In this article, we discuss the 12 biggest delivery companies in the world. If you want to read about some more delivery companies, go directly to 5 Biggest Delivery Companies In The World.
It is remarkable how fast the delivery industry is evolving. In developing countries in Asia, to quote an alarming example, life-saving ambulances take longer to arrive than food or e-commerce deliveries. The sector seems in sync with the rapidly changing tech side and is adapting to new inventions, like drone delivery, faster than other parts of the business world. Consulting firm McKinsey estimates that the pandemic has more than doubled the size of the delivery sector in just a year, compared to historical 8% growth figures for the preceding year.
Most of the success of the delivery sector can be attributed to the evolution of business models. For example, the advent of same hour, same day, and next day delivery, the use of a single fleet, multi-fleet, crowdsourced fleets, and in-house fleets, as well as deliver from store, curb-side pickup, and delivery from robotic warehouses, and other innovations. Some of the top firms in the sector include Uber Technologies, Inc. (NYSE:UBER), Walmart Inc. (NYSE:WMT), and Amazon.com, Inc. (NASDAQ:AMZN).
McKinsey claims that even as the delivery space evolves, there are still macro considerations that continue to shape the economic structure. These include brand, real estate, operating efficiency, breadth of offerings, changing consumer habits, and potential regulatory constraints. Per the consulting firm, these factors will together determine which stakeholders win or lose as the industry develops, including possible changes to how delivery workers are compensated and how a cost-intensive business that is low-margin and scale-driven grows profitable.
Explosive Growth Potential in Online and Food Delivery
The trends in the online ordering and food delivery space deserve a special mention in the delivery industry since they offer investors explosive growth potential. In the past five years, online food ordering and restaurant deliveries have increased at an annual rate of 20%. This increase has come despite a gradual increase in the cost of delivery. These rates will climb to $220 billion by 2025, representing almost 40% of the total restaurant sales. 42% of restaurant orders are now being placed online, according to conservative estimates.
For context, the annual growth rate of the food industry is about 3.7%, while online ordering and food delivery are growing at an annual rate of about 15% to 20%. Despite these impressive numbers, customer retention remains a key problem for the biggest delivery companies. This is important because customer retention is inextricably linked to revenue growth. According to research conducted at Harvard Business School, a mere 5% increase in customer retention can help you raise profits up to 95%.
Despite challenges, investors continue to pour money into the delivery sector, attesting to the long-term potential of the business. Delivery firm Wolt raised $530 million in January 2021, REEF Technology raised $700 million in November 2020, Rebel Foods raised $26 million in July 2020, Uber purchased Postmates for $2.6 billion in December 2020, and Just Eat Takeaway acquired Grubhub for $7.3 billion in June 2021. DoorDash and Deliveroo recently had IPOs in December 2020 and March 2021. Big tech firms are investing in the space too.
Key Trends Shaping The Delivery Sector
Some of the top trends expected to shape the future of the delivery space include increased third party deliveries, the rise of in-house restaurant delivery fleets, the prioritizing of delivery data tracking, the entry of tech giants moving into food delivery, the rapid growth of online grocery, and the rise in food delivery subscriptions. A lot of these trends have a larger backdrop related to the increasing proliferation of smart devices and the internet, or the rise of the digital world, that a lot of the younger generation is already used to.
Per McKinsey, geographic competition among delivery giants will be one of the biggest battlegrounds in the industry over the next few years. The commission rates for restaurants are also another important consideration since they are an important source of revenue for many delivery applications. The consulting firm has underlined that delivery platforms are poised to generate profits at scale if they can unlock the logistics, operational requirements, and challenges of last-mile delivery.
For customers, these challenges and growth drivers will result in better service experiences. The increased competition among businesses will lead to creative revenue models. The delivery sector is one of the many spaces where small and medium businesses can continue to thrive and expand despite big tech investment. This is because of the emergence of low-cost technology that can help underdogs in the industry just as much as big tech firms. The delivery sector is no doubt one of the most exciting spaces to watch in the next few years.
Our Methodology
These were picked from a careful assessment of the delivery industry. The details of each delivery company are mentioned alongside a discussion around top firms in the sector in order to provide readers with some context for their investment decisions.
12 Biggest Delivery Companies In The World
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Biggest Delivery Companies In The World
12. Blue Dart Express
Blue Dart Express is an Indian logistics company based in Mumbai. The company registered a revenue of INR 3,288 billion in FY2021. It also has a cash-on-delivery option for courier services. DHL is one of the major shareholders in Blue Dart Express.
Just like Uber Technologies, Inc. (NYSE:UBER), Walmart Inc. (NYSE:WMT), and Amazon.com, Inc. (NASDAQ:AMZN), Blue Dart Express is one of the best delivery companies to watch.
11. Royal Mail
Royal Mail is a UK-based mail and courier service with headquarters in London. Within the UK, it offers same-day delivery of couriers and mail. Additionally, it offers Guaranteed Special Delivery for residential addresses between the hours of 9am and 1pm. For foreign shipments to be accepted for shipping, the weight limit is 2kg. While international economy shipping might take up to two weeks, international standard delivery can take anywhere from three to five days.
10. Yamato Holdings
Yamato Holdings is a delivery and logistics provider based in Tokyo. The company currently has 216,873 employees and extends its services from Japan and North America to the global level. With a market share of 41%, it is among the biggest door-to-door delivery services in Japan and faces stiff competition from Sagawa Express and Nippon Express.
9. Delhivery
Delhivery is an Indian supply chain and logistics company, employing over 66,000 people. Rivigo, Shiprocket, and Omnibiz are Delhivery’s top competitors. As of 2021, the company had more than 85 fulfilment centres, 24 automated sorting facilities, 70 hubs, 7,500 partner facilities, and 3,000 direct delivery facilities. Giving e-commerce businesses third-party logistics and delivery services accounts for almost two-thirds of its revenue. It is headquartered in Gurgaon.
8. TFI International
TFI International is a Canadian company, headquartered in Saint-Laurent, and employs over 28,286 people. The company provides logistics and transportation services in Canada, the USA, and Mexico. The firm generated a revenue of $7.22 billion in 2021, and its Growth in Revenues (YoY) stands at 75.44%. JB Hunt Transport Inc, Swift Transportation Co, and Werner Enterprises Inc are some of the main competitors.
Among the hedge funds being tracked by Insider Monkey, New York-based investment firm DE Shaw is a leading shareholder in TFI International, with 433,784 shares worth more than $46 million.
In its Q2 2021 investor letter, LRT Capital Management, an asset management firm, highlighted a few stocks and TFI International Inc. (NYSE:TFII) was one of them. Here is what the fund said:
“TFI International Inc. (NYSE:TFII) (formerly known as Transforce) is a recent addition to our portfolio – it is a Canadian logistics company with exceptional management operating in a consolidating industry. TFII came to our attention when they announced their purchase of the US operations of UPS Freight on January 25th, 2021. The company has a long history of growth through acquisition. Long time CEO Alain Bedard is fond of telling investors that he would rather own Scotiabank and get a 3% dividend than make deals that result in 3% returns57. This Canadian company also recently dual-listed in the United States.
7. Poste Italiane
Poste Italiane is an Italian company that provides financial, postal, insurance, and logistics services within Italy. The company, headquartered in Rome, operates 12,761 post offices in Italy and employs 119,000 people. The company’s gross profit margin stands at 11.89%. The company has recently acquired LIS Holding, a payments system services company.
6. ZTO Express
ZTO Express provides logistics and delivery services in China. The company was founded in 2002 and has 23,865 employees currently. The company’s earnings per share for the first fiscal quarter of 2022 were $0.20. For the second fiscal quarter of 2022, the EPS was $0.33. It offers courier delivery in 5-8 days and 8-10 days, respectively, to Europe, North and South America. It may carry a wide range of materials, including cosmetics, lithium batteries, electronic devices, and appliances, etc. ZTO Express can make duty-free doorstep deliveries and clear customs for overseas couriers.
Among the hedge funds being tracked by Insider Monkey, Australia-based investment firm Platinum Asset Management is a leading shareholder in ZTO Express, with 15 million shares worth more than $420 million.
Alongside Uber Technologies, Inc. (NYSE:UBER), Walmart Inc. (NYSE:WMT), and Amazon.com, Inc. (NASDAQ:AMZN), ZTO Express is one of the top delivery stocks to buy now according to hedge funds.
