Uber in talks to acquire Turkish food delivery startup Trendyol Go

Uber is looking to make a comeback in Turkey—and this time, it’s betting on food. According to Bloomberg, the U.S. ride-hailing and delivery giant is in talks to acquire food delivery startup Trendyol Go, a key player in Turkey’s booming food and grocery delivery market. If successful, the deal would mark Uber’s re-entry into Turkey five years after stepping away from the market amid regulatory troubles.

No agreement has been signed yet, but the discussions are a clear sign that Uber is looking to double down on global expansion in food delivery—an area where competition is heating up fast.

“Uber Technologies Inc. is in talks to acquire Turkish food delivery platform Trendyol Go, according to people with knowledge of the matter. Terms of the transaction couldn’t immediately be learned. A final agreement hasn’t been reached and the talks could still end without one, Bloomberg reported, citing people familiar with the ongoing talks.

Why Trendyol Go?

Founded in 2010 by Demet Mutlu, Trendyol Go has become Turkey’s biggest e-commerce player. Its delivery arm, Trendyol Go, handles food and grocery drop-offs and sits under a company that’s 70% owned by Alibaba Group as of 2024. Trendyol isn’t just popular online—it sponsors the Turkish Super Lig, the country’s top football league, and is deeply embedded in everyday consumer life.

Uber, for its part, has been leaning hard into its Eats business, which brought in $13.7 billion in revenue last year and now operates in more than 6,000 cities across 45 countries. Adding Trendyol Go to its portfolio would give Uber a turnkey way to reestablish itself in Turkey, with built-in infrastructure and an existing user base ready to go.

Why Now?

Consumer appetite for food delivery in Turkey is climbing fast. The convenience factor is pulling in more users, and the local delivery scene has become one of the more promising markets in the region. That makes it a timely opportunity for Uber, especially as it seeks new footholds after hitting regulatory walls in places like Taiwan, where its bid to acquire Foodpanda fell apart earlier this year.

But there’s still no guarantee this deal crosses the finish line. Talks are ongoing, and any agreement would likely need sign-off from Turkish authorities.

Uber’s Complicated History in Turkey

Uber isn’t exactly starting from scratch in Turkey. It launched there years ago but left in 2019 after a court banned its ride-hailing services, citing violations of local transport rules. The app was pulled, and the company backed out.

Still, the interest never went away. Uber has kept its eye on Turkey’s economy, and this potential buyout would offer a new way in, through delivery rather than ridesharing.

The Competitive Terrain

Turkey’s food delivery market isn’t short on competition. Getir, Yemeksepeti, and Trendyol Go are all fighting for dominance. Trendyol Go has the logistics and brand recognition that make it a tempting target. Uber, meanwhile, is looking for fresh momentum as it tries to grow beyond its traditional markets.

Buying Trendyol Go could give Uber a springboard into more than just food. Trendyol’s grip on e-commerce means Uber would be tying itself to a bigger machine—one with retail reach and delivery scale.

What Could Get in The Way?

Turkey’s regulatory landscape has proven difficult before, and it might again. Any foreign acquisition of this scale would attract scrutiny, especially with Uber’s past in the country still fresh in regulators’ minds.

And then there’s the broader economic climate. Political tension is high, the Turkish lira has taken some hits, and the government’s approach to foreign business hasn’t always been welcoming. Ongoing political developments—like the detention of Istanbul’s mayor and economic moves from President Erdogan—add layers of unpredictability.

Another wrinkle: Alibaba owns most of Trendyol. It’s unclear whether the Chinese tech giant would want to keep a piece of Trendyol Go or exit entirely. Trendyol has also reportedly been looking to raise $1 billion to fuel growth, which could complicate the math on Uber’s side of the table.

What’s Next?

If Uber pulls this off, it would mark a smart, calculated re-entry into a market it once lost—this time, through delivery. It would also give Uber a foothold in Turkey’s broader e-commerce push, thanks to Trendyol’s dominance.

But the challenges are real. Turkey isn’t an easy market, and Trendyol isn’t a lightweight acquisition. A successful deal would give Uber a foothold in one of the region’s most active delivery markets—and a second chance in a country that once showed it the door.

For now, both Uber and Trendyol are keeping quiet. But if the talks go anywhere, this could end up being one of the more interesting comeback stories in the food delivery space.