(Yicai) April 28 -- Chinese online shopping giant JD.Com said it plans to recruit another 100,000 full-time riders for its new food delivery service over the next three months, intensifying its rivalry with takeaway market leader Meituan.

JD.Com is offering comprehensive benefits, including full coverage of the five social insurances (pension, medical, unemployment, work-related injury, and maternity insurance) and one housing fund, to attract more riders, the Beijing-based company announced yesterday. Workers will also enjoy statutory holidays, annual leave, health check-ups, paid sick leave, and other welfare benefits, it added.

In addition, full-time riders will receive a guaranteed salary of at least CNY5,000 (USD685) based on basic attendance over the first three months of employment, with earnings to increase through performance, JD.Com noted, adding that outstanding riders will have career advancement opportunities, including station chief roles.

JD.Com ramped up recruitment efforts after launching its food delivery service in early February, announcing it would gradually provide coverage for the five social insurances and one housing fund for full-time delivery riders starting March 1 while offering accident and health insurance for part-time riders.

On Feb. 24, JD.Com further pledged to cover all social insurance and housing fund costs, including the portion typically paid by employees, for new and existing full-time riders, ensuring their pay remains unaffected. By March 20, the company had hired over 10,000 full-time riders.

JD.Com said its daily food delivery orders exceeded 5 million on April 15, leading the firm to start planning to hire at least 50,000 additional full-time riders.

On April 21, JD.Com accused a rival platform of enforcing a "choose-one-out-of-two" policy, which threatened to block riders from accepting its instant delivery orders. Meituan, which was the subject of the allegations according to online speculation, denied that it restricts riders from working for other platforms later that day, adding it would pursue legal action against those spreading malicious rumors.

The food delivery industry fundamentally hinges on the "three-way network effect" among riders, merchants, and users, Chen Liteng, a digital lifestyle analyst at website 100EC, told Yicai. The number of riders and merchants directly determines platforms' market competitiveness and appeal, making them core rivalry resources, Chen added.

Editor: Martin Kadiev