It is really a sweet-turned-sour moment for Keeta, which is managed by Meituan, especially when it was also this year when it has entered into a $1 billion investment partnership with Brazil.
Now, in the same country, Brazilian authorities are in conflict with Keeta. This goes to show that all-the-time good things will remain good things. Here’s the scoop.
Brazil vs. Keeta
Ridesharing media reported that a tribunal at Cade, the anti-trust watchdog in Brazil, mid-week this week rejected the appeal of Keeta against exclusivity clauses that competitor and rival 99 holds with restaurants, but a further investigation into the matter and the sector is already on-going.
Keeta, owned by the Chinese company Meituan, and which has big businesses in the Middle East, also operates in Brazil. It is available in São Paulo, Rio de Janeiro and in other regions of the South American country.
Now, the ruling comes as Keeta and 99, both owned by Chinese companies, moved to expand in Brazil, challenging the country’s market leader, iFood, all of which has been previously reported here on Ridesharingforum.com.
The watchdog’s interim head cited the necessity to examine restaurants affected by 99’s partial exclusivity clauses and evaluate further complaints involving other players.
Keeta came into Brazil the previous year while 99, owned, meanwhile, by DiDi, but also a Chinese company, resumed delivery operations in 2025.
The previous week, Prosus’ iFood, filed a complaint involving Cade and accused Keeta of predatory pricing. Prosus is a Dutch company.
Predatory pricing is an illegal business strategy where a dominant company sets its product or service prices extremely low – often below the cost of production – to drive competitors out of the market.
99 denied the allegations, adding it is confident of its legal practices.
Meanwhile, Keeta also jolted on this, with its deputy of commercial partnerships, Danilo Mansano, saying in a statement that the sector remains “closed and dysfunctional.’
When Keeta was in good terms with Brazil
In a previous feature here on RSF, there was a point in time when Keeta was in good terms with Brazil as there was a $1 billion investment on the line between these two parties.
That time, Brazil’s president, Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva traveled to China for negotiations. The result: deals that include a five-year $1 billion commercial agreement with Meituan. Yes, $1 billion.
Now, considering the recent happenings surrounding Keeta and Brazil, what could have happened to that investment?
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