He is suspected of stealing confidential data before joining rival 99Food.
Brazilian police carried out a search-and-seizure operation at the home of a former strategic sales executive at food-delivery company iFood and seized his electronic devices. Investigators suspect that he downloaded confidential commercial information before leaving the company and then joined rival 99Food.
The search took place last Wednesday in Rio de Janeiro. The former employee had access to sensitive client information at iFood, including sales volumes and customer profiles. Police want to examine the seized devices and determine what happened to the files, police inspector Angelo Lages, who is leading the investigation, told Reuters.
The investigation is part of a broader probe into alleged corporate espionage in Brazil's multibillion-dollar food-delivery industry. Competition has intensified following the entry of Chinese-backed platform Keeta, owned by Meituan, and 99Food, controlled by ride-hailing firm DiDi Global.
99Food said it takes such reports seriously and does not tolerate the use of data obtained through illegal means. The company also stressed that the individual targeted by the operation is no longer part of its workforce. According to inspector Lages, the former employee is currently operating as an independent consultant.
The former employee resigned from iFood in 2025 after informing the company he would join 99Food, Lages said. An internal review later identified downloads of internal company documents shortly before his departure. Investigators are seeking to determine whether other individuals or companies gained access to the information.
iFood, owned by Dutch investment group Prosus, controls about 80% of the Brazilian food-delivery market, which overall processed about $20 billion in orders last year, according to industry group Abrasel. In recent months, iFood has publicly alleged attempts to obtain confidential business information through former employees and paid consultations arranged by third-party firms, charges rivals deny.
The case is unfolding alongside a series of ongoing competition disputes before Brazil's antitrust regulator Cade. Keeta has accused 99Food of using exclusivity clauses and contractual provisions that allegedly make it harder for restaurants to operate across multiple platforms. iFood, in turn, asked Cade to scrutinize the expansion strategies of Keeta and 99Food, alleging they rely on heavy subsidies and sustained losses to gain market share.
Source: Reuters
