Instant food delivery drives q-comm's growth engine

Cloud kitchens, capital & speed to fuel the next wave

- S SHANTHI

WHAT BEGAN AS a way to pad up basket sizes and boost margins is now turning into a high-stakes growth engine for quick commerce players. The instant food segment, known for delivering ready-to-eat meals in 10-15 minutes, is turning out to be more than a passing trend.

Experts believe that by 2026-27, the category could contribute 8-15% of overall revenue and as much as 25-30% of profits for leading quick commerce players.

"I would say by 2026-27, this space could hit ₹8,000-10,000 crore just across the top 15 cities. Still smaller than grocery, but the margins are where the magic is. If groceries are a volume game, instant food is a margin game," said Madhav Kasturia, a quick commerce expert and founder and CEO of Zippee.

From Zepto Cafe and Blinkit's Bistro to Swiggy's Snacc and BigBasket's recent entry, the 10-minute food model is quickly gaining ground. Newer players such as Swish and Zing have also entered the race, while Rebel Foods, the country's largest cloud kitchen operator, has launched QuickiES, a service promising 15-minute delivery.