Dingdong Maicai founder Liang Changlin sends an all-staff letter explaining why the company merged into Meituan

K-LinePoet · 2026-02-23T16:29:48+00:00

Meituan plans to acquire Dingdong Maicai for approximately $717 million, which will become its wholly owned subsidiary. Dingdong Maicai founder Liang Changlin stated in an internal letter that the transaction will not affect the company's core capabilities and will instead provide broader development opportunities for its business, while the existing team structure will remain stable.

K-LinePoet

2026-02-23 16:29:48

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Phoenix Technology News, February 5 — Meituan announced that it plans to acquire all issued shares of mainland China fresh grocery e-commerce company Dingdong Maicai for approximately $717 million. Upon completion of the transaction, Dingdong Maicai will become an indirectly wholly-owned subsidiary of Meituan, and its financial performance will be consolidated into Meituan’s financial reports.

In response to this acquisition, Dingdong Maicai founder Liang Changlin issued an internal letter to all employees on the same day. In the letter, he reviewed the company’s development since its founding in 2017 and stated that the company has gradually established a business system centered on direct sourcing from suppliers, self-operated fresh food processing, and supply chain efficiency amid fierce competition in the fresh grocery market. He also noted that the company has achieved sustained profitability in recent years.

Liang Changlin mentioned in the letter that over 85% of Dingdong Maicai’s fresh products are sourced directly from suppliers, and the company has also set up self-operated factories and farms. It has formed scale advantages in niche categories such as health foods and ready-to-cook dishes. He believes these capabilities have been accumulated through long-term investment and meticulous operations and are a key competitive foundation for Dingdong Maicai.

Regarding the reasons for choosing to reach an agreement with Meituan, Liang Changlin stated that this acquisition does not mean a weakening of Dingdong Maicai’s core capabilities. On the contrary, under a larger platform system, Dingdong Maicai’s accumulated strengths in product offerings, fulfillment services, and supply chain efficiency are expected to find broader application. He also emphasized that after the transaction is completed, Dingdong Maicai’s business operations and team structure will remain relatively stable.

On the issue of personal development, which employees are most concerned about, Liang Changlin said that Dingdong Maicai’s existing business will continue to advance, and the company will also bring more opportunities for horizontal development for employees. He expressed that the team will continue working side by side to help the company steadily move forward in this new phase.

Below is the full internal letter:

View Original

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