Meituan’s Expansion Into Brazil Sets Up Showdown With Local Food Delivery Services
00:00/00:00
Listen to this article
1x
Subscribe now
Listen to the full version
Listen to the full version
Keeta went live at 11 a.m. local time on Oct. 30 in the cities of Santos and São Vicente. Photo: IC Photo
Meituan has launched its food delivery brand Keeta in Brazil, marking its first foray into Latin America and setting the stage for a showdown with local market leaders iFood and Didi Global Inc.’s 99Food.
Keeta went live at 11 a.m. local time on Oct. 30 in the cities of Santos and São Vicente, with plans to expand gradually across Brazil, entering the country’s largest city São Paulo by the end of the year, the company said.
You've accessed an article available only to subscribers
VIEW OPTIONS
Unlock exclusive discounts with a Caixin group subscription — ideal for teams and organizations.
Subscribe to both Caixin Global and The Wall Street Journal — for the price of one.
- RELATED
Share this article
Open WeChat and scan the QR code
- DIGEST HUB
Digest Hub
Back
Explore the story in 30 seconds
- Meituan launched its food delivery brand Keeta in Brazil, its first Latin American market, aiming to compete with iFood (80%+ market share) and 99Food.
- Keeta began operations in Santos and São Vicente on Oct. 30, 2024, with plans to expand into São Paulo by year-end and invest $1 billion over five years.
- The Brazilian launch follows Keeta's rapid global expansion and has already sparked legal disputes with 99Food over trademark and competition issues.
AI generated, for reference only
Who’s Who
- Meituan
- Meituan has launched its food delivery brand, Keeta, in Brazil, marking its first entry into Latin America. The company plans to invest $1 billion in Brazil over the next five years. With ambitious goals, Meituan CEO Wang Xing aims for Keeta to achieve $13.7 billion in annual gross transaction volume within a decade.
- Didi Global Inc.
- Didi Global Inc. operates 99Food, a food delivery brand competing in the Brazilian market. 99Food is a rival to Meituan's newly launched Keeta, leading to legal disputes between the two companies. 99Food filed a countersuit against Keeta for alleged trademark infringement and unfair competition.
- Tencent Holdings Ltd
- Tencent Holdings Ltd is a major shareholder in Prosus, which owns iFood. In 2022, Prosus received a stake in Meituan as part of a special dividend from Tencent and has since begun selling off those shares.
AI generated, for reference only
What Happened When
- May 2023：
- Meituan’s global expansion with its food delivery brand Keeta began in Hong Kong.
- Sept. 2024：
- Keeta began its expansion into the Middle East, starting with Saudi Arabia.
- May 2025：
- Meituan announced it would invest $1 billion to fund its expansion in Brazil over the next five years.
- Aug. 11, 2025：
- A São Paulo court ordered 99Food to stop buying Google ads using the 'Keeta' keyword.
- Aug. 19, 2025：
- 99Food filed a countersuit accusing Keeta of trademark infringement and unfair competition.
- Aug. 2025：
- Meituan CEO Wang Xing stated during an earnings call that the company aims for Keeta to achieve 100 billion yuan in annual gross transaction volume within a decade.
- Oct. 20, 2025：
- A court invalidated exclusivity clauses in 99Food’s contracts that prevented merchants from partnering with Keeta.
- 11 a.m. local time on Oct. 30, 2025：
- Keeta officially launched in the Brazilian cities of Santos and São Vicente.
- By the end of 2025：
- Keeta plans to expand into São Paulo, Brazil’s largest city.
AI generated, for reference only
- PODCAST
- MOST POPULAR
Sign in with Google
Sign in with Facebook
Sign in with 财新