Deliveroo

Deliveroo was founded in London in 2013 by Will Shu and Greg Orlowski. It raised $140M in a Series D in 2016, listed on the London Stock Exchange in 2021, and was acquired by DoorDash in 2025 for £2.9 billion (excluding Australian operations).

2015 – Melbourne and Sydney Launch: Deliveroo launched in Melbourne in late 2015, establishing its Australian HQ before expanding to Sydney — ahead of Uber Eats and DoorDash in the market.

2015–2022 – Growth and Competitive Collapse: At its peak, Deliveroo serviced 12,000+ restaurants, employed 120 staff, and had 15,000 delivery partners. It expanded into grocery and liquor delivery. However, the arrival of Uber Eats, DoorDash, and a revitalised Menulog created an environment where achieving profitable scale would require "disproportionate investment" with uncertain returns.

November 2022 – Exit: Deliveroo announced it was ending Australian operations, placing its subsidiary into voluntary administration through KordaMentha. The company's H1 2022 Australian business represented ~3% of global GTV while negatively impacting EBITDA margins by ~30 basis points.

• DO: Move fast in first-mover windows — In platform markets, speed of launch is a competitive weapon (Launched before Uber Eats — captured premium restaurant segment early)
• DO: Brand around quality, not price — A quality positioning creates a defensible niche against price-subsidising rivals (Positioned as premium restaurant delivery)
• DON'T: Confuse market share with leadership — Define leadership before you commit to a market — share alone is not a viable goal (3% GTV at negative EBITDA)
• DON'T: Underestimate platform capital requirements — In two-sided markets, calculate the capital required to win, not just to enter (Needed "disproportionate investment" to win against four global players)

• Launch Year: 2015 (Melbourne first)
• Peak Scale: 12,000 restaurants, 15,000 delivery partners, 120 staff
• Exit Year: November 2022
• Exit Reason: Unviable to achieve market leadership without disproportionate investment
• Corporate Outcome: Parent acquired by DoorDash (2025) for £2.9B — ex-Australia

Deliveroo's ANZ entry surfaced concrete challenges that other UK-to-ANZ entrants should anticipate, including regulatory complexity, competitive intensity, and the capital required to operate in a market with concentrated incumbents.

Working through those constraints required selecting the right anchor partners, sequencing investment carefully, and treating ANZ presence as a long-term commitment rather than a quick proof point.

For UK operators considering ANZ entry, Deliveroo's playbook offers a clear template. The lessons below are drawn from Deliveroo's entry decisions, partner choices, and milestones in Australia & New Zealand.

• DO: Move fast in first-mover windows — In platform markets, speed of launch is a competitive weapon (Launched before Uber Eats — captured premium restaurant segment early)
• DO: Brand around quality, not price — A quality positioning creates a defensible niche against price-subsidising rivals (Positioned as premium restaurant delivery)
• DON'T: Confuse market share with leadership — Define leadership before you commit to a market — share alone is not a viable goal (3% GTV at negative EBITDA)
• DON'T: Underestimate platform capital requirements — In two-sided markets, calculate the capital required to win, not just to enter (Needed "disproportionate investment" to win against four global players)