Uber Technologies has agreed to acquire Berlin-based delivery giant Delivery Hero SE in a blockbuster deal valued at €13.0 billion (approximately $14.8 billion or a staggering Ksh. 1.9 trillion).
While Delivery Hero itself may not be a household name in East Africa, its primary local subsidiary is: Glovo Kenya. This acquisition places Glovo Kenya’s operations directly into Uber’s delivery network, consolidating the country’s highly competitive digital commerce landscape.
Under the terms of the voluntary takeover offer, Uber will offer Delivery Hero shareholders €41.50 per share in cash.
- Offer Premium: This purchase price represents a 127% premium over the unaffected three-month volume-weighted average share price prior to May 8, 2026, and a 34% premium over the price prior to the July 16, 2026 announcement.
- The Scale: The deal combines two global giants to reach 99 countries with a combined 2025 pro-forma Gross Merchandise Value (GMV) of $236 billion.
- Corporate Stance: Delivery Hero’s Management and Supervisory boards have welcomed the combination. Kristin Skogen Lund, Chair of the Delivery Hero Supervisory Board, cited the intense competitiveness and scale-dependency of the food delivery business as the primary strategic drivers.
To preempt regulatory hurdles in regions where Uber Eats and Delivery Hero compete directly head-to-head, the businesses are being split into two portfolios:
- The Uber Portfolio (50 Markets): Uber will acquire 50 markets (including Kenya) representing $42 billion in 2025 GMV.
- The SSW Partners Carve-out (14 Markets): Delivery Hero entered a separate agreement with New York-based investment firm SSW Partners LP to sell overlapping markets (including Spain, Portugal, and Poland) for approximately €1.4 billion ($1.6 billion) to satisfy regulatory watchdogs.
Because Uber Eats is a smaller competitor to Glovo in Kenya compared to their intense overlaps in European markets, Kenya was grouped into the core Uber acquisition bundle.
In Kenya, the food and grocery delivery market has already undergone significant consolidation following the exit of Jumia Food in December 2023. Currently, Glovo (which has been 94% owned by Delivery Hero since 2022), Uber Eats, and Bolt Food dominate the urban delivery scene.
Under this new deal, Uber will effectively own both Glovo Kenya and Uber Eats Kenya.
[ Uber Technologies, Inc. ]
│
┌───────────────────────┴───────────────────────┐
▼ ▼
[ Uber Eats Kenya ] [ Glovo Kenya ]
(Existing Local Operation) (Acquired via Delivery Hero)
1. Continuity for Users and Couriers
For local consumers, merchants, and couriers (boda boda riders), the immediate message is one of business as usual. The companies have confirmed that the local businesses will continue running on the exact same technology, platform, and logistics infrastructure that powers Delivery Hero today.
2. Regulatory eyes on CAK
While the global deal is expected to finalize in the second half of 2027, the local transaction will inevitably draw scrutiny from the Competition Authority of Kenya (CAK). Putting the market leader (Glovo) and one of its main rivals (Uber Eats) under the same corporate umbrella raises immediate antitrust questions regarding pricing power, commission fees for local restaurants, and rider payouts.
The CAK has previously demonstrated its willingness to closely monitor these platforms, notably mandating in 2024 that both Glovo and Uber Eats establish localized customer resolution offices in Nairobi.
Until the transaction officially closes in late 2027, Glovo, Uber Eats, and Bolt Food will continue to operate as independent, competing apps in Kenya.