Published Online:June 2025
Product Name:The IUP Journal of Case Folio
Product Type:Article
Product Code:IJCF020625
DOI:10.71329/CaseFolio/2025.25.2.57-63
Author Name:Amirdha Vasani Sankarkumar and S Baranidharan
Availability:YES
Subject/Domain:Management
Download Format:PDF
Pages:57-63
This case study analyzes Uber Technologies Inc.’s $1.25 bn acquisition of Foodpanda’s operations in Taiwan, Hong Kong, and Southeast Asia, emphasizing key strategic management, competitive, and digital platform economic issues. The deal marked a significant consolidation in Asia's crowded food delivery market, allowing Uber Eats to leapfrog into a leadership position in critical markets like Taiwan. It reflects a broader shift from aggressive, loss-driven expansion toward sustainable profitability and scale. Strategically, the acquisition underscores Uber's pivot under CEO Dara Khosrowshahi, who prioritized operational efficiency and disciplined market selection. The case reveals intense competitive pressures, high customer acquisition costs, and the necessity for scale in maturing platform economies. It also delves into growing regulatory scrutiny of gig economy labor and antitrust concerns in emerging Asian markets. This case offers insights into how global firms strategically adapt to structural market shifts, regulatory constraints, and financial pressures while seeking long-term viability in platform-based industries.
On May 14, 2024, Uber Technologies Inc. (Uber) announced its acquisition of Foodpanda’s operations in Taiwan, Hong Kong, and Southeast Asia from Delivery Hero for $1.25 bn in cash. This marked a turning point in the Asian food delivery landscape, representing one of the largest consolidations ever in the industry to date. The deal positioned Uber Eats as the market leader in key territories, particularly in Taiwan, where it absorbed Foodpanda’s 52% market share. This acquisition was part of a broader trend in the region toward consolidation, as platform companies shifted away from aggressive, loss-driven expansion to sustainable, profitability-focused strategies. The acquisition reshaped the competitive structure, forcing stakeholders, including competitors, regulators, merchants, and gig workers to adapt to a reduced number of dominant players.