Yum China Holdings, the operator of the Kentucky Fried Chicken (KFC) and Pizza Hut restaurant chains, is buying a controlling stake in food delivery service provider Daojia, as it looks to boost sales by better serving customers who chose to eat at home. The transaction – valued at up to USD200 million – is expected to close before the end of the month. Daojia, which also operates Sherpas food delivery services, was founded in 2010 and focuses on higher value food orders in major cities in China including Beijing, Shanghai, Guangzhou and Shenzhen. The move is in line with Yum China’s strategy to accelerate growth through digital orders and delivery. Deliveries accounted for around 12% of Yum China’s sales in the first quarter of this year. Daojia has completed four rounds of financing totaling USD69.5 million, the latest one in September 2014, led by JD.com. The top three internet companies, Alibaba, Tencent and Baidu, are also competing for market share in the sector. Statistics from Big Data Research show that the transaction value of China’s food delivery market reached CNY176 billion in 2016, with delivery firms backed by the big three internet firms capturing a dominant 86.6% of the market, the South China Morning Post reports.