Uber Technologies Inc. is making a bold foray into the Turkish market, announcing on Tuesday its acquisition of an 85% controlling stake in Trendyol GO, the food delivery arm of e-commerce giant Trendyol, for $700 million. The move underscores Uber’s aggressive push to expand its global food delivery footprint and its strategic pivot toward high-growth, underserved markets.

A Decisive Turkish Entry

Uber’s expansion comes at a particularly dynamic time for Turkey’s food delivery sector. The country’s appetite for on-demand delivery has exploded in recent years, driven by a young, urban population and growing internet penetration. Industry analysts note that Turkey represents both an untapped and fiercely competitive playing field, with local champions like Getir, Yemeksepeti, and Marketyo already vying for dominance.

Uber Eats, while a familiar player across North America, Europe, and Latin America, has never directly operated in Turkey before. The acquisition of Trendyol GO positions Uber to leapfrog organic growth hurdles and immediately tap into millions of Turkish consumers. In a statement, Uber CEO Dara Khosrowshahi highlighted the significance of the deal: “Turkey is one of the world’s fastest-growing digital economies, and we look forward to building on Trendyol GO’s strong local foundation.”

Inside the Deal

The terms of the agreement will see Uber pay $700 million cash for 85% of Trendyol GO. According to a joint statement, Trendyol will retain a minority 15% stake, ensuring continued local expertise and operational continuity. The transaction, which is subject to regulatory approvals, is expected to close in the third quarter of 2025.

Launched in 2020, Trendyol GO has rapidly grown as an online delivery platform, leveraging Trendyol’s prominent e-commerce business. While neither company disclosed the exact volume of Trendyol GO’s orders, Turkish financial daily Dünya previously estimated that food delivery represented a significant share of Trendyol’s gross merchandise value.

For Uber, the buyout aligns with its strategy to “build at scale” in markets with strong mobile consumer potential. “Trendyol GO’s innovative model and exceptional local team impressed us,” said Pierre-Dimitri Gore-Coty, Senior Vice President of Delivery at Uber, in a statement. “With this step, we aim to deliver better experiences for couriers, restaurants, and customers across Turkey.”

Why Turkey? Why Now?

Turkey has become a battleground for digital delivery. Getir, the Istanbul-based startup, pioneered the concept of ultra-fast grocery delivery and rapidly expanded abroad before facing operational setbacks abroad and refocusing on its home market. Meanwhile, veteran player Yemeksepeti, owned by Germany’s Delivery Hero, remains a dominant food delivery force across Turkish cities.

The Turkish statistical institute reported that, as of 2024, nearly 85% of urban Turks had made online purchases—up from just 36% a decade ago. The accelerated digital shift during the pandemic established food delivery as a routine in middle-class Turkish life, with restaurants increasingly reliant on online channels to survive and scale.

“The Turkish market combines strong digital adoption, a dense urban structure, and large unmet demand for convenient delivery,” noted Barclays analysts in a recent sector report. For Uber, jumping in now means acquiring not just Trendyol GO’s logistics assets but also immediate brand recognition and established restaurant relationships.

Risks and Competitive Dynamics

Despite the promise, the Turkish delivery sector is volatile and often fraught with regulatory ambiguity. Labor disputes, intense competition on pricing, and inflationary pressures have each played roles in reshaping the market in recent years. Turkish inflation, which hovered near 70% on an annualized basis in early 2025, poses substantial risks to profit margins.

Uber’s experience navigating regulatory hurdles and labor issues in other markets could be a double-edged sword. The company infamously exited Spain in 2023 after new labor laws reclassified gig-economy couriers as employees, causing operational costs to soar.

“There will be fierce competition and regulatory scrutiny,” said Rabia Yilmaz, a fintech analyst at Istanbul-based research firm Infina, in comments to Reuters. “But Uber’s resources and global platform give it a much higher ceiling for scale than its local peers.”

Global Growth Imperatives

The Trendyol GO purchase fits neatly into Uber’s global strategy. In recent years, Uber has sought to diversify geographically to offset slowing growth in North America and Western Europe. The company completed a string of high-profile exits (including Russia, India, and Brazil) where profitability proved elusive, while doubling down on regions with rising middle classes and fragmented competition.

Trendyol’s own meteoric rise—backed by Alibaba Group and the Qatar Investment Authority—offers Uber a powerful springboard. According to Reuters, Trendyol is valued at over $16 billion and counts Alibaba among its largest investors. For Trendyol, spinning off its delivery platform allows it to sharpen focus on its core e-commerce marketplace while retaining upside through its remaining stake.

The Future of Food Delivery in Turkey

For Turkish restaurants and couriers, the Uber-Trendyol deal could bring new opportunities but also heightened expectations. Uber’s global logistics infrastructure could speed up order deliveries and lower costs, while its marketing clout could bring additional consumer demand.

It remains unclear whether Uber’s famed flexibility with gig-economy labor models will mesh well with local laws and expectations in Turkey. Nevertheless, as competitors recalibrate and consumers adjust, the deal marks the largest foreign investment in Turkey’s food delivery sector to date.

As Khosrowshahi told CNBC, “We are excited to do more in Turkey, leveraging a world-class platform to deliver for our customers.” For Uber and for the Turkish digital economy, the stakes—and the potential prizes—have never been higher.