The GCC food aggregator market has grown from $3 billion in 2019 to $14 billion in 2025, and is expected to reach $26 billion by 2030. Growth was driven primarily by increased consumer spending, rather than user growth, with new use cases emerging. Quick grocery added a new leg to this market’s growth, with expansion into pharmacy, beauty, fashion, and personal care expected to present significant untapped opportunities going into 2030.
While platforms in GCC have been more financially disciplined vs global counterparts, there is short-term margin pressure due to increased competition and aggressive discounting strategies across key markets. However, multiple revenue recovery levers are available to players, including service fees, ad monetization, and logistics optimization. These avenues are expected to offset current pressures, resulting in a medium to long-term positive EBITDA trajectory as players achieve scale and implement cost optimization strategies.
Regardless, Saudi Arabia & UAE are amongst the most competitive quick commerce markets globally, with 10+ scaled players. In time, we expect the market to consolidate to 4-5 players in a stable state. Players are pursuing three distinct pathways: geo expansion, acquisitions, super app diversification, and niche specialization strategies.
