Kita, the on-demand distribution platform from global technology company Meituan, has launched a new white paper reviewing how digital distribution platforms can help support the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia’s digital transformation and create new opportunities for innovation, entrepreneurship and economic growth.
The paper was presented during Kita’s participation in the first LEAP East conference in Hong Kong. This conference is the first edition of a major technology conference to be held outside the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia. The paper was presented by Tony Qiu, vice president of Meituan and CEO of Kita, during a conference session.
The paper, titled “From the Silk Road to the Last Mile: Food Delivery as a New Horizon for the Saudi-China Partnership,” reviews how digital platforms, artificial intelligence technologies, and smart logistics services are contributing to supporting the economic transformation process the Kingdom is witnessing, based on the experience of the Saudi food delivery sector.
This report, based on several reports, reviews the development of economic relations between the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia and China, which see expansion in the areas of technology, innovation and knowledge exchange, as well as trade and investment. This is in conjunction with the Kingdom’s continued implementation of the goals of Saudi Vision 2030, with the value of trade exchanges between the two countries reaching USD 107.53 billion in 2024, with non-oil businesses contributing 54.8% of gross domestic product, an indicator reflecting the accelerating pace of economic diversification and the creation of a favorable environment for the growth of the digital and technological sector.
This report reviews how delivery platforms have moved beyond providing delivery services to serve as part of the infrastructure that supports trade, logistics and entrepreneurship. We’ll also show you how digital tools, operational insights, and artificial intelligence technologies can help restaurants improve operational efficiency, better understand customer needs, expand their customer base, and make more effective decisions.
The report also notes the role of smart logistics services in increasing the efficiency of last-mile operations, as technologies such as demand forecasting, route optimization, and intelligent order routing help platforms respond more efficiently to changes in demand, improve the reliability of delivery operations, and improve the experience for users, merchants, and delivery personnel.
The report shows that the number of users of online food delivery services in the Kingdom is expected to reach approximately 19.3 million by 2028, due to the city’s continued growth and the Kingdom’s hosting of major global events such as Expo 2030 Riyadh and the 2034 FIFA World Cup. In light of this, the report highlights the growing role of delivery platforms in supporting innovation, expanding the range of digital services and strengthening the digital economy in the Kingdom.
According to the published report, the report also pays particular attention to the role that digital platforms play in supporting the SME sector, which has more than 1.7 million establishments, provides employment opportunities for approximately 8.88 million people, and contributes to approximately 22.9% of the gross domestic product. Learn how delivery platforms can give small businesses, including local restaurants and heritage brands, access to technology to enhance their operational capabilities, reach a broader customer base, support growth, and improve their competitiveness.
Tony Keogh, Vice President of Meituan and CEO of Kita, said: “Saudi Arabia’s food delivery sector has become an important window into understanding the economic transformation the kingdom is witnessing. Youth, advanced digital infrastructure, entrepreneurship and local culture are creating new opportunities for businesses, communities and innovators.”
“By presenting this paper during LEAP East, we wanted to share insights from our experience in the Kingdom of Keita and contribute to enriching the dialogue on how technology, local ambition and global expertise can be integrated to create sustainable value. We hope this research will contribute to strengthening the dialogue between the business community, investors and decision makers about the future of the Kingdom’s digital economy.”
In addition to leveraging technology to support health initiatives, the report also reviews a number of areas that offer wide opportunities for collaboration between technology platforms and the public and private sectors, including developing national capacity, supporting nationalization programs, strengthening small and medium-sized enterprises, strengthening logistics services for major events, developing smart mobility solutions, and supporting the culture and tourism sector.
The insights contained in the report are based on Kita’s experience building a distribution platform designed to meet the needs of the Saudi market. Since entering the Kingdom in September 2024, the company has successfully built a network of over 50,000 restaurant partners and over 25,000 delivery personnel. Guided by our mission: “We help everyone eat better and live better,” Kita continues to invest in technology, empower partners, and build local partnerships that contribute to supporting the Kingdom’s digital economy.
Kita, the on-demand distribution platform backed by global technology company Meituan, has launched a new white paper demonstrating how the digital distribution platform can help support the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia’s digital transformation and create new opportunities for innovation, entrepreneurship and economic growth.
The paper was presented during Kita’s participation in the first LEAP East conference in Hong Kong. The LEAP East conference is the first major technology conference to be held outside the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia. The paper was presented by Tony Qiu, vice president of Meituan and CEO of Kita, during a conference session.
The paper, titled “From the Silk Road to the Last Mile: Food Delivery as a New Horizon for the Saudi-China Partnership,” draws on the experience of the Kingdom’s food delivery sector to explain how digital platforms, artificial intelligence technologies, and smart logistics services are contributing to supporting the economic transformation journey taking place in the Kingdom.
This paper, based on several reports, reviews the evolution of economic relations between Saudi Arabia and China, which are increasingly expanding in the areas of trade and investment, as well as technology, innovation and knowledge exchange. This comes as the Kingdom continues to implement the goals of Saudi Vision 2030, with trade between the two countries reaching USD 107.53 billion in 2024, with non-oil businesses contributing 54.8% of GDP, demonstrating rapid economic diversification and creating a favorable environment for the growth of the digital and technology sector.
The report highlights how delivery platforms are going beyond providing delivery services and are becoming part of the infrastructure that supports trade, logistics and entrepreneurship. We will also discuss how digital tools, operational insights, and artificial intelligence technology can help restaurants improve operational efficiency, better understand customer needs, expand their customer base, and make more effective decisions.
The report also highlights the role of smart logistics in improving efficiency in last-mile operations, with technologies such as demand forecasting, route optimization, and smart order routing allowing platforms to respond more efficiently to changes in demand, improve delivery reliability, and improve the experience for users, merchants, and delivery personnel.
The report shows that the number of online food delivery users in the Kingdom is expected to reach approximately 19.3 million by 2028, due to the city’s continued growth and the hosting of major global events such as Expo 2030 Riyadh and the 2034 FIFA World Cup. In light of this, the report highlights the growing role of delivery platforms in supporting innovation, expanding the range of digital services and strengthening the digital economy in the Kingdom.
According to the published report, the report also pays particular attention to the role that digital platforms play in supporting the SME sector, which has more than 1.7 million establishments, provides employment opportunities for approximately 8.88 million people, and contributes to almost 22.9% of GDP. It shows how delivery platforms can give smaller establishments, including local restaurants and heritage brands, access to technology, strengthen their operational capabilities and reach broader customer segments, supporting growth and increasing their competitiveness.
Tony Qiu, Vice President of Meituan and CEO of Kita, said: “The Saudi food delivery sector is an important window into understanding the economic transformation taking place in the Kingdom. Youth, advanced digital infrastructure, entrepreneurship and local culture are coming together to create new opportunities for businesses, communities and innovators.”
He added: “By publishing this paper during LEAP East, we wanted to share insights from Kita’s experience in Saudi Arabia and contribute to enriching the dialogue on how technology, local ambition, and global expertise can be integrated to create sustainable value. We hope this research will strengthen the dialogue among the business community, investors, and decision makers about the future of the Saudi digital economy.”
The report also highlights several areas where technology can be leveraged to support health initiatives and offer wide opportunities for collaboration between technology platforms and the public and private sectors, including building national capacity, supporting localization programs, strengthening small and medium-sized enterprises, strengthening logistics services for major events, developing smart mobility solutions, and supporting the culture and tourism sector.
The insights contained in the report are based on Kita’s experience building a distribution platform designed to meet the needs of the Saudi market. Since entering the Kingdom in September 2024, the company has successfully built a network of over 50,000 restaurant partners and over 25,000 delivery personnel. With a mission of “We help everyone eat better and live better,” Kita continues to invest in technology, empower partners, and build local partnerships that contribute to supporting the Kingdom’s digital economy.
