In a move announced on August 23, the company disclosed binding documents confirming it will acquire a full stake in a food and grocery delivery service and will exit its participation in O2O Holding. Delivery Club is also planning a later exchange of assets with Zen and News within Yandex resources. The closing of the deal was targeted for the end of 2022.
Once the acquisition completes, Delivery Club and Yandex Food will operate on a unified technology platform. Yandex notes that both couriers and customers stand to gain: couriers may see more orders in a single area, while customers will enjoy a broader selection of services and faster delivery times.
Restaurant sector representatives responded with cautious optimism. The Shokoladnitsa chain’s press service suggested the brands could leverage each other’s strengths, hoping this collaboration would inject momentum into the overall market.
One Shokoladnitsa representative remarked that the deal is compelling. They believe the combined expertise of Yandex Food and Delivery Club can generate synergies, enabling stronger service, unique features, and broader access for guests at all times. They also expressed hope that healthy competition would continue as this integration progresses.
Yandex Food’s chief executive, Roman Maresov, who is slated to lead the merged entity, indicated that Delivery Club would continue operating under its own brand after the agreement. The apps and website would remain familiar to users, minimizing disruption. Approval from the Federal Antimonopoly Service was still required before the deal could close, with the timeline aimed for completion by the end of 2022.
Despite the joint venture’s termination, VK and Sber remain strategic partners. With the O2O Holding split, Sber is set to receive the Samokat delivery service, a leader in rapid delivery. This development signals the emergence of a major player in the food delivery market.
Kommersant has noted that Sbermarket plans to launch its own delivery service from restaurants and cafes. Sbermarket already has a loyal user base, as observed by industry sources. Current active users cited for the major platforms include Yandex Food with about 5.5 million and Delivery Club with about 6.9 million. The next year or two could see new opportunities for delivery directly from eateries.
“Competition takes shape differently”
Delivery Club and Yandex Food have previously operated in a closely aligned format, sharing many similarities. The consolidation is expected to expand access for restaurants and enable more services for partners and consumers. This is viewed positively by stakeholders, even as concerns about monopoly risk and price increases persist. Market observers contend that competition today develops along different dimensions than traditional single-vendor dominance. Sergei Mironov, an ombudsman for the Moscow restaurant market, offered this view.
Mironov notes that restaurants historically developed their own delivery tools, including instant apps, which gave them autonomy over how to work with delivery platforms. Businesses with in-house delivery capabilities can decide whether to partner with Yandex or Delivery Club, which limits any platform’s ability to dictate terms. As a result, aggregators may have to offer bonuses, incentives, and favorable programs to attract and retain partners.
Yandex has promised that post-deal, Delivery Club partner restaurants will gain greater opportunities to reach customers. By leveraging Yandex Delivery resources and access to the Food marketing platform, eateries can expand delivery reach and enhance communication with customers, while earning and redeeming Plus loyalty points across the system.
Current demand for food delivery shows a split in consumer preference. A recent ROMIR survey found about half of respondents prefer ordering directly from a restaurant, while roughly a quarter opt for delivery via aggregators. This landscape underscores the importance of a robust, integrated delivery ecosystem that serves both restaurants and diners well.