Deliveroo is a food delivery company that offers users the ability to order food online. The company, based in the UK, works in over two hundred locations. These include the UK, the Netherlands, France, Belgium, Ireland, Italy, Singapore, UAE, Kuwait, Hong Kong, and Australia. Its primary competitive market includes Europe and parts of the Middle East.
Deliveroo started as a food delivery company in 2013. However, it has expanded its business significantly throughout the years. The company operates a similar business model as other top competitors in the market. Deliveroo earns commissions from restaurants and charges a fee from its customers per order. It also employs various delivery personnel, who deliver the food to customers. This model has helped the company accumulate over 7.1 million users.
The business model that Deliveroo uses is successful for many companies. However, Deliveroo is yet to make profits from it. The company’s competitors, however, have found a way to profit from the model. Deliveroo has also faced competition from several local competitors, forcing the company to exit several markets. Due to the easy-to-replicate business model, Deliveroo faces high competition in all markets.
Deliveroo’s competitors include some big names and also some local companies. For customers, these competitors provide alternatives to the company’s services. Some of Deliveroo’s top competitors and alternatives include the following companies.
1. DoorDash
Based in the US, DoorDash is one of the big names in the US online food delivery market. Established in 2013, the company has captured over 50% of the market in the US. It is also the largest food delivery company in the US. The company also boasts over 20 million active consumers. In 2020, the company generated about $2.9 billion in revenues.
DoorDash is the company to beat in the US market. Although it does not operate in the same market as Deliveroo, it still poses a threat to its business. DoorDash also operates ghost kitchens in the US, which is something that Deliveroo has also been pursuing. Apart from the US, DoorDash is also active in the Canadian market.
2. Uber Eats
After DoorDash, Uber Eats is the biggest food delivery company in the US with almost 22% market share. The company is a subsidiary of Uber, which is a ride-hailing company. Due to its similar business model, Uber has also found success in the online food delivery market through Uber Eats. Uber Eats generated revenues of $2.9 billion in 2019.
Uber Eats started its operation in 2014 as UberFRESH. Later, the company got renamed Uber Eats. Uber Eats has accumulated 66 million users over the years. Like DoorDash, Uber Eats is primarily active in the US market, where it generates its highest portion of revenues. The company also operates in other markets, such as the UK and France, posing a threat to Deliveroo’s business.
3. Grubhub
Grubhub is an American online food ordering and delivery company. It is a subsidiary of Just Eat Takeaway, founded in 2004. The company had over 20 million active users in the US in 2019. The company also merged with Seamless, making it Grubhub Seamless. At the time, Seamless was a competitor to Grubhub’s business. Later, the company got renamed Grubhub.
Apart from the US, Grubhub is also active in other markets, one of which is the UK. In these markets, the company poses a serious competition to Deliveroo. Grubhub has partnerships with a large number of restaurants across various markets. Grubhub has significantly increased its market share over the years through mergers and acquisitions.
4. Just Eat
Just Eat is a British online food order and delivery company. Originally founded in Denmark in 2001, the company has expanded its reach across several markets. Just Eat currently operates in 13 countries on four different continents. The company has also been active in the acquisitions market, buying out the local competition to capture markets.
Just Eat generated revenues of £779.5 million. The company is the top name in the UK market with over 45% market share. Deliveroo, in comparison, only holds a market share of 26%. In terms of competition, Just Eat is the primary competitor and alternative to Deliveroo’s services. Just Eat is a subsidiary of Just Eat Takeaway.com, which also owns Grubhub Seamless in the US.
5. Postmates
Postmates is another US-based food order and delivery company. Founded in 2011, the company has become one of the leading names in the US market. In 2020, the company got acquired by Uber, which also owns Uber Eats. Postmates generated revenues of $1 billion in 2018. The company also reported over 10 million monthly active users.
In terms of competition, Postmates is the fourth largest food delivery company in the US. Similarly, it competes with other names on the list, such as DoorDash, Grubhub, and Uber Eats. Its primary market is the US, where it operates in more than 90 cities and offers deliveries from over 600,000 restaurants, retailers, grocers, etc.
6. Swiggy
Swiggy is India’s largest online food ordering and delivery company. The company started its operations in 2014. Although initially a food delivery company, Swiggy has expanded its operations to general product deliveries and pickup/drop-off services markets. The company generated revenues of $390 million in 2020.
Deliveroo stated intentions of expanding to the Indian market in 2018. If the company goes ahead with its plans, it will face primary competition from Swiggy. The platform provides deliveries to almost all cities in India. In terms of the number of users and daily orders, Swiggy holds the highest market share in India.
7. Zomato
Zomato is another Indian-based food delivery and order company. Founded in 2008, Zomato has expanded its operations to 24 countries, including over 10,000 cities. Some of its markets include India, UAE, Sri Lanka, Qatar, the UK, South Africa, etc. However, its primary market is still the Indian market, generating a significant portion of its revenues.
Zomato generated $350 million in revenues in 2020. The company has also been active in the acquisitions market, acquiring 12 startups globally. The company also reported 32.1 million average monthly active users in 2021. Although not currently a direct competitor to Deliveroo’s business, Zomato is a great alternative to it.
8. Foodpanda
Foodpanda is a food delivery company based in Germany. The company operates under Delivery Hero as a subsidiary. Foodpanda is active across several markets, including Singapore, Bangladesh, Cambodia, Hong Kong, Japan, Malaysia, Pakistan, Philippines, among others. The company was also active in the Indian market. However, its operations got acquired by Ola.
The company employs over 22,000 delivery vehicles and partners with over 36,000 restaurants in various markets. Foodpanda also grew its revenues by 2.5 times in 2021 over 2020. However, the company is not profitable like some other names on this list. Overall, Foodpanda is a great alternative to Deliveroo in various markets.
9. Delivery.com
Delivery.com is another US-based food order and delivery company on the list. The company is fairly smaller compared to others. However, it operates in several cities across the US. The company also has more than one million users and partners with over 12,000 restaurants, liquor stores, grocery stores and dry-cleaning providers.
Delivery.com’s primary market is the US market. It competes with several other companies on the list, including Uber Eats, Postmates, Grubhub, DoorDash, etc. Delivery.com provides a great alternative to Deliveroo for American users. Although the company was also active in the Hong Kong market, it sold its assets to Foodpanda.
10. Meituan
When it comes to the Chinese food delivery market, Meituan is the biggest name on the list. With over 600 million users and 290 million monthly active users, it has a great user base. In 2020, the company generated $13.7 billion in revenues. However, Meituan offers consumer products and retail products along with delivery services.
Through its Meituan Waimai platform, Meituan serves over 2,800 cities in China. The company only operates in the Chinese market. However, it serves as a great alternative to Deliveroo’s services. Meituan holds the largest market share in China in terms of revenue.
Conclusion
Deliveroo is an online food order and delivery company based in the UK. The company offers its services in several countries. Similarly, its business model is similar to most other food delivery companies. That is one of the reasons why it also attracts significant competition across several markets. However, these competitors also provide a great alternative to consumers.