The Impulso Podcast E41: [Commentary]: Lessons and implications of Pinduoduo and Meituan results
Nov 29, 2023
They dissect Meituan’s weak Q3 and why it needs a bold growth catalyst. They explore a potential Foodpanda deal and the risks of buying versus building overseas. They highlight Pinduoduo’s surprising strength, expansion into 40+ countries, and how rivals like Alibaba, TikTok Shop, and SHEIN are reacting. They note the market-cap milestone that shook industry morale.
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Meituan Needs A Growth Catalyst
- Meituan's Q3 was within expectations but failed to excite investors, triggering a >12% share drop.
- This highlights the need for Meituan to show growth catalysts to support employee morale and stock-based incentives.
Acquire To Jumpstart Overseas Growth
- Consider acquisition to accelerate overseas expansion rather than building from scratch.
- Buying Foodpanda would give Meituan an immediate foothold and force management to act faster.
Build Versus Buy Tradeoffs
- Building overseas is slower, riskier and requires finding all platform sides simultaneously.
- Acquisition transfers ownership and urgency, making integration hard but often faster than organic builds.
