Didi’s 99Food Wins Reprieve in Brazil Legal Spat With Meituan
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A Brazilian court has temporarily lifted a ban that prevented Didi Global Inc.’s food delivery arm, 99Food, from striking exclusive agreements with local restaurants — marking a setback for rival Meituan’s overseas platform Keeta in a high-stakes legal battle over Brazil’s food delivery market.
A São Paulo State Court judge granted a request from 99Food to suspend a previous injunction, allowing it to resume offering cash incentives to restaurants in exchange for exclusivity, pending an appeal. The earlier ruling, issued on Oct. 20, had favored Keeta and invalidated 99Food’s exclusivity clauses as anti-competitive.
The ruling is the latest chapter in an intensifying struggle between two of China’s largest tech companies as they clash in Brazil, a key overseas growth market.
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- A Brazilian court lifted a ban allowing 99Food to resume exclusive agreements with restaurants, reversing an earlier ruling favoring rival Keeta.
- The case is part of an ongoing legal and market battle between Didi’s 99Food and Meituan’s Keeta in Brazil's growing food delivery sector.
- The court cited procedural issues and insufficient proof of harm, while litigation is expected to continue through Brazil’s multi-tiered judicial system.
- Didi Global Inc.
- Didi Global Inc.'s food delivery arm, 99Food, recently had a ban on exclusive agreements with Brazilian restaurants temporarily lifted. This decision allows 99Food to resume offering cash incentives for exclusivity, a practice challenged by rival Keeta. The legal battle in Brazil highlights Didi's aggressive market push, aiming to operate 99Food in 100 Brazilian cities by mid-2026.
- 99Food
- 99Food, Didi Global Inc.'s food delivery arm, is embroiled in a legal battle in Brazil with rival Keeta (Meituan's overseas platform). A Brazilian court temporarily lifted a ban preventing 99Food from making exclusive deals with restaurants, overturning a prior ruling that favored Keeta. 99Food maintains its practices are legal and contribute to the sector's development.
- Meituan
- Meituan is a major Chinese tech company and the parent company of Keeta, an overseas food delivery platform. Meituan is engaged in a high-stakes legal battle in Brazil against Didi Global Inc.'s 99Food. Keeta is expected to begin operations in São Paulo by the end of the year.
- Keeta
- Keeta is Meituan's overseas food delivery platform, operating in Brazil. It sued rival 99Food for alleged anti-competitive practices, specifically exclusive agreements with restaurants. Keeta's initial win was overturned, and the court questioned its legal standing and proof of damages, allowing 99Food to resume its exclusivity clauses.
- Rappi
- Rappi is a Latin American rival to 99Food and Keeta in the food delivery market. Keeta's lawsuit against 99Food alleged that 99Food violated competition law by blocking restaurants from partnering with Keeta or Rappi by offering exclusive deals.
- April 2025：
- Didi relaunched the 99Food brand in Brazil.
- August 14, 2025：
- Keeta initially sued 99Food, alleging anti-competitive practices.
- October 20, 2025：
- São Paulo State Court issued an injunction favoring Keeta, invalidating 99Food’s exclusivity clauses and imposing a fine for each new contract with such clauses.
- After October 20, 2025：
- Judge Sérgio Shimura granted 99Food's request to suspend the previous injunction, temporarily allowing 99Food to resume exclusive agreements with restaurants.
- October 30, 2025：
- Keeta officially entered the Brazilian market.
- By end of 2025：
- Keeta is expected to begin operations in São Paulo.
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