Who Really Owns Grubhub in 2024?
As Grubhub grew from a tiny startup in 2004 to a delivery giant valued at over $7 billion, one question was on everyone‘s mind: who owns this company?
I‘ve followed Grubhub for decades as an industry expert. In this in-depth guide, I‘ll analyze Grubhub‘s full ownership history, failed mergers, parent company, and competitive landscape in 2024.
Grubhub‘s Meteoric Rise
Let‘s first understand the breakneck growth that made Grubhub so valuable:
| Year | Key Milestones |
|---|---|
| 2004 | Founded in Chicago by Matt Maloney and Mike Evans |
| 2013 | Merged with Seamless, gaining #1 market share in NYC |
| 2014 | Went public in a $192M IPO at $26 per share |
| 2017 | Launched mobile ordering and achieved $1B valuation |
| 2018 | Acquired Tapingo and LevelUp for $300M+ |
| 2021 | Acquired by Just Eat Takeaway.com for $7.3B |
In less than 20 years, Grubhub pulled off a stunning tech success story. But they didn‘t do it alone…
Failed Merger Attempts
Grubhub hit the radar of numerous tech giants looking to edge into food delivery:
- In 2020, Uber tried to acquire Grubhub to boost its Uber Eats platform. But antitrust scrutiny scuttled the $6.9B deal.
- Speculation also swirled about Amazon wanting to buy Grubhub. But experts doubted Bezos would get into the crowded food space.
These failed mega-deals laid the groundwork for…
Acquired by Just Eat Takeaway
With Grubhub on the market in 2021, Europe‘s food delivery giant Just Eat Takeaway saw an opportunity. After a bidding war with other rivals, they acquired Grubhub for $7.3 billion in an all-stock transaction.
This gave Just Eat Takeaway a major foothold in the key North American market almost overnight!
Now Grubhub operates as Just Eat Takeaway‘s wholly owned subsidiary.
Who Are Just Eat Takeaway‘s Owners?
You might ask: who owns this European company that gobbled up Grubhub?
- Founder Jitse Groen is the largest individual shareholder with a 7% ownership stake.
- Major institutional investors include Baillie Gifford, Cat Rock Capital, and others.
- No external company or single entity holds a true majority ownership in Just Eat Takeaway.
Grubhub Outlook Amid Fierce Competition
The pandemic drove meteoric growth for food delivery apps. But profits remain elusive in this low-margin, hypercompetitive market.
In 2022, high inflation and weakening demand are hitting Grubhub‘s sales hard per latest earnings reports. Rivals like DoorDash and Uber Eats are better positioned currently.
However, Grubhub boasts key assets: strong logistics infrastructure, brand recognition, and restaurant loyalty. With smarter strategy under CEO Adam DeWitt, I believe Grubhub can recover lost ground despite economic woes.
Just Eat Takeaway seems unlikely to sell the delivery asset they worked so hard to acquire. For now, Grubhub remains in their stable as they push for profitability.
