UNIPA News | London| 17 JULY-Uber has agreed to acquire Germany-based Delivery Hero in a deal valuing the company at approximately $14.8 billion, a transaction that would create the world’s largest food-delivery platform outside China and significantly expand Uber’s global delivery operations.
The acquisition is aimed at strengthening Uber’s position in the highly competitive food-delivery market, where it faces growing competition from major global operators including DoorDash and Just Eat. If completed, the combined company would operate across 99 countries with a projected gross merchandise value (GMV) of $236 billion in 2025.
Uber Chief Executive Officer Dara Khosrowshahi said the merger would nearly double the number of markets where the company offers both mobility and food-delivery services.
The offer values Delivery Hero at €41.50 per share, representing a premium of approximately 34% over its three-month volume-weighted average share price. Uber has made the acquisition conditional on securing acceptance from shareholders representing at least 50% plus one share.
The transaction has received the support of Delivery Hero’s management and supervisory board and is expected to close in the second half of next year, subject to shareholder and regulatory approvals.
The proposed merger is expected to undergo extensive antitrust review due to overlapping operations in several markets. To address potential competition concerns, Delivery Hero has agreed to sell its operations in 14 markets to US investment firm SSW Partners for approximately €1.4 billion. Major shareholder Prosus has also agreed to sell its nearly 17% stake, reducing the likelihood of competing takeover offers.
Industry analysts expect the regulatory approval process to be lengthy, citing the scale of the transaction and competition concerns in multiple jurisdictions.
The acquisition would expand Uber Eats’ presence across Europe, the Middle East, Asia, and Latin America while adding a business that generated approximately $42 billion in gross bookings last year. It would also provide Uber access to around 60 million monthly active users, particularly in markets where the company currently has limited operations.
As part of the agreement, Uber committed to invest €2 billion in Germany by 2031 and pledged to maintain Delivery Hero’s headquarters in Berlin and retain its workforce through at least 2029.
The transaction marks the latest phase of consolidation in the global food-delivery industry as major companies seek greater scale amid slowing post-pandemic demand, rising operating costs, and increasing regulatory scrutiny.
