INDIA – Quick commerce service provider Blinkit has announced its entry into the quick food delivery market with the launch of Bistro, positioning the Zomato=owned company alongside competitors like Swiggy’s Bolt and Zepto Café.
Blinkit is available to both Android and Apple users.
Currently in its pilot phase, the app allows users to import contacts and addresses from their Zomato accounts.
However, delivery is limited to select areas in Gurugram, where Zomato, Blinkit’s parent company, is headquartered.
The company’s mission, as stated in the app description, is to “redefine convenience with superfast delivery, helping consumers across India save time while enjoying seamless, high-quality experiences.”
Blinkit has not yet provided an official statement regarding the development.
This move follows Zepto’s announcement of a separate app for its instant food delivery service, Zepto Cafe, and comes at a time when Swiggy has already expanded its quick food delivery service, Bolt, to over 400 cities in India.
Zomato had previously entered the quick food delivery market with its Instant service in 2022 but discontinued it in 2023.
Zomato CEO Deepinder Goyal reflected on this earlier this year, stating, “10-minute food can change the game if we get it right.”
He also acknowledged that Blinkit’s speed has made Zomato appear slower, with some deliveries taking up to 40 minutes, which he described as “very, very slow.” Goyal emphasized the shifting customer expectations in food delivery, noting that the industry must adapt.
Analysts suggest that the push toward rapid food delivery is a response to the slowing growth of traditional food delivery services.
Satish Meena, an analyst at Datum Intelligence, noted, “While quick commerce is growing much faster, the growth rate of food delivery is going down,” pointing out that this shift could encourage more last-minute orders.
Swiggy’s management recently highlighted the rapid growth of quick food delivery, noting that it now makes up 5 percent of its food orders within two months of launch.
Additionally, Bengaluru-based startup Swish has secured US$2 million in funding and is expanding its services in select parts of the city.
An industry expert, who wished to remain anonymous, commented, “Blinkit is a leader in quick commerce, and it was only a matter of time before it entered the food delivery race.”
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