ZOMATO, the publicly traded food delivery company, has made an offer to acquire closely held Indian e-commerce shipping startup Shiprocket, according to people with knowledge of the matter.

Zomato’s offer values the platform at about US$2 billion, said the people, who requested anonymity discussing confidential information. No final decision has been made and Zomato could opt against proceeding with a deal for the company, the people said. 

A representative for Shiprocket declined to comment. New Delhi-based Zomato said that reports about the company buying Shiprocket for US$2 billion were “incorrect news”, adding it had no plans for an acquisition.

Shiprocket, led by co-founder and chief executive Officer Saahil Goel, raised funds in August 2022 at a valuation of US$1.2 billion, PitchBook data shows. Its investors include Bertelsmann India Investments, Temasek Holdings, PayPal Ventures and Tribe Capital. Zomato backed the company in 2021. 

Since its initial public offering in July 2021, Zomato’s shares have climbed 68 per cent, outperforming the Nifty 50 Index, which has gained 34 per cent over the same period. BLOOMBERG