JD.com to add 100,000 delivery riders in China to take on Meituan

The move is a response to a rival forbidding riders from accepting delivery orders from JD, the company says

Published Mon, Apr 21, 2025 · 01:40 PM

JD.com plans to add 100,000 full-time riders within the next three months, amplifying its food delivery push as competition against market leader Meituan heats up.

The move is a response to a rival forbidding riders from accepting delivery orders from JD, the Beijing-based company said. JD said it will guarantee enough orders to riders who have been banned by the rival to ensure that their income does not decrease, while also seeking to arrange jobs for their partners to enhance household income.

JD is pushing beyond online retailing to challenge Meituan in the lucrative food delivery market of the country of 1.4 billion people. As they compete for riders and customers, JD and Meituan both announced plans in February to enrol delivery riders into China’s social security system.

“JD will never force part-time riders to choose only one of the platforms and encourages all to take orders freely on various platforms to ensure that their income is maximised,” JD said.

A Meituan representative did not offer immediate comment but pointed to a post on the company’s official WeChat account saying it does not forbid riders from working with other platforms.

Earlier this year, JD Takeaway started to offer zero commission for some restaurants as it seeks to lure business from Meituan, which commands about two-thirds of the market. TikTok parent ByteDance scaled back its food delivery ambitions after attempting to go head-to-head with Meituan in 2023. BLOOMBERG

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