Business

Prosus Seals Groundbreaking Deal to Lead Global Food Delivery Market

Published

2 months ago

August 12, 2025

Chiraag

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South Africa’s most valuable company, Naspers, and its international arm, Prosus, continue to make waves on the global stage. In a landmark move, Prosus has secured full approval from the European Union for its €4.1 billion acquisition of Dutch giant Just Eat Takeaway.com. This deal marks a significant milestone in the company’s journey to reshape how people across Europe and beyond order food.

The European Commission’s decision came after Prosus agreed to reduce its stake in Delivery Hero, a rival delivery platform, to ease competition concerns. They promised to limit their influence by refraining from exercising voting rights or nominating board representatives in Delivery Hero. This careful balancing act reassures regulators that the deal fosters healthy competition rather than monopolies. EU Competition Commissioner Teresa Ribera emphasised that anticompetitive behaviour harming consumers will not be tolerated in this fast-evolving sector.

For many South Africans, Naspers’ connections to global tech might be well known, but the scale of this deal highlights an expanding vision. Valued at nearly R950 billion by mid-2025, Naspers, through Prosus, now edges closer to the top ranks of global food delivery players. This acquisition pushes Prosus into the world’s fourth-largest position behind Uber, DoorDash, and China’s Meituan. With Just Eat’s strong presence in 17 markets such as the United Kingdom, Germany, and the Netherlands, Prosus significantly broadens its footprint alongside investments in Brazil’s iFood, India’s Swiggy, and homegrown Mr.D.

The food delivery industry has experienced a rapid shift from pandemic boom to intense price competition and consolidation. Prosus’ acquisition strategy seeks scale and innovation as keys to thrive in this crowded market. South African consumers may soon feel the ripple effects as global best practices and new technological innovations filter back into local operations.

Markets reacted positively but carefully; Prosus shares edged upwards, while Delivery Hero shares pulled back following news of reduced stakes. Online conversations reflect excitement within South Africa and abroad about what this deal means for the future of digital food delivery.

Beyond immediate business benefits, this deal highlights South Africa’s growing influence in global technology industries. Prosus embodies a new era where local giants compete on the world stage, driving economic growth and innovation with strategic international moves. This chapter in global food delivery is a testament to the country’s evolving economic landscape and global ambition.