Food delivery group Just Eat Takeaway delivered almost 180 million meals in the final three months of last year, an increase of 57% on the same period in 2019.

Revenue in the fourth quarter was up 60% at around €740m, the company said in a trading update.  The growth was particularly strong in Britain, and in the Netherlands where the company is based, it delivered 38% more meals.

In total, the company processed 588 million orders last year, a rise of 39% on 2019, and generating revenue of almost €13bn.

‘In 2021, we will continue to invest in price leadership, improving our service levels and expanding our offering to restaurants and consumers,’ chief executive Jitse Groen said in a statement.

Groen set up Thuisbezorgd.nl – now Just Eat Takeaway.com – in 2000 when he was a 21-year-old student.

In January last year, Takeaway finalised its takeover of Just Eat and in June, reached agreement to take over its American peer Grubhub to create what it says is ‘the largest online food delivery company outside China’.

The company now operates in 23 European companies.