Panda offers tech solution for hospitality challenges
Panda – a new fintech platform – has created a credit solution to ease cashflow for consumers and drive spending in the hospitality sector.
The pressures faced by the UK’s hospitality industry are complex. From pandemic-era loans to rising energy costs, stubborn inflation to new tax obligations, any hospitality business has to navigate a long list of potential threats to profitability. The backdrop may be complex, but the headline is simple: it is tough to make money in hospitality in 2025.
It is a problem that challenged Duncan Nyanzi, founder of Panda. With experience in tech, events and the drinks industry, he began to formulate a platform that used his expertise to be part of the solution.
The result is Panda. The platform turns to a simple premise: one reason that bookings and spending are depressed is cashflow. And so it asks: what if customers had access to flexible credit tailored to the hospitality sector.
Panda Credit is the backbone of the platform. Panda acts as the intermediary between venues and its FCA-regulated credit partner. In practice, it means that customers can split their bill over time with interest-free payments, while venues are paid in full, upfront without credit-risk or administration.
For consumers – and therefore the venues they visit – it is a compelling prospect. Without immediate concern over the bank balance, customers may be more willing to upgrade to a premium item or to make a booking on the spur of the moment. It also evens out the potential spend over the month: a birthday just before payday, for instance, need not require a cheap compromise if the cost can be spread.
When signing up, they are offered a pre-approved credit line ready for any participating venue. Thus there is no friction on the day, encouraging consumers to upgrade to premium pours or to try a new venue.
By providing customers with the flexibility to spread their costs, Panda aims to make it simpler to unlock higher spending. With hospitality businesses facing such a barrage of challenges, it is set to be a welcome help.
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Built for the hospitality industry
The platform, of course, relies on ease of use. That is the dangling carrot to entice consumers; eating or drinking out would involve one less thing to worry about. Yet, as a platform built specifically for hospitality businesses, their ease has been prioritised at every step.
Firstly, by co-ordinating the credit arrangement, Panda removes financial administration from the list of jobs a business faces. Ultimately, hospitality businesses can focus on hospitality with a tech and finance partner to handle the rest.
The onboarding process is likewise simple. A fast, digital enrollment is supported by Panda’s in-house team, meaning that businesses can get online without snags or stress. The business model, meanwhile, is built on user fees so that operational costs and complexities are not passed onto venues. There is no disruption to POS systems or operational flow, reducing the added work for a venue’s team.
Once part of the Panda community, the platform offers a number of benefits. Simply by joining, there is increased visibility, as consumers may well hunt out those venues they know can access via Panda.
Furthermore, it serves as a hub for driving revenue. The platform is adding tools such as smart menus, loyalty schemes and student activations, as well providing a wealth of data to promote customer retention. All promotions delivered through the platform are fully trackable, unlocking crucial data to ensure a good return on investment.
Open to investors
As part of Panda’s drive to help British hospitality, it has begun an investment drive. It has launched a campaign on Crowdcube offering equity investment in the company. The campaign comes with rewards at set investment levels, and Panda is registered with both the Seed Enterprise Investment Scheme and the Enterprise Investment Scheme.
More information can be found on Panda’s LinkedIn page and other social media. Whether an interested venue, prospective investor or simply someone concerned with the future of British hospitality, Panda is aiming to win everyone round to its fintech solution.
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