Uber agrees $14.8bn deal for European delivery giant Delivery Hero
Uber’s $14.8 billion all-stock acquisition of Delivery Hero will nearly double the US company’s global footprint, creating the world’s largest food delivery platform outside China and removing a major European tech champion.
Uber has agreed to buy German food delivery company Delivery Hero for $14.8 billion in an all-stock transaction. The acquisition will push the American ride-hailing and delivery group into nearly 100 markets across Europe, the Middle East, Latin America, and Asia.
The purchase marks the absorption of one of Europe’s few homegrown tech leaders by a US rival. To navigate potential antitrust issues, Delivery Hero simultaneously agreed to sell its operations in 14 markets where Uber Eats already operates. New York-based investment firm SSW Partners will acquire those overlapping businesses for $1.6 billion.
The deal is not yet finalised. Uber, which was already Delivery Hero’s largest shareholder, has set a minimum acceptance threshold of 50 percent plus one share of the outstanding share capital. Major investor Prosus has already committed to the transaction, agreeing to sell its 17 percent stake.
If approved, the merger will create the largest food delivery platform in the world outside of China. It fundamentally alters the competitive landscape for European consumers and investors, positioning Uber to better challenge rivals like DoorDash and Just Eat. However, a transaction of this scale is certain to draw intense regulatory scrutiny across multiple continents.
“Together, we’ll nearly double the number of markets where we offer both mobility and delivery services, scaling a proven platform that we believe will create significant long-term value for our customers and shareholders,” Uber CEO Dara Khosrowshahi said in a statement. He framed the combination as a necessary step to scale a proven business model globally.
For Europe's tech sector, the agreement underscores the difficulty of sustaining a local platform against well-capitalised American competitors. Delivery Hero spent years building a vast network, but ultimately yielded to Uber's financial firepower. The side sale to SSW Partners demonstrates how aggressively global platforms are now carving up overlapping territories to push mergers past authorities.
