Meituan Q1 Revenue Hits $12.1B with 500M+ Quick Commerce Users, Gen Z Becomes Top Spending Group

Meituan’s Flash Delivery Hits 500M Users as Q1 Revenue Reveals Millennial-Driven Boom

CNBC AI News, May 26 – Meituan reported robust first-quarter earnings for 2025, with its core local commerce segment driving RMB 64.3 billion ($9.1 billion) of the company’s total RMB 86.6 billion ($12.2 billion) revenue. The star performer? Its ultra-fast delivery service, Meituan Instashopping, which continues to reshape China’s instant gratification economy.

Dubbed “30-minute retail revolution” by analysts, Meituan Instashopping has evolved from a pandemic-era convenience to a Gen Z lifestyle staple. Recent data reveals over 500 million cumulative transacting users as of March 31, with 55% aged between 18-34 – a demographic rewriting consumption patterns through on-demand mobile commerce.

The platform demonstrated category-agnostic growth:

• Daily FMCG orders for snacks and beverages surged 135% YoY
• Electronics and home appliances sales spiked 88% during Q1 promotional periods
• Valentine’s Day 2025 saw floral and luxury beauty orders nearly double

Non-restaurant retail orders now exceed 18 million daily, reflecting what Goldman Sachs analysts call “the great retail unbundling” where everything from smartphones to skincare becomes impulse-purchase capable.

Behind the numbers lies Meituan’s aggressive “Tech-Driven Retail” playbook:

• RMB 5.8 billion ($815 million) Q1 R&D investment in AI logistics optimization
• 277% increase in AI-powered dynamic pricing models since 2024
• Smart warehousing coverage expanded to 88% of tier 1-3 cities

The company announced an ambitious RMB 100 billion ($14.1 billion) three-year investment plan targeting hyperlocal supply chain innovations and drone delivery networks. This aligns with China’s broader push to raise total instant retail GMV to RMB 4 trillion by 2027.

“We’re seeing fundamental shifts in consumption architecture,” said CEO Wang Xing. “When 5G users can livestream unbox a new iPhone delivered before the video ends, retail isn’t just faster – it’s becoming real-time emotional fulfillment.”