Short, sourced answers about Blinkit, Zepto, Instamart, dark stores, app fees and what quick commerce means for local kirana shops. Each answer comes from one of our Malayalam reels on Instagram and Facebook. Navora is a Kerala-based quick-commerce brand launching first in Manjeri, Malappuram. Last updated 26 October 2026.
Market size
How big is quick commerce in India’s grocery market?
Quick commerce is only about 1% of India’s grocery market; the other 99% still goes through shops and markets. Quick-commerce orders were worth about ₹64,000 crore in FY25, and CareEdge forecasts about ₹2 lakh crore by FY28.
Quick-commerce orders were worth about ₹64,000 crore in FY25.
CareEdge forecasts about ₹2 lakh crore by FY28, roughly 3× in three years.
For kirana shops, there is still time to start home delivery and WhatsApp orders, but the window is narrowing.
A dark store is a small warehouse that only fulfils app orders; customers can’t walk in. Quick-commerce apps place dark stores close to homes so orders can be packed and delivered in minutes. Bernstein counts more than 5,500 dark stores in India; CareEdge counted 3,072 in FY25.
India has more than 5,500 dark stores (Bernstein). CareEdge counted 3,072 in FY25; counts differ by source.
Each store pays rent, staff and riders whether orders come or not, so it needs enough orders nearby to make money.
On top of item prices, quick-commerce apps have charged delivery, handling, surge, rain and small-cart fees. In November 2025, Zepto removed its handling, surge and rain fees and cut its free-delivery minimum from ₹199 to ₹99.
In November 2025, Zepto removed its handling, surge and rain fees.
Zepto also cut its free-delivery minimum from ₹199 to ₹99.
Tip for shoppers: check the full bill before you pay. Tip for shops: state delivery charges upfront, with no surprise fees.
Source: Zepto announcement and news coverage, November 2025.
Grofers started in 2013, switched to 10-minute delivery and renamed itself Blinkit in 2021. Zomato acquired it in 2022 in a deal worth about $568 million, and in FY25 Blinkit reported ₹5,206 crore in revenue across 153 cities.
Zomato acquired Blinkit in 2022 in a deal worth about $568 million.
In FY25, Blinkit reported ₹5,206 crore in revenue across 153 cities.
Lesson: if the old model isn’t working, don’t be afraid to change it.
Dunzo had big investors but lost money on its orders. Google invested in 2017 and Reliance put in $200 million for 25.8% in 2022, but FY23 revenue of ₹227 crore came with a loss of ₹1,802 crore. The app went offline in 2025.
Founded in Bengaluru in 2014; Google invested in 2017.
Reliance invested $200 million for a 25.8% stake in 2022.
FY23: revenue ₹227 crore, loss ₹1,802 crore. After layoffs and a co-founder exit, the app went offline in 2025.
Getir grew fast but never made money per order. Valued at $11.8 billion in 2022 across 9 countries, it exited every market except Turkey in 2024, and a 2026 Uber deal valued it at up to $435 million, under 4% of its peak.
Small baskets, free delivery and big discounts brought growth without profit, while every dark store kept paying rent, staff and riders.
In 2022 it operated in 9 countries, including the UK, Germany and the US.
A 2026 Uber deal valued it at up to $435 million, less than 4% of its peak value.
Source: news coverage of Getir’s funding, exits and the Uber deal.
Zepto’s founders, Aadit Palicha and Kaivalya Vohra, started at 17 with KiranaKart, then left Stanford to build Zepto. Zepto was valued at about $7 billion in October 2025; in July 2026 it reportedly raised money at about $4.5 billion with its IPO on hold.
Zepto’s valuation went from about $2.5 million in 2021 to about $7 billion in October 2025.
Update: in July 2026 Zepto reportedly raised money at about $4.5 billion, with its IPO on hold.
Lesson: age isn’t the key; fast execution is.
Sources: funding news; MediaNama, December 2025; YourStory (PTI report), July 2026.
Are kirana shops closing because of quick commerce?
A distributors’ federation claims they are. The All India Consumer Products Distributors Federation (AICPDF) claimed in October 2024 that about 2 lakh kirana shops had closed and alleged predatory pricing by apps. This is the federation’s claim, not an independent count.
By their estimate: 45% of closures in metros, 30% in tier-1 cities, 25% in tier-2 and tier-3 towns.
Local shops still have something apps don’t: customers know and trust them.
Practical steps: start home delivery, take WhatsApp orders and look after regular customers.
Source: AICPDF statement, October 2024 (presented as their claim).
Are Flipkart and Amazon bringing quick commerce to small towns?
Yes. Flipkart Minutes reported about 1,000 dark stores in 130+ cities, and Amazon Now is in 15+ cities with plans for about 100. The biggest growth is coming from smaller markets.
Flipkart Minutes: about 1,000 dark stores in 130+ cities, reached in under two years.
Amazon Now: in 15+ cities, with plans for about 100.
For local shops in towns like Manjeri: get ready now with home delivery, online orders and fast replies.
Swiggy Instamart’s 2025 report listed a ₹4.3 lakh single order for three iPhone 17s in Hyderabad, a ₹10 printout as the smallest order in Bengaluru, more than 4 milk packets ordered every second, and a Kochi user who ordered curry leaves 368 times.
Biggest single order: ₹4.3 lakh for three iPhone 17s, in Hyderabad.
Smallest order: a ₹10 printout, in Bengaluru.
Milk was the most-ordered item, at more than 4 packets every second.
A user in Kochi ordered curry leaves 368 times in the year (from Swiggy’s own report).