Prosus Just Made a Bold Move--And Delivery Hero Might Pay the Price

Prosus (PROSF) is taking a big step to win over European regulators and it might come at Delivery Hero's expense. According to sources familiar with the matter, the Dutch tech investor has offered to sell down part of its 27% stake in Delivery Hero to help unlock approval for its $4.8 billion takeover of Just Eat Takeaway.com. The European Commission had reportedly pushed for Prosus to reduce or exit its Delivery Hero holding as a condition for greenlighting the deal. It's still unclear how much of that stake Prosus is willing to shed, but insiders say no final decision has been made yet.

This acquisition would be the biggest move yet under new CEO Fabricio Bloisi and potentially a game-changer. If approved, Prosus would instantly become the world's fourth-largest food delivery player by gross transaction value, sitting alongside its existing investments in Brazil's iFood and China's Meituan. The company confirmed it submitted proposed remedies following constructive conversations with the Commission in hopes of securing Phase 1 antitrust clearance. The outcome could have ripple effects not just for Prosus, but for the broader European food delivery space, which is already under pressure to consolidate.

Bloisi's long-term vision? Build super apps. He's looking to tie together on-demand services across the portfolio and turn Prosus into a lifestyle platform, not just a food courier conglomerate. In an earlier interview, he teased the idea of connecting these ecosystems to unlock stronger synergies. But first, the Just Eat deal needs to cross the regulatory finish line and Delivery Hero may be the price to pay.