Tata Group-backed grocery platform BigBasket is preparing to enter the quick commerce food delivery segment with a 10-minute delivery service across India by March 2026, as announced by co-founder Vipul Parekh.
BigBasket co-founder shares quick commerce plans
Parekh told Reuters on Tuesday that the new service will target both users of existing food delivery platforms and a fresh customer base seeking fast access to snacks and meals. “We are looking to address the current demand and also unlock new consumers,” he said.
The strategy rivals Blinkit’s Bistro, Swiggy’s Snacc, and Zepto Café, as BigBasket aims for a larger share of the convenience-first food and snacks market.
The company began pilot operations in Bengaluru to scale its dark store network from 700 to 1,200 locations by the end of FY25.
By July 2025, the grocery platform will run the service from 40 dark stores, enhancing delivery speeds through a hyperlocal fulfilment model.
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What can customers expect?
Customers can access items from Tata’s Qmin and Starbucks under the new offering, with no third-party restaurant partners involved.
According to internal data, 5–10% of BigBasket users already combine food with grocery orders. With the new offering, the number is expected to rise.
Rejecting fundraising speculation, Parekh said that the online grocery company is not seeking external capital and is instead planning a public listing within 18 to 24 months.
Quick commerce battle intensifies
Incidentally, Swiggy Instamart has added 316 dark stores in the January-March period, surging its store count to 1,021, from 705, amid facing losses in the quick commerce battle. Zepto is also drastically growing the numbers.
The Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI) is keeping a close watch as recent incidents involved violations of safety and hygiene norms at dark stores operated by quick commerce companies. According to sources, surveillance and inspections of dark stores have already been stepped up in some cities.
Earlier this month, the Maharashtra Food and Drug Administration suspended the licence of a Zepto dark store in Dharavi for neglecting hygiene and food safety practices. Last week, it also ordered the shutdown of a Blinkit dark store in Pune for non-compliance with norms.
India’s quick commerce sector is currently valued at $7.1 billion (roughly Rs 60,722 crore). It is the fastest-growing segment in the country’s digital economy, according to a recent Indus Valley report shared by Blume Ventures.
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