The Chinese group DiDi has announced a 2-billion-reais (US$377 million) investment to expand its 99Food delivery platform in Brazil, reports the Portuguese news agency Lusa.
After the near-monopoly of Dutch-owned Brazilian delivery app iFood pushed the company out in 2023, 99Food announced its return this April with an investment of 1 billion reais (US$188.7 million). Starting in Goiânia in June, the company kicked off a “new era of delivery in Brazil,” expanding to São Paulo in August.
With the latest round of funding, lasting until June 2026, the company plans to extend its services to at least 15 regional capitals by the end of the year, reaching 20 by January 2026. The funds will also support infrastructure construction, with at least 50 million reais going toward the construction of hubs in various cities to provide restrooms, rest areas, mobile phone chargers and water supplies for couriers.
“Few markets combine scale, innovation and opportunity as the Brazilian,” DiDi President Will Cheng Wei said in a statement. “By doubling down our commitment, we are not only investing in growth, but in building a fairer and more inclusive ecosystem”
[See more: Chinese delivery giant poised to shake up Brazilian market]
Cheng also announced an investment of up to 6 billion reais (US$1.1 billion) into a planned credit programme to purchase or rent electric motorcycles from Brazilian companies Riba and Vammo, as well as Mexican motorcycle dealer Galgo. The programme is expected to benefit up to 600,000 couriers over five years.
DiDi will also sign a partnership with Chinese electric motorcycle maker Yadea, which recently opened its first Brazilian factory in Manaus, to produce vehicles which will be offered to 99Food couriers under preferential conditions. These investments in supporting couriers and expanding into new markets come as the delivery app landscape in Brazil heats up.
A month after 99Food announced its return to Brazil, Columbia’s Rappi said it would invest 1.4 billion reais (US$264.39 million) in the country until 2028, to expand and consolidate operations.
Looking to retain its market control, iFood followed with a 17-billion-real (US$3.21 billion) investment announced in early August, lasting until March 2026. Two weeks later, Keeta, a subsidiary of Chinese giant Meituan, announced it was entering the Brazilian market with an investment of 5.6 billion reais (US$1.06 billion).
