Photo: Dara Khosrowshahi is the CEO of Uber, where he has managed the company’s business in more than 70 countries around the world since 2017. Dara was previously CEO of Expedia, which he grew into one of the world’s largest online travel companies.

Why Uber Eats Might Acquire Instead of Build

Speed to Market: Buying QuickCart, 7Krave, or 876Get immediately grants local market share, existing user bases, merchant networks, driver fleets, and operational know-how.

Reduced Regulatory Friction: Local platforms already hold food safety, driver, and business licenses, reducing Uber’s compliance hurdles.

Brand Integration: Uber could rebrand or integrate these services into its global app, expanding usage from Jamaican residents to tourists familiar with Uber Eats abroad.

Implications for Each Stakeholder Group

1. Founders & Investors (QuickCart, 7Krave, 876Get)

Upside:

Significant exit opportunity, likely in USD, providing liquidity for founders and early investors.

Possibility of retained leadership roles under Uber with wider Caribbean or LATAM responsibilities.

Risks:

Founders may lose autonomy and original company vision.

Possible earn-out clauses tying payout to future performance under Uber control.

2. Employees & Riders

Upside:

Access to Uber’s training, operational standards, and global HR resources.

Broader career opportunities within Uber’s regional operations.

Risks:

Potential redundancies in overlapping roles (tech, operations, marketing).

Cultural dissonance as startup teams integrate into a corporate multinational environment.

Drivers/riders may see fee structure changes or platform commission increases to align with Uber’s global model.

3. Restaurants & Merchants

Upside:

Access to Uber Eats’ massive global user base, including tourists seeking familiar apps.

Potential tech upgrades for order management, tracking, and analytics.

Risks:

Higher commission rates. Uber Eats globally charges 20–30%, while local platforms sometimes negotiate lower fees to retain merchants.

Reduced flexibility in merchant-platform negotiations.

Smaller restaurants could be squeezed if Uber prioritizes global fast food chains (e.g., KFC, Burger King) over local eateries for promotional visibility.

4. Jamaican Consumers

Upside:

Familiarity with the Uber Eats app interface for returning Jamaicans and tourists.

Possible promotions, discounts, and free delivery offers typical of market entry campaigns.

Risks:

Potential price increases in the medium term if competition diminishes post-acquisition.

Loss of local branding and cultural nuances in app UX and marketing.

5. The Jamaican Economy

Upside:

Inflow of foreign capital from acquisition payments.

Possible regional hub development if Uber centralizes Caribbean operations in Kingston or Montego Bay.

Risks:

Increased economic leakage: higher share of revenue remitted to Uber’s US headquarters rather than circulating locally.

Reduced competitive diversity if a single global player dominates food delivery.

Lower tax take if Uber structures revenues offshore versus local Jamaican platforms paying full GCT and corporate taxes.

6. Government & Regulators

Policy Considerations

Competition Law: Does the acquisition create a near-monopoly in food delivery?

Taxation: Ensuring Uber Eats’ revenue is properly taxed locally, not just commissions passed to foreign parent companies.

Employment Protections: Assessing implications for riders/drivers in terms of contracts, benefits, and worker classification under a global platform.

Strategic Alternatives for Local Players

If acquisition talks begin, local platforms could:

Form a Defensive Alliance or Merger:

Combine QuickCart, 7Krave, and 876Get into a single “Jamaica Eats” superapp with combined merchant base, user network, and operational synergies to resist Uber’s entry.

Seek Regional Expansion:

Move into other Caribbean islands before Uber does, becoming an acquisition target at higher valuations or remaining the dominant regional player.

Enhance Differentiation:

Deepen loyalty programs, integrate Jamaican culture and brand identity, and provide services Uber Eats does not (errands, bills payments, direct merchant ordering).

Businessuite Final Take

“An Uber Eats acquisition would be a seismic shift for Jamaica’s food delivery market—creating opportunities for founders and consumers, but risking local economic leakage, higher merchant fees, and reduced entrepreneurial diversity.”

The government, regulators, and local platform founders must weigh short-term gains versus long-term sovereignty in the digital economy. As Uber Eats’ quiet “coming soon” notice warns, Jamaican innovation, consolidation, and policy readiness must accelerate now to keep the country’s food delivery ecosystem competitive, inclusive, and locally owned.

Jamaica, Is Uber Eats Coming Soon?

Uber Eats: A Warning Sign?
The Uber Eats “coming soon” message on its site in Jamaica could hint at potential disruption to local delivery operators—just as Uber Rides shook up the traditional taxi industry using unregulated services. Will Uber Eats follow that model, or can local players fight back?

Meet Local Contenders

QuickCart

• Founded in 2016 (originally as QuickPlate), now serves ~40,000 users and has processed over US $1M in revenue
• Delivers food, groceries, meds, electronics, OTC and more across Kingston, Montego Bay, Portmore
• Monetizes through merchant commissions and delivery fees; claims unit-level profitability and steady growth

7Krave

• A dominant contender with 200+ restaurant partners (including KFC and Pizza Hut) and 4.6-star app rating from over 15,000 reviews
• Offers both restaurant delivery and “7KraveMart” grocery service.
• Grew from humble beginnings—10 restaurants, one driver—to hundreds of delivery bearers and ~400,000 customers island-wide

876Get

• An “ecommerce ecosystem” offering food, groceries, pharmacy, courier, and errand services island wide with multiple app interfaces (customer, merchant, driver)
• Combines real-time tracking, order updates, and broad coverage beyond just food .

Strengths of the Local Players

1. Deep Local Insight
They understand Jamaica’s logistics, road conditions, crime patterns, and consumer preferences—issues Uber Eats will need time to navigate

2. Diversified Service Offerings
QuickCart and 876Get go beyond food—into groceries, meds, electronics—creating resilience in fluctuating demand cycles

3. Community Trust & Loyalty
With apps rated 4.6 stars and glowing user feedback, platforms like 7Krave enjoy strong local brand reputation

4. Unit-Level Profitability
QuickCart’s reported solid margins per order position it well for scale without external subsidies

Strategies to Defend and Grow Market Share

1. Strengthen Local Partnerships
• Partner with more restaurants and retailers to secure exclusives before Uber Eats arrives.
• Work with local banks or telcos to integrate easy mobile payments, driving stickiness.

2. Enhance Customer Experience
• Launch loyalty programs and subscription plans (e.g., monthly delivery passes).
• Adopt advanced UX improvements—both QuickCart and 7Krave are investing in better app experiences
3. Broaden Service Bundles
• Build holistic offerings: eat + grocery + meds + courier + errand through a unified app—something Uber Eats doesn’t yet offer.
• 876Get’s multi-service model is a blueprint for resilience

4. Leverage Local Marketing
• Emphasize “locally owned and built” messaging, tapping into national pride as a differentiator.
• Sponsor community events or partner with local influencers.
5. Invest in Logistics Infrastructure
• Build a driver network with proper vetting, training, insurance—positioning around safety and reliability.
• Use real-time data and dynamic routing to optimize deliveries—something lacking among informal courier services.

Policy Levers & Support Role
Government can accelerate local success by:
• Offering grants or low-rate loans to support digital infrastructure and app upgrades.
• Ensuring parity regulations—Uber Eats must follow same licensing and health standards as local platforms.
• Collaborating with local apps to ensure small eateries and retailers are included before foreign platforms launch.
• Investigating economic impact—keeping more revenue onshore rather than flowing out via platform fees.

Final Take: Close the Door First
Local platforms aren’t just incumbents—they’re innovators with diversified offerings, profitability, and brand loyalty. If they move fast—improving UX, expanding services, and forging local partnerships—they can front run Uber Eats, closing the window on foreign intrusion.

But time is limited. With Uber’s global model looming, QuickCart, 7Krave, and 876Get must double down now—cementing their position as Jamaica’s trusted, home grown food and delivery ecosystem.

Jamaica Market Entry via Acquisition: Uber Eats’ Potential Playbook

The Genesis of Dataffluent
In early 2024, Jamaican technologist Raquel Seville founded Dataffluent Limited to address a critical void: Caribbean markets lacked reliable, structured financial data. The startup’s mission is audacious yet essential—to “democratise data for underserved markets,” empowering investors, analysts, and companies to navigate with clarity in regions traditionally seen as opaque .

Within months, Dataffluent built an MVP focused on the top 40 companies listed on the Jamaica Stock Exchange; by fall 2024, it had secured entry into the Techstars Atlanta/New Orleans accelerator, accompanied by US $120,000 in funding from J.P. Morgan partnerships .

What the Platform Offers
Dataffluent’s platform is a three‑step powerhouse:

1. Ingest & Normalise
Consolidating structured and unstructured data—from filings, reports, and press coverage—then standardising variables to facilitate accurate comparisons and analysis .

2. Interactive Dashboards
Merging fundamental analysis, technical indicators, sentiment metrics, and peer benchmarking into intuitive, visually-rich dashboards—cutting research time by up to 95% .

3. AI-Powered Insights & Forecasts
Delivering machine learning–driven models and predictive analytics tailored to individual risk tolerances and portfolio objectives .

This combination equips users with personalized, actionable guidance on regional equities—an offering rare in emerging markets .

Growth Through Validation & Recognition
Dataffluent didn’t just emerge; it validated its value quickly. In early 2025, the startup clinched third place at the Fintech Islands FiX2025 pitch competition in Barbados, earning US$2,500 and praise for unlocking high-potential Caribbean opportunities

Beyond accolades, inclusion in the Techstars Program positioned Dataffluent within a global network of mentors, investors, and co-founders, amplifying its resources and reach

In Her Own Words: Bold Ambition
On ICT Pulse Podcast (Episode ICTP‑338), Seville elaborated:

“Data‑driven market intelligence is still underdeveloped in the Caribbean… being able to provide clients with accurate, real‑time data… is essential in driving the region’s economic growth and increasing its economic resilience and independence.”

Her remarks underscore a philosophy rooted in regional transformation: data infrastructure isn’t just a tech challenge—it’s a pathway to autonomy and prosperity for Caribbean economies.

Women in Tech & Leadership
Prior to Dataffluent, Seville helmed BI Brainz’s Caribbean arm, training over 10,000 professionals and authoring a technical guide on SAP OpenUI5

But her influence goes beyond curricula; as a vocal advocate for women in tech, she regularly shares candid narratives of resilience—outlining the often-unseen trade-offs of balancing career, health, and family .

Strategy: Bridging Gaps & Scaling Horizons
Seville’s strategy centers on two complementary fronts:

Close the Confidence Gap: By arming investors with robust data and smart analysis, the company seeks to elevate investor participation—currently hovering at about 10% in Jamaica, versus over 60% in developed markets .

Expand Geographically: In 2–3 years, Dataffluent aims to replicate its model across regional exchanges (Trinidad & Tobago, Barbados, Eastern Caribbean), addressing a universal data deficit in emerging economies .

Why It Matters
For Investors: The platform provides tools once reserved for global markets—enabling Caribbean investors to conduct rigorous, data-driven analysis locally.

For SMEs & Governments: Actionable market data means smarter capital allocation and stronger economic planning.

For Caribbean Economies: A measurable boost in GDP growth is possible as data transparency fosters investment, innovation, and competitiveness .

Look Ahead
As Seville and her team evolve Dataffluent from beta to commercial product, the vision is clear: establish the firm as the region’s trusted financial intelligence engine. With continued Techstars support, regional pilots, and incoming pilot customers, 2025 looks to be the year Dataffluent moves from promise to prominent plotter of Caribbean capital flows.

Final Take
Raquel Seville is more than a data entrepreneur—she’s a catalyst for transformational growth. With Dataffluent, she’s not just building a tech company; she’s architecting a new era of transparency, participation, and economic resilience in markets long side-lined by data scarcity. It’s a story of ambition, precision, and regional uplift—and Fortune readers should take note.

Introducing a Local Super App Alternative
InterMetroONE— a SuperApp under RedPlate Group Limited—offers air travel transfers, coach rides (like the upcoming JUTA Express), taxis, parcel courier service, groceries, and more, all in a single platform. In parallel, Walkbout.com is launching guided local experiences and cultural tours, tailored to small hotels and boutique hosts—positioning itself as a geolocal, authentic alternative to Airbnb Experiences .

Together, these two Jamaican startups hope to form the first fully integrated, locally led travel superapp—a provider-owned ecosystem unifying ground transport, tours, and boutique lodging—on Jamaican soil.

Why This Local Startup Could Succeed

1. Homegrown & Compliant
InterMetroONE already partners with national operators—notably JUTA Express launching in 2025—maintaining regulatory standards and local trust .

2. Multi-Service “One-Stop” Solution
Unlike global platforms, this app includes:
• Scheduled luxury bus and coach routes, with real-time tracking and no overcrowding
• Airport-to-hotel transfers, group charters, and executive vehicles
• Courier, grocery delivery, and soon,
• Walkbout local experiences—where travelers can engage local guides for deep-dive tours

3. Strengthening Small Operators
By aggregating bookings, logistics, and marketing, InterMetroONE can enable boutique hotel owners and taxi drivers to collaborate—without a Silicon Valley middleman. This could reduce leakage of commission and retain economic value in Jamaica.

Voices from the Ground

“Buses that run on time and aren’t overcrowded? That’ll be a game changer,” says a Montego Bay commuter, reflecting public frustration with unreliable transit

“We tried privatizing… coaster buses… commuting… nightmare. Regulation is the key.”

These voices underscore critical demand for reliable, regulated, privately managed transport systems like InterMetroONE.

Winning Together: A Roadmap for Collaboration

To make InterMetroONE–Walkbout successful for all stakeholders, local operators should:

1. Adopt Platform Tools
o Taxi associations, guesthouses, and tour guides should integrate into the app to capitalize on airport transfers, bus scheduling, and tours.

2. Bundle Services
o Boutique hotels can offer “Stay + Transport + Tour” packages using Walkbout experiences and InterMetro transfers as a single SKU.

3. Win Trust via Quality & Compliance
o Upfront certification, training, and standardized pricing under one local brand will build trust and consistency—unlike fragmented global platforms.

4. Promote Data-sharing & Feedback
o Operators can co-develop service improvements via shared metrics—e.g. tourist route demand, seasonal peaks—benefiting all.

5. Leverage Community Networks
o Word-of-mouth remains powerful. InterMetroONE can host info sessions in parishes to onboard small providers and build local ambassador networks.

Policy Must-Haves: Enabling the Local Answer
To support this model, five critical government measures are recommended:
1. Digitization Grants – Provide micro-grants or loans for small operators to access certification, insurance, app training.
2. Regulatory Parity – Ensure InterMetroONE offers drivers and guides the same professional license standards as JUTA—a level playing field.
3. Revenue Reinvestment – Structure tourism taxes or fees to match platform growth, ensuring earnings stay within local economies.
4. SME Networks – The Ministry of Tourism should facilitate full operator onboarding into the platform—including training programs, public trust campaigns.
5. Monitor Economic Leakage – Commission an independent impact study on how much tourist spend stays local versus platform-bound.

Vision: A Jamaican Model for the Caribbean
If successful, InterMetroONE and Walkbout can be more than a Jamaican solution—they could become a regional standard, adaptable to other Caribbean islands seeking locally anchored digital economies.

Call to Action: How Your Business Can Join the Journey
• Small hotels: Propose pilot transport + experience packages this summer.
• Taxi & bus operators: Partner with InterMetroONE as certified drivers or fleet providers.
• Tour guides: Join Walkbout.com to bring unique, heritage-led experiences.
• Policy-makers: Prioritize digital tourism frameworks and SME support.

Businessuite Online Summary
• A Jamaican-led, regulated, fully integrated travel app could beat global disruptors by staying local, compliant, and collaborative.
• Now is the time for SMEs, associations, and government to align—ensuring that if Uber and Airbnb ever arrive together, Jamaica’s own ecosystem remains vibrant and in control.

“This Could Either Integrate Us Into A Global Ecosystem Or Render Us Obsolete Overnight.”

That’s how Senior Tourism Executive, describes the possibility of an Uber–Airbnb strategic partnership, which would see the world’s two largest sharing economy disruptors combine their offerings into a seamless, app-based travel experience.

The Global Vision, Local Disruption
Uber Technologies, Inc. is the world’s largest ride-hailing platform, operating in over 70 countries and 15,000 cities.
Airbnb, Inc. is the dominant online marketplace for homestays and experiences, with more than 150 million users globally.
In Jamaica, Uber’s entry has challenged traditional taxi associations such as JUTA, Maxi Tours, and JCAL, while Airbnb has democratized hospitality, enabling homeowners to become hoteliers almost overnight.

What Would This Partnership Look Like?
• Integrated Bookings: Guests booking an Airbnb in Montego Bay could automatically arrange an Uber pickup from Sangster International Airport.
• Bundled Experiences: Uber could launch curated island tours in partnership with Airbnb hosts.
• Data Sharing: The companies could integrate user preferences to personalize accommodation and mobility recommendations.

Potential Risks for Local Operators

Transportation Sector:
“Uber already undercuts our rates. If they join with Airbnb, we could lose airport transfers and local tours, our bread and butter,” warns Michael Morgan.
Without rapid digitization, traditional operators risk losing market share to app-based models offering transparency, safety tracking, and instant booking.

Hospitality Sector:
While many small Airbnb hosts would benefit from integrated guest mobility, large resorts fear losing exclusive transportation revenues.
“We spend millions annually on guest logistics – this will force us to rethink that model,” says a senior operations manager at a leading all-inclusive resort group.

Policy Recommendations for Government Action
Businessuite spoke with industry stakeholders, yielding five critical policy recommendations:

1. Level Licensing Requirements:
Ensure Uber drivers meet similar safety, insurance, and professional standards as licensed JUTA and Maxi Tours operators.

2. Create a Digital Tourism Regulation Framework:
Establish clear guidelines for platforms like Airbnb to protect guests and ensure tax compliance without stifling micro-entrepreneurship.

3. Incentivize Local Digital Transformation:
Provide low-interest financing or technical grants to traditional operators for app development, fleet management systems, and customer experience upgrades.

4. Negotiate Platform Partnerships with Local Associations:
The Ministry of Tourism and Transport Authority should broker agreements ensuring local tour and transport operators are included in platform offerings.

5. Assess Economic Leakages:
Study the net foreign exchange impact of platform commissions exiting Jamaica, balancing digital convenience with national economic interests.

Business Models Are Evolving

Traditional Taxi Associations:
Exploring white-label app solutions to modernize dispatch and payments.

Airbnb Hosts:
Excited at the prospect of seamless transportation offerings, increasing guest satisfaction and repeat bookings.

Hotels & Resorts:
Likely to resist integration to protect in-house transport revenues, while quietly exploring their own mobility partnerships.

Businessuite Final Take

“When global giants like Uber and Airbnb combine forces, there are both opportunities and threats. Jamaica must act swiftly to protect local entrepreneurs while embracing digital innovation to remain competitive.”

The future of Jamaican tourism lies in its ability to integrate into global digital ecosystems without sacrificing local livelihoods. The time for public–private dialogue is now.
By Businessuite Contributor