Glovo
Glovo is a Barcelona-based on-demand delivery platform connecting customers, local businesses and couriers through a mobile app.
Last updated November 1, 2026
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Overview
Glovo is a Spanish on-demand delivery brand founded in Barcelona in 2015 by Oscar Pierre and Sacha Michaud. Its platform connects consumers with restaurants, grocery stores, retailers and independent couriers, allowing users to order food, groceries and a range of other goods for delivery. The company’s core proposition is convenience: customers can discover participating businesses in the app, place orders digitally and receive them through a courier network coordinated by Glovo’s technology and operating systems. The company began in Spain and expanded internationally after securing venture funding. Its growth was supported by successive investment rounds, including a €30 million Series B round announced in 2017 and two €150 million financing rounds announced in 2019. The December 2019 financing was reported as lifting Glovo’s valuation above US$1 billion, making it one of the prominent European delivery technology companies of that period. International expansion became a central part of the business, although the company later exited or transferred some operations as the competitive and regulatory environment changed. Glovo’s business model is a multi-sided marketplace. Restaurants and other merchants use the platform to reach customers and manage delivery demand; customers use the app to browse, order and pay; and couriers perform the last-mile delivery work arranged through the platform. In addition to prepared meals, the service has included groceries and other retail products, broadening Glovo’s role from a restaurant-delivery application toward a general-purpose local commerce platform. Delivery Hero became increasingly involved in Glovo during the company’s period of international growth. In 2020, Delivery Hero agreed to acquire Glovo’s Latin American operations in a transaction valued at up to €230 million, including an earn-out. In December 2021, Delivery Hero agreed to increase its stake and become Glovo’s majority shareholder. The transaction closed in July 2022, leaving Delivery Hero with approximately 94% of Glovo’s shares on a non-diluted basis. Glovo therefore continues to operate as a distinct consumer-facing brand within the Delivery Hero group rather than as an independent listed company. The brand has also faced significant scrutiny over courier working conditions and the legal classification of riders. Spanish authorities issued substantial fines in 2022 and 2023 over alleged labour-law violations and the treatment of couriers as independent contractors. In December 2024, Delivery Hero said that Glovo would move riders in Spain to employee status, citing legal uncertainty surrounding the freelance model. Separately, the company temporarily suspended operations in Ukraine after Russia’s invasion in February 2022 and later resumed limited service while reporting humanitarian support through its platform. In June 2025, the European Commission fined Delivery Hero and Glovo a combined €329 million over participation in an online food-delivery cartel involving an alleged no-poach arrangement and exchanges of commercially sensitive information. This enforcement action added competition-law concerns to the labour and regulatory issues that have shaped Glovo’s public profile. Glovo’s present identity is consequently defined by both its consumer delivery marketplace and its position within Delivery Hero’s international portfolio.
History
Glovo was established in Barcelona in 2015 by Oscar Pierre and Sacha Michaud as an on-demand delivery service. Its initial concept centered on using a mobile platform to connect customers with local businesses and couriers. The company’s marketplace structure allowed it to expand beyond a conventional restaurant-delivery operation by adding grocery stores, retailers and other local merchants. After establishing its Spanish base, Glovo pursued international growth with venture financing. A €30 million Series B round announced in 2017 was led by Rakuten Capital and Cathay Innovation. In 2019, Glovo announced two further €150 million financing rounds. The latter announcement was associated with a valuation above US$1 billion and reflected the importance of international expansion to the company’s strategy. The business operated across multiple countries and was reported in 2022 to be present in 23 markets. Its platform coordinated orders between consumers and participating merchants while arranging delivery through couriers. This model gave Glovo exposure to restaurant meals, groceries and other forms of local commerce, but also made courier classification and employment practices central regulatory issues. Delivery Hero became a significant strategic partner during Glovo’s international development. In September 2020, Delivery Hero agreed to acquire Glovo’s Latin American operations in a deal valued at up to €230 million, including an earn-out. In December 2021, Delivery Hero agreed to increase its stake in Glovo and become the company’s majority shareholder. The transaction closed in July 2022, when Delivery Hero held approximately 94% of Glovo’s shares on a non-diluted basis. Glovo remained a separate customer-facing brand within the Delivery Hero group. The company’s operations have been affected by geopolitical and regulatory events. Following Russia’s invasion of Ukraine in February 2022, Glovo temporarily suspended activity in Ukraine, subsequently resuming limited service and reporting humanitarian assistance through its platform. In Spain, labour authorities imposed a fine of about €79 million in September 2022 over alleged violations involving the hiring and classification of riders. A further €57 million fine was announced in January 2023, again citing alleged misclassification and related labour violations. In December 2024, Delivery Hero announced that Glovo would move Spanish riders to employee status, identifying legal uncertainty around the freelance model as a reason for the change. Glovo also became subject to European competition-law enforcement. In June 2025, the European Commission fined Delivery Hero and Glovo a combined €329 million in relation to an alleged online food-delivery cartel. The case concerned a no-poach arrangement and the exchange of commercially sensitive information. These developments illustrate the major tensions surrounding platform delivery businesses: rapid international scaling and flexible marketplace operations on one side, and employment, competition and public-policy obligations on the other.
- 2025
European Commission cartel decision
[1]The European Commission fines Delivery Hero and Glovo a combined €329 million over alleged anti-competitive conduct in online food delivery.
- 2022
Delivery Hero transaction closes
[1]The acquisition closes in July, giving Delivery Hero approximately 94% of Glovo on a non-diluted basis.
- 2021
Delivery Hero agrees to majority ownership
[1]Delivery Hero announces an agreement to increase its stake and become Glovo’s majority shareholder.
- 2020
Latin American operations transferred to Delivery Hero
[1]Delivery Hero agrees to acquire Glovo’s Latin American operations in a transaction valued at up to €230 million including an earn-out.
- 2019
Major expansion financing
[1]Glovo announces a €150 million round to support international expansion.
- 2019
Valuation surpasses one billion dollars
[1]After another €150 million funding announcement, Glovo says its valuation has exceeded US$1 billion.
- 2017
Series B financing
[1]Glovo announces a €30 million Series B round led by Rakuten Capital and Cathay Innovation.
- 2015
Glovo is founded in Barcelona
[1]Oscar Pierre and Sacha Michaud establish Glovo as an on-demand delivery company in Spain.
Products and positioning
A technology-enabled, multi-category local-commerce and last-mile delivery marketplace emphasizing convenience, breadth of merchant choice and on-demand fulfillment.
Digital marketplace · 2015
Glovo app
Glovo’s mobile application is the principal customer interface for discovering participating restaurants, grocery stores and other retailers, placing orders and arranging delivery. It functions as a multi-sided marketplace rather than a single merchant’s ordering channel, bringing together consumers, local businesses and delivery couriers.
Food delivery · 2015
Restaurant delivery
The restaurant-delivery service allows customers to order prepared meals from participating local restaurants through the Glovo platform. Couriers arranged through the platform collect orders from merchants and deliver them to users, making restaurant delivery a foundational part of Glovo’s marketplace.
Local commerce delivery
Grocery and retail delivery
Glovo extends its delivery infrastructure to groceries and other retail goods. This category broadens the platform beyond meals and supports on-demand access to everyday products from participating stores and retailers, subject to local market availability.
Controversies
2025
European food-delivery cartel case
The European Commission fined Delivery Hero and Glovo a combined €329 million over alleged participation in an online food-delivery cartel involving a no-poach agreement and exchanges of commercially sensitive information.
2023
Additional Spanish labour fine
Spanish authorities announced a further €57 million fine, citing alleged rider misclassification and other labour violations.
2022
Spanish rider classification dispute
Spain’s labour ministry announced a fine of about €79 million over alleged labour-law violations connected with Glovo’s use and classification of delivery riders.
2021
Italy fines Foodinho €2.6 million over algorithm use
Italy's data protection authority fined Glovo-owned Foodinho €2.6 million over its use of algorithms to manage couriers and assign orders. The authority said Foodinho had not adequately explained algorithmic decisions to riders or provided a way to challenge decisions affecting how much work they received. Glovo and Foodinho were given 150 days to respond to the order and make changes.
2021
Italian prosecutors fine food delivery platforms over courier employment and safety rules
Italian prosecutors fined Uber Eats, Glovo, Just Eat and Deliveroo a total of about €733 million over labour safety issues and said the platforms must offer non-permanent contracts with fixed pay to couriers in Italy. The companies were also given 90 days to comply with requests concerning social security, insurance and protective equipment.
Marketing campaigns
- 2022Ukraine humanitarian support
Ukraine
After temporarily suspending operations following Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, Glovo later resumed limited service and reported that its platform would support humanitarian assistance.
Outcome. Limited service resumed; the company reported humanitarian support.
Brand decisions
2024
Transition of Spanish riders to employee statusStrategyBackground
Glovo faced continuing legal uncertainty and enforcement pressure over its freelance courier model in Spain.
Action taken
Delivery Hero said Glovo would transition its riders in Spain to employee status.
Aftermath
The decision represented a change from the previously contested freelance model in Spain.
2021
Delivery Hero increases stake in GlovoM&ABackground
Delivery Hero had already become an important investor and strategic partner of Glovo.
Action taken
Delivery Hero agreed to increase its ownership and become Glovo’s majority shareholder.
Aftermath
The transaction closed in July 2022, with Delivery Hero holding approximately 94% of Glovo on a non-diluted basis.
2020
Transfer of Latin American operationsM&ABackground
Glovo was pursuing international growth while the delivery sector was consolidating across markets.
Action taken
Delivery Hero agreed to acquire Glovo’s Latin American operations in a deal valued at up to €230 million including an earn-out.
Aftermath
The transaction reduced Glovo’s direct operating presence in Latin America and expanded Delivery Hero’s regional portfolio.
Transaction value. Up to €230 million including an earn-out (2020 announcement)
Recent events
Glovo announces KSh 10 billion investment plan for Kenya[4]
Reported:
Glovo announced an additional KSh 10 billion investment in Kenya by 2030, aimed at expanding operations beyond Nairobi, supporting local businesses and strengthening the technology ecosystem.
- Unconfirmed
Glovo launches delivery service in Nigeria[5]
Glovo officially launched its multi-category on-demand delivery operations in Nigeria, beginning in Lagos.
Italy fines Foodinho €2.6 million over algorithm use[2]
Reported:
Italy's data protection authority fined Glovo-owned Foodinho €2.6 million over its use of algorithms to manage couriers and assign orders. The authority said Foodinho had not adequately explained algorithmic decisions to riders or provided a way to challenge decisions affecting how much work they received. Glovo and Foodinho were given 150 days to respond to the order and make changes.
Italian prosecutors fine food delivery platforms over courier employment and safety rules[3]
Reported:
Italian prosecutors fined Uber Eats, Glovo, Just Eat and Deliveroo a total of about €733 million over labour safety issues and said the platforms must offer non-permanent contracts with fixed pay to couriers in Italy. The companies were also given 90 days to comply with requests concerning social security, insurance and protective equipment.
Delivery Hero agrees to acquire Glovo's Latin American operations[6]
Reported:
Delivery Hero entered into an agreement to acquire Glovo's operations in Latin America for up to EUR 230 million, including a EUR 60 million performance-based earn-out. The transaction was expected to close in the following weeks, subject to conditions and regulatory approvals.
UnionPay partners with Glovo[7]
Reported:
UnionPay International announced a partnership with Glovo enabling UnionPay cardholders to use Glovo's app initially in Spain, Portugal, France and Italy.
Glovo announces Series E funding[8]
Reported:
Glovo announced Sh16.7 billion in Series E funding, led by Mubadala with support from previous investors Drake Enterprises, Idinvest and Lakestar. The article reports that the funding round had closed and Glovo had reached a valuation above $1 billion.
- Unconfirmed
Glovo acquires PizzaPortal[9]
Reported:
Glovo acquired Polish food-delivery service PizzaPortal from AmRest Holdings SE for €35 million. Glovo said it would use the acquisition as a springboard for a technology hub in Warsaw.
Sources10 sources
- 1Glovoen.wikipedia.org
- 2Italy fines Foodinho €2.6 million over algorithm usesiliconrepublic.com
- 3Italian prosecutors fine food delivery platforms over courier employment and safety rulesibtimes.com
- 4Glovo宣布在肯尼亚投资100亿肯尼亚先令的计划kenya-today.com
- 5Glovo在尼日利亚推出配送服务thisdaylive.com
- 6Delivery Hero同意收购Glovo在拉丁美洲的业务thepaypers.com
- 7银联与 Glovo 达成合作finanznachrichten.de
- 8Glovo宣布E轮融资capitalfm.africa
- 9Glovo 收购 PizzaPortalbusinessinsider.com
- 10Delivery Hero Acquires Glovo’s Latin America Businessesleadersleague.com
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