The meal delivery market is expected to grow to US $12.1 billion by 2028, with a CAGR of 6.4%; this slower pace of growth is indicative of the level of maturation reached in the Saudi market. In 2019, the meal delivery market was sitting at US $2.3 billion, just 1/4th of the current market size.
At that time, consumers were highly concentrated in the capital city of Riyadh. In 2020-21, the Saudi market experienced rapid growth driven primarily by the pandemic’s stay-at-home orders limiting restaurant visits. Consumers increasingly turned to online food delivery options which significantly reshaped consumer behaviors.
The main players active in the Saudi market at this time were HungerStation and Jahez.
The Future of Food Delivery in Saudi Arabia
The KSA food delivery market, worth US $10 billion in 2023, is expected to hit $14.9 billion by 2028, with food-delivery startups playing a central role in driving that growth, capitalizing on shifting consumer needs. These startups snagged 45% of the $600 million raised by KSA's Foodtech sector, marking a transformative shift in dining experiences and highlighting their pivotal role in Saudi Arabia's evolving food landscape.