Quick commerce has exploded. But 2026 is likely to be even more challenging
India’s quick commerce battle is set to turn even more intense in 2026 even as companies delivering groceries to electronics within minutes chase customer loyalty and improve unit economics.The ongoing year saw an explosion of the rapid delivery segment as companies expanded beyond metros to tier 2 and 3 cities, added more warehouses and went beyond everyday essentials, burning even more cash to win over customers.Backed by fresh funding, the three dominant players–Swiggy’s Instamart, Eternal’s Blinkit and Zepto–will look to create profitable models to solidify their market position in the coming year, according to industry executives.“Expect sharper credit terms with brands, stricter expiry control, and consolidated city hubs,” said Madhav Kasturia, founder and chief executive officer of hyperlocal delivery platform Zippee. “Capital sets the pace, but execution still decides who can convert density into contribution profit every single week.”Swiggy raised ₹10,000 crore in fresh capital via a qualified institutional placement (QIP) on 13 December, two months after Zepto raised $450 million at a valuation of $7 billion, led by US-based pension fund California Public Employees’ Retirement System (CalPERS) in October.
Parent Eternal, too, continues to invest in Blinkit.Indians ordered ₹64,000 crore of goods from quick-commerce platforms like Blinkit and Instamart in FY25, a more than twofold jump from the previous fiscal, according to a report by domestic ratings firm Care Edge. Platforms pocketed revenue of ₹10,500 crore from fees in FY25 from about ₹450 crore in FY22, the report said, underscoring the explosive growth of the segment since the pandemic.Breakneck growth, competition and evolving consumer behaviour have
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