In March 2021, food delivery company Deliveroo announced that it had raised $180 million in funding from a group of investors led by Fidelity Management & Research Company LLC. The funding round was intended to support Deliveroo’s ongoing expansion efforts, particularly in the Asia-Pacific region.
The investment came at a time of rapid growth for Deliveroo, which had seen a surge in demand for its services as more consumers turned to online ordering and delivery in the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic. The company had already expanded into several new markets in the Asia-Pacific region, including Taiwan, Japan, and Australia, and had plans to further increase its presence in the region in the coming years.
The funding from Fidelity Management & Research Company LLC, along with other investors such as Durable Capital Partners and T. Rowe Price, provided Deliveroo with the financial backing it needed to continue its growth trajectory. In a statement, Deliveroo founder and CEO Will Shu expressed his gratitude for the support of the investors, noting that the funding would help the company “expand our engineering team and further develop our innovative products, to help restaurants grow their businesses and to offer riders flexible work.”
The investment also signaled a vote of confidence in Deliveroo’s business model, which had come under scrutiny in recent years amid concerns over the company’s treatment of its delivery riders. In 2021, Deliveroo faced backlash in the United Kingdom over a proposed new law that would have granted its riders greater protections, with critics arguing that the company was not doing enough to ensure the safety and well-being of its workers.
Despite these challenges, Deliveroo remained a popular choice among consumers, particularly those looking for convenient and affordable meal delivery options. The company’s success had also spurred competition from other food delivery platforms, such as Uber Eats and Grubhub, which had expanded aggressively in recent years in an effort to capture a share of the growing market.
Looking ahead, Deliveroo’s funding from Fidelity Management & Research Company LLC and other investors is expected to help the company continue its expansion efforts, particularly in the Asia-Pacific region where it has identified significant growth potential. As the company continues to grow and evolve, it will be important for Deliveroo to maintain its focus on providing a high-quality, reliable service to both its restaurant partners and its delivery riders, while also addressing concerns around worker rights and safety.
In conclusion, the $180 million funding round from Fidelity Management & Research Company LLC and other investors represented a significant milestone for Deliveroo, providing the company with the resources it needs to continue its expansion efforts in the highly competitive food delivery market. While the company has faced challenges in recent years over concerns around worker rights and safety, its success and continued growth demonstrate the ongoing demand for convenient and affordable meal delivery services, particularly in the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic. As Deliveroo looks to the future, it will be important for the company to maintain a focus on providing a high-quality, reliable service while also addressing the concerns of its workers and other stakeholders.
