Uber Technologies has agreed to acquire German food-delivery platform Delivery Hero in a deal valued at an equity value of $14.8 billion, according to a statement on Thursday. The transaction will create the largest food-delivery group outside China and is aimed at staving off intensifying competition from U.S. and European rivals.
Strategic Rationale
The acquisition advances Uber's efforts to build a global food-delivery business that can better compete with Just Eat, owned by Dutch group Prosus, and U.S. rival DoorDash, the company said. Uber CEO Dara Khosrowshahi highlighted the combined reach: "Together, we'll nearly double the number of markets where we offer both mobility and delivery services." The deal underscores Uber's pivot from ride-hailing into a broader mobility and delivery platform.
Deal Structure and Timeline
Uber has made the acquisition conditional on a minimum acceptance threshold of 50% plus one share. The transaction is expected to be completed in the second half of next year. No further details on financing or regulatory approvals were disclosed in the announcement.
Market Implications
The combination of Uber and Delivery Hero creates a dominant global food-delivery player outside China, intensifying competition in a sector that has seen rapid consolidation. Delivery Hero's European and Middle Eastern presence will complement Uber's existing U.S., Latin American, and Asian operations. The deal is expected to reshape competitive dynamics against Just Eat and DoorDash, which have been expanding aggressively.
As Uber integrates Delivery Hero, investors will watch for cost synergies and market share gains. The acquisition also signals that Uber's leadership views scale as essential for profitability in the food-delivery industry.
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