Ride-hailing giant Uber may soon make a much bigger move in Hungary than many expected: beyond its recently relaunched taxi operations, the company could also enter the Hungarian food delivery market through a potential takeover of Delivery Hero, the parent company of Foodora.

According to reports by Reuters and Bloomberg, Uber has been exploring the possibility of acquiring the Berlin-based food delivery giant after increasing its stake in the company to roughly 19.5%, making it Delivery Hero’s largest shareholder. Delivery Hero reportedly rejected an initial takeover offer worth EUR 33 per share, but markets now expect Uber to return with an improved bid.

The news sent Delivery Hero’s share price soaring by nearly 13% on Monday, with shares climbing to levels last seen at the end of 2024.

Major changes could hit the Hungarian market

The possible acquisition could change Hungary’s food delivery landscape. Delivery Hero entered the Hungarian market in 2016 when it acquired Foodpanda, later rebranding the platform as Foodora. Meanwhile, rival DoorDash bought Finnish-founded Wolt in 2022, consolidating another major player in the region.

If Uber ultimately acquires Delivery Hero, analysts say it could accelerate Uber’s European expansion strategy and potentially lead to the Foodora brand eventually being replaced by Uber Eats in Hungary.

Earlier this year, Uber Eats announced launches in seven European countries, including the Czech Republic and Romania, while also expanding into Wolt-dominated Nordic markets such as Finland and Norway.

Foodora Hungary
Photo: Facebook/foodora Magyarország

Uber’s comeback in Hungary may only be the beginning

In Hungary, Uber is primarily known as a taxi app. The company famously exited the country in 2016 following protests and regulatory disputes involving taxi drivers, before returning to the Hungarian market in 2024.

Globally, however, the company has evolved far beyond ride-hailing. In addition to passenger transport and food delivery, the company also operates logistics services through Uber Freight.

The broader delivery industry has been undergoing rapid consolidation in recent years. Last year, DoorDash acquired British delivery company Deliveroo in a GBP 2.9 billion deal, while investment group Prosus acquired Just Eat Takeaway for EUR 4.1 billion.

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More than just food delivery

Industry experts say the biggest trend in the sector is no longer simply food delivery, but the integration of multiple services into unified digital ecosystems.

Uber and DoorDash have both expanded into retail deliveries, logistics, grocery services and other connected businesses, often operating separate apps backed by shared technological infrastructure.

While no final agreement has been reached between Uber and Delivery Hero, ongoing talks suggest Hungary’s food delivery market could soon face another major transformation.

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