When domestic users are immersed in the "Takeout San Guo Sha" game, enthusiastic about milk tea and military training, nobody expected that the two internet giants Meituan and Didi were quietly steering the "takeout war" towards the Brazilian market, preparing to engage in a second round of competition in this magical land of South America.

Meituan is planning to enter the food delivery market in Brazil. According to media reports, on May 12th, Brazilian President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva and Meituan's founder and CEO Wang Xing officially met at the "China-Brazil Business Seminar" and signed an investment agreement. This signifies that in the coming months, Meituan will kickstart the process of launching "Keeta" (overseas food delivery service) in Brazil and plans to invest $1 billion over the next five years to support project development. As per the investment agreement, after Keeta enters the Brazilian market, it will provide marketing and digital operational tools support for local merchants and partners, construct a nationwide instant delivery network to enhance the local consumer experience, and help Keeta quickly integrate into the Brazilian food delivery market. Wang Xing stated that Meituan's long-term development strategy includes internationalization, and entering the Brazilian market aligns with the policy of expanding overseas markets, enriching choices for Brazilian consumers, and promoting local economic development.

Importantly, Meituan's entry into Brazil is not a spontaneous decision but a result of long-term planning. Reports indicate that as early as March 2020, Meituan had completed trademark registration in Brazil and had closely collaborated with local logistics companies earlier this year to prepare for subsequent large-scale actions.

Didi is also expanding its overseas business. In 2018, Didi entered the Brazilian market through the acquisition of "99" and in April 2025, rebranded "99" as "99 Food", launching food delivery services in Brazil. Didi's drivers in Brazil include not only four-wheeler drivers but also a large number of motorcycle drivers. Didi stated that entering the food delivery sector is a natural extension of its service ecosystem in Brazil rather than starting from scratch. Didi's two-round dispatch system in the domestic market has been rigorously tested and is highly mature. Didi has nearly 700,000 active riders in Brazil, saving time and effort in setting up a delivery system through flexible "ride-hailing" and "food delivery" services.

In terms of data, Didi's international ride-hailing business saw an order volume of 10.16 billion in the fourth quarter of 2024, a year-on-year growth of 29.8%, far exceeding the domestic business growth rate of 10.8%. Chinese companies favor Brazil because it is the country with the largest population in Latin America, possesses a unique family culture, and has a radiating effect. Additionally, the good China-Brazil relations are conducive to the acceptance of Chinese company products in the Brazilian market.

Apart from Meituan and Didi, the Brazilian Bar and Restaurant Association recently welcomed the entry of Chinese food delivery platforms, believing that the infusion of fresh blood will promote industry progress and diversify services and business models.