Kolkata Entrepreneur Transforms Side Hustle into ₹15 Crore Logistics Business Serving India’s Tier 2 and 3 Cities

In April 2020, when the world came to a sudden halt due to the pandemic, uncertainty became the new normal. Streets were silent. Markets were shut. 

People were locked inside their homes with limited access to essentials, businesses were struggling to stay afloat, and schools closed their gates indefinitely.

Among the chaos, one of the biggest crises was the lack of access to study materials like books or stationery for many students, especially from smaller towns. Online classes had started, but most schools were not equipped to handle the logistics of learning from home.

One such school, desperate to deliver essential study materials to its students, reached out to Maloy Das, a professional from Kolkata known for his operational know-how. They needed help, and they needed it fast.

Maloy wasn’t running a logistics business back then, but he saw the urgency 

in their voice. They just wanted to ensure their students didn’t fall behind.

Without hesitation, Maloy put together a team of five people to manage operations, MIS, finance, and customer satisfaction, and helped the school.

That one act of service didn’t go unnoticed. Word began to spread. Soon, 24 more schools approached him, all facing the same problem.

What started as a one-time favour soon transformed into a full-time mission. That was the beginning of Shippin, a now-thriving Kolkata-based logistics startup built during a global crisis.

“I thought it would be a short-term effort, just to help during the lockdown. But things kept growing. The demand kept coming. Before I knew it, it was a company,” said Maloy Das, the founder of Shippin, during an exclusive interview with Startup Pedia.

The Shippin Model

The Kolkata-based logistics startup Shippin operates in the hyperlocal delivery segment, ensuring quick and efficient logistics support to businesses of all sizes.

Their offerings are focused on serving large enterprises in the online grocery, pharmaceutical, and direct-to-consumer (D2C) sectors.

The model is designed around speed, reliability, and affordability, with a strong emphasis on last-mile excellence. Delivery charges, as low as ₹45–50 for essential category services, vary based on package size and distance, making logistics accessible and affordable in smaller towns.

Today, Shippin operates at a scalable delivery volume, covering extensive distances annually—demonstrating both its operational reach and capability to support large-scale logistics.

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Growing with Grit: From Garage Hustle to a Scalable Business

What makes Shippin’s growth even more remarkable is its lean structure. The company runs with a tight-knit team of just 18 on-roll employees, many of whom have stayed with Maloy since inception.

“There are team members who left bigger brands and better pay just to continue with Shippin. That’s what a strong culture does,” said the founder of Shippin in the Startup Pedia interview.

The company has come a long way from its humble beginnings. The company boasts a 100% client retention rate, with zero drop-offs, a rare feat in logistics.

The Kolkata-based logistics startup operates at scale, managing extensive delivery volumes and covering vast distances annually across its service network.

Shippin’s growth wasn’t fuelled by VC funding or splashy launches; it was fully bootstrapped and backed by the trust of the SBI MSME fund—built on grit, real demand, and a deep understanding of India’s underserved markets.

In its first year (2020–2021), Shippin made ₹38 lakh, mainly from delivering 25,000 books to students across 24 schools. A small but impactful partnership with Grab a Grub Services, logistics arm of JioMart , Spencer’s Retail Ltd and many more online Grocery chain also added to the revenue.

“We started with schools, then few big Online Grocery Chain came in and that’s how we diversified our business into other categories beyond books,” Maloy recalls in the Startup Pedia interview.

In 2022–2023, Shippin’s revenue jumped to ₹3.62 crore, driven by groceries and essentials for clients like JioMart and Spencer's Retail, addressing a clear gap in smaller towns.

By 2023–2024, Shippin achieved significant revenue growth, driven by its entry into the fast-paced world of quick commerce.

With a focus on high-speed delivery and operational precision, the company consistently met industry-leading service levels—delivering within 45 minutes and maintaining a 98% SLA rate, a rare accomplishment in this demanding sector.

The year 2024–2025 brought its share of challenges, including a major shift in the Q-commerce strategy that led to a temporary dip.

However, true to its bootstrapped nature, Shippin swiftly pivoted to new markets with determination, setting its sights on a target of ₹15 Crore for FY-2025-26—proving that resilience and innovation driven growth, even without external fundraising support.

To achieve the ambitious target for FY 2025-26, Shippin is taking a bold step forward by introducing its own in-house tech platform.

This innovative platform will seamlessly integrate B2B2C and D2C models with micro-fulfilment centre support. It will also optimize the utilization of delivery partners, especially during periods of low demand, thereby enhancing their earning potential. With this forward-thinking approach, Shippin is poised to drive even greater efficiency and growth in the logistics space.

The startup’s long-term vision is to achieve ₹500 crore in revenue by 2030 by focusing on underserved markets. This includes the strategic introduction of a P2P (peer-to-peer) delivery segment in Tier 2 cities across East and Northeast India, aimed at meeting the daily logistics needs of households.

To support this growth, Shippin is committed to strengthening its foundation through the 3Ts – Technology, Talent, and Territory (Underserved) – ensuring scalable innovation, skilled execution, and focused geographic expansion.

“We want to make life easier for people living in tier 2–3 cities, and I am determined to clock ₹500 crore revenue by 2030,” Maloy says with quiet conviction in the Startup Pedia interview.

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Building Shippin: The Resilient Journey of Maloy and Annie Das with Their Dynamic Team

Maloy Das, the Kolkata-based entrepreneur and founder of Shippin, grew up in a modest household where his father worked at the Kolkata Municipal Corporation, and his mother was a homemaker.

Despite humble beginnings, business ran through his veins, inspired by his maternal grandfather, a self-made entrepreneur.

In the late 70s, with no formal education but sharp business instincts, his grandfather built a retail Bengali sweet shop business in central Kolkata with four outlets—bootstrapped and debt-free.

“He was doing backward and forward integration before even knowing the jargon,” Maloy reflects, highlighting the lasting impact this had on him.

After completing his B.Sc. in IT and an MBA in Marketing, Maloy went on to build a successful career at top companies like HCL Infosystems, Paytm, Quess Corp, and ACCA. As an intrapreneur, he thrived on building businesses from scratch. Life was stable and fulfilling, but his entrepreneurial spirit kept calling.

Annie Das, Co-founder of Shippin and Maloy’s life Partner, hails from Guwahati, Assam.

With a B.Sc. (Zoology) from Guwahati University and an MBA in HR from University of Kalyani, Annie began her career in the public sector, making impactful contributions to human resources at organizations like NERAMAC (under the Ministry of DoNER, Government of India) and Brahmaputra Ashok (a subsidiary of ITDC, a Government of India enterprise). She also has an Executive Diploma in HR Management from IIM Calcutta.

However, in 2019, their lives took an unexpected turn. Annie was diagnosed with the rare and severe TEN/Steven-Johnson syndrome, a life-threatening disease that led to months in intensive care and left her with severe Ocular Surface Issue.

At the same time, Maloy balanced his work and the care of their newborn twins.

By December 2020, Maloy made a bold life-changing decision—he left his secure job to join Shippin full-time, taking the plunge at 35 with a family to support.

"You can’t stand in society if you leave a job like that. But sometimes, the almighty sees your struggle and gives you an opportunity," Maloy reflected.

Today, Shippin thrives as a tech-enabled logistics brand, thanks to the resilience and vision of Couple Duo Maloy and Annie. Their journey is a testament to determination, legacy, and the courage to embrace change, no matter the odds.

Also Read: Started with Just ₹30,000, This Odisha Entrepreneur Built a ₹10 Crore Annual Turnover EdTech Startup

Green Goals for a Better Tomorrow

With high delivery volumes come high carbon emissions, and Maloy, the founder of Shippin, knows this.

“We calculated that we currently travel around 3 crore kilometres per year. That’s a lot of fuel and pollution,” he says. “And this number is only going to increase in leaps and bounds in the years to come as we scale our operations.”

To counter the environmental impact, Shippin has started converting its delivery fleet to electric vehicles (EVs), aiming to reach 40% EV adoption by the end of this year and 90% within 3–5 years.

However, building a sustainable logistics network in East and North-East India comes with its own set of challenges.

“The EV infrastructure in this region is still underdeveloped, and most OEMs are hesitant to serve Tier-3 cities due to service and support limitations,” Maloy explains. “But that hasn’t stopped us.”

Despite the odds, Shippin continues to push forward. “We’re working closely with EV OEMs and gradually setting up the necessary infrastructure ourselves. If we get more support, we believe 100% EV adoption is achievable,” says the Kolkata-based entrepreneur with conviction.

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