Uber Eats aims to boost presence with CJ deal

U.S. food delivery app Uber Eats said Wednesday that it has signed a partnership with Korean food service company CJ Foodville in the latest move to boost its presence in the country’s growing food delivery market.

Uber Eats said major CJ Foodville brands, such as VIPS, Cheiljemyunso, The Place and Juice Solution, would be easily accessible through its app in Seoul, a heavily populated city with a population of some 10 million.

Eight out of 10 Koreans use smartphones, and they increasingly order popular food items through mobile apps.

“We are excited about our partnership with CJ Foodville, the national representative food service brand, bringing its diverse selection to our customers,” Jean-Marc Serayssol, head of Asia sales at Uber Eats, said of the deal signed last Tuesday. “With this partnership, Uber Eats customers can now order CJ Foodville brands at the simple tap of a button, and Uber Eats will continue to expand to provide our services anytime, anywhere.”

The food franchise unit of Korean food and entertainment conglomerate CJ Group has about 1,500 franchises across Korea and nearly 400 franchise stores in seven countries, including the United States, China and Vietnam. CJ Foodville is planning to reinforce the collaboration with Uber Eats overseas.

Uber Eats, a food delivery service app run by ride-sharing pioneer Uber Technologies, began its business in Korea in August last year and currently has more than 1,500 local restaurant partners in Seoul.

Uber Eats did not disclose its share in Korea’s estimated 12 trillion won ($10.7 billion) food delivery app market dominated by homegrown apps, such as YoGiYo and Baedal Minjok.

Uber Eats is part of Uber’s attempt to expand its presence in Korea, where the company’s flagship ride-sharing service, Uber X, was banned in 2015 because it conflicted with the local transportation law.