MAM
Uber Eats launches new interactive feature ‘Merchant Stories’
KOLKATA: Online food delivery app, Uber Eats on Tuesday launched a new interactive feature on its app- ‘Merchant Stories’ which allows merchant partners to connect directly with their eaters.
The new feature developed by the company’s Hyderabad based engineering team helps eaters seamlessly discover the latest offerings from their favourite restaurants, while assisting Uber merchants to display their delicacies.
Elaborating on the idea behind the launch, the company cited a consumer survey which showed people felt more comfortable making food decisions based on photos, and were more likely to place an order when they could see what their chosen food or beverage looked like. In early testing, 13 per cent of people who clicked through a restaurant’s story placed an order to that restaurant in the same session, it said on Tuesday.
This feature has so far only been rolled out in the US and Canada and reinforces the ‘Make in India for the World’ vision of India’s tech centers, it added.
Eats Engineering site lead Jaiteerth Patwari said: “We understand a picture is worth a thousand words, and that it’s much easier to order an item when you can see what it looks like. We heard feedback from partners who felt they needed to build a direct communication channel with their consumers, and our team worked to build a solution that addressed their unique needs.”
Through this innovation, merchants can now sign up for the ‘Merchant Stories’ feature to post regular updates. They can upload photos and add text to tell their customers about special deals, menu changes, new services, or seasonal promotions.
The Eats Engineering team has led several global innovations over the past year including integrating leading digital wallets in Japan and Belgium during 2020, and connecting more restaurant partners to consumers when cities were in lockdown. The team also led the tech backend for a new line of business — prescription delivery in the US.
Brands
Metro Brands appoints Harshvardhan Chauhan as CMO & SMP
Retail veteran to steer brand strategy and accelerate growth
MUMBAI: Metro Brands has appointed Harshvardhan Chauhan as its chief marketing officer and senior management personnel, effective 23 February 2026.
The move brings nearly two decades of marketing muscle into the company’s leadership ranks. With over 18 years of experience across retail, fashion, lifestyle, grocery, home and e-commerce, Chauhan arrives with a well-rounded understanding of how brands capture attention and convert it into loyalty.
His professional journey includes stints at Bharat YEF, Trident Group, RPSG, DLF Shopping Malls, ShopClues, Godrej Group, Reckitt Benckiser and Accenture, where he worked across brand building, strategic growth and business leadership.
Chauhan holds a master’s degree in business administration with a specialisation in strategy and business management from Symbiosis, Pune. He has also completed the accelerated general management programme at IIM Ahmedabad, combining academic rigour with hands-on commercial experience.
In his new full-time role, he will report to chief executive officer Nissan Joseph and work closely with the leadership team to shape the next phase of brand expansion.
For Metro Brands, the appointment signals a sharpened focus on storytelling, scale and staying one step ahead in a competitive retail landscape.
