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99 Announces Return of 99Food and Investment of R$ 1 Billion to Expand Mobility, Deliveries, and Delivery in Brazil, Check Out the Details
99, an urban mobility company controlled by the Chinese DiDi Chuxing, officially announced on Wednesday (16) the return of 99Food to the Brazilian market, marking its return to the food delivery sector. The relaunch of the platform will be accompanied by a R$ 1 billion investment in Brazil, aiming to strengthen the company’s digital ecosystem and transform the brand into a super app, bringing together transportation, delivery, payment, and food services.
The announcement was made during a meeting with the Vice President of Brazil, Geraldo Alckmin, in Brasília. The initiative is a direct response to the market concentration currently dominated by iFood and promises to create new income opportunities, increase competition, and diversify delivery channels in the country.
99Food Returns to Brazil After Closure in 2023
99Food was originally launched in 2019, with operations in several Brazilian cities, but ended up being discontinued in April 2023. At the time, the company stated that it preferred to direct its investments to two-wheel services, such as 99Moto and 99Entrega Moto, focusing on quick deliveries and more economical alternatives for urban transportation.
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Now, just over a year after the closure, the company is changing course and betting once again on the food delivery segment. The return of 99Food will occur gradually throughout 2024, initially focusing on major urban centers and progressively expanding to other regions.
Investment of R$ 1 Billion Aims to Create a National Super App
According to Stephen Zhu, global head of DiDi International, the billion-dollar investment in Brazil reflects the company’s long-term commitment to the country. The proposal is to integrate services such as:
- Rides via 99Táxi
- Deliveries through 99Entrega
- Payments and financial services with 99Pay
- And, now, once again, 99Food, focused on meal deliveries
99 already operates in over 3,300 Brazilian cities, connecting 55 million users to a base of 1.5 million drivers, motorcyclists, and deliverers. The expectation is that the return to the delivery sector will reinforce the company’s presence as a complete alternative to the single-platform model currently dominated by iFood.
After the meeting, Vice President Geraldo Alckmin praised the company’s decision and highlighted the economic impact of the announcement.
“The investment from 99 shows that the environment of economic stability built by the government is generating concrete results. Workers gain, with more sources of income; the market gains, with more competition; and the industry gains, with the strengthening of the supply chain linked to the two-wheel sector,” he stated.
The return of 99Food is also seen as a move that could increase competition in a market dominated by exclusivity contracts, an issue that has already been the target of investigations by the Administrative Council for Economic Defense (Cade).
History of Dispute with iFood and Cade Actions
Currently, iFood is the absolute leader in the delivery sector in Brazil, with over 60 million active users, around 400,000 registered establishments, and 120 million monthly orders. The market concentration has led to formal inquiries about monopolistic practices, which have been brought to Cade by competing companies such as Rappi, Uber Eats, 99Food, and entities like the Brazilian Association of Bars and Restaurants (Abrasel).
As a result, Cade established a four-year agreement with iFood in 2023 that limits exclusivity contracts made with partner restaurants. The decision opened the way for other platforms to compete under better conditions.
During its previous operation, 99Food managed to gather over 135,000 registered establishments, according to data provided by the company to Valor Econômico. The relaunch of the platform builds on this experience and promises to improve the profitability of restaurants by offering a new commission structure and visibility.
Platform Wants to Offer More Accessible Food and More Income for Deliverers
In addition to resuming competition with iFood, the mission of the new phase of 99Food is, according to the company’s statement, to offer more accessible meals for Brazilian consumers, empower restaurants with a digital growth tool, and create new income sources for partner deliverers.
The company also intends to explore integrations between its services, offering, for example, deliveries by motorcycles registered on 99Táxi or 99Entrega, optimizing routes and delivery times.
99 Wants to Lead Digital Innovation in Brazil
The company’s strategy is to transform 99 into one of the largest digital service platforms in the country, focusing on digital inclusion and technological innovation. By combining mobility, delivery, and digital payments, the company aims to position itself as a solid alternative to the sector giants.
The R$ 1 billion investment will be distributed across various fronts, including:
- Infrastructure and technological expansion of the platform
- Benefits and incentives for drivers and deliverers
- Attraction campaigns for restaurants and users
- Integration with 99Pay and financial services
With the return of 99Food and the billion-dollar investment plan, 99 shows that it is ready to reclaim its space in the delivery market and expand its services based on innovation, connectivity, and practicality. In a highly competitive sector, the company bets on its consolidated structure of urban mobility and payments to offer a complete super app, keeping an eye on the digital consumption habits of Brazilians.
The success of the project will depend on factors such as restaurant take-up, the ability to attract partner deliverers, and user experience. However, the move already represents a milestone in the competition for dominance in the urban services ecosystem in Brazil — and could accelerate the digital transformation of the sector across all points of the chain.
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