The quick commerce race in India has a new frontrunner as Zepto, founded just three years ago in 2021, surpasses Swiggy Instamart in daily order volumes. Despite being the last entrant in the market, Zepto now delivers 1.45 to 1.55 million orders daily compared to Swiggy Instamart's 1.05 to 1.15 million, according to a recent report by Moneycontrol.
Market leader Blinkit still maintains the top position with approximately 1.65 to 1.75 million daily orders. The three major players now control an impressive 88% of India's quick commerce market, with Blinkit holding 35%, Zepto capturing 31%, and Swiggy Instamart at 22%.
What makes Zepto's rise remarkable is its extraordinary growth trajectory. The company has scaled its daily deliveries by 200% over the past year, significantly outpacing Blinkit's 90% growth and Swiggy Instamart's 60% growth during the same period. In March last year, Zepto was delivering just 0.45 to 0.55 million orders daily.
This shift reflects changing consumer behavior across India's urban centers. Monthly order frequency has jumped from 4.4 orders per customer in 2021 to 6 orders by the end of 2024, demonstrating growing consumer reliance on quick commerce platforms for daily essentials.
The quick commerce sector itself has expanded dramatically, growing five times in size since 2022 according to a Bain & Company report. The sector is projected to maintain 40% annual growth over the next five years, further disrupting traditional retail models.
Traditional e-commerce giants are struggling to adapt to this new reality. BigBasket manages only 0.5 million daily orders, representing a 9% market share, while Flipkart Minutes holds a mere 3% of the market. Quick commerce companies now deliver two-thirds of all online grocery orders in India, fundamentally altering the retail landscape.
Initially, traditional companies tried to compete with quick delivery platforms through better pricing, but after several failed attempts, they launched their own quick commerce services. By this time, however, Blinkit, Zepto, and Swiggy Instamart had already secured significant market shares and established themselves as leaders.
The rise of Zepto signals how Indian people shop for groceries. The bottom line is that consumer expectations continue to evolve towards convenience and speed, with implications for retailers across the country's US$1.3 trillion retail market.