sunday morning to order their coffee and not have to miss their kid playing. It doesn’t matter what level the club is, mobile ordering is the way of the future, you don’t want to miss any action at any level.
“We’re gearing up to really launch it for round one of the NPL and we’ve got a couple of clubs ready to go, so definitely keep an eye out. You’re going to be able to use it at multiple games, and we’re excited about that.”
Yvette Henshall-Bell, President Europe, Forest & Garden Division at Husqvarna, has been one of the key people to orchestrate the deal.