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Chinese delivery giant, which dominates 65% of the market in China, challenges iFood's monopoly. Superapp includes reservations, tourism and financial services.
A meituan, the second largest delivery platform in the world, announces its entry into Brazil in 2025. With 30 billion annual orders and recipe of US $ 46 billion (2024), the Chinese company plans to compete directly with iFood, which owns 80% of the Brazilian market. The difference lies in the superapp model: in addition to food, Meituan offers hotel reservations, financial services and tourism.
Meituan vs. iFood: numbers that challenge the monopoly
While iFood records 2,5 million orders/day in Brazil, Meituan sues 82 million globally. The Chinese company arrives with a GMV (gross merchandise value) of US $ 150 billion, almost triple that of iFood (US$55 billion). To attract restaurants, it promises commission fees 15% smaller than the current ones.
The application meituan integrates services such as reservations at 5 cinemas in China, purchasing tickets for tourist attractions and financial loans. In Brazil, the company is testing partnerships with retail chains and urban mobility platforms. In Shanghai, 70% of users use at least three of the app's features.
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Adapting to Brazil: logistical and cultural challenges
A meituan will need to face the high CAC (customer acquisition cost) rate in Brazil, currently 40% higher than in China. Another obstacle is the local preference for cash payments (25% of transactions) and competition from already established apps, such as iFood and Mercado Livre. Strategies include partnerships with digital banks (e.g. Nubank) to boost payments via PIX.
What changes for restaurants and delivery people?
The meituan can reduce commission rates for restaurants, currently averaging 25% on iFood. For delivery drivers, the company promises bonuses for productivity: in Shenzhen, motorcycle couriers earn up to 20% more per order during peak times. In Brazil, the goal is to recruit 50 thousand delivery people in 12 months.
The arrival of meituan to Brazil represents the first real threat to iFood in a decade. If it can replicate 10% of your success Asian, the company can capture 15% of the national market by 2026, according to consultancy BTG Pactual. Restaurants, users and even the tourism sector tend to benefit from the dispute.
I'm a motorcycle courier in BH/MG, come soon, ifood doesn't value our work.
It really doesn't value it, I had a small fracture in the bone in my foot during an order collection, I spent 1 month with my foot in a cast and Ifood only paid me 500 and a bit for the time I was unable to drive!
Chinese people are talking about valuing our work?
Is the app already available for delivery person registration? If not, how long does it take for it to start working?
I'm a motorcycle courier for Aifood in BA and they don't value our work. We are very humiliated by the app.
Learn to write first
Said the son of a b***h, respect, leave the guy alone!!
Are you ****?
Leave the guy alone, you jerk, there's nothing to say, keep quiet
You also wrote it wrong 🤦🏻♂️
very bad, you need to write it right, it's not aifood it's ifood
It's not too bad it's very bad