Back in 2019, when most of us thought online shopping meant waiting at least a day or two for delivery, two young boys from Mumbai—Aadit Palicha and Kaivalya Vohra—were thinking differently. They saw something the rest of us didn’t.
Where the world was debating discounts, logistics, and next-day delivery, they imagined a future where anything you need could reach you in just 10 minutes. That idea, once laughed off as unrealistic, today defines how India shops.
Yes, we’re talking about the visionaries behind Zepto.
From E-Commerce to Quick Commerce: A Shift in Consumer Behavior
For decades, e-commerce was the game-changer. It took over 20 years to build trust, with pioneers like Flipkart and Snapdeal laying the foundation, and Amazon leading the charge in scale and reliability. Consumers slowly adapted, learning to wait 2–5 days for products.
But in just five years, quick commerce has turned this patience into an outdated concept. What started with milk, sugar, and basic groceries has now become an addiction for convenience. Today, we expect almost everything—from groceries to beauty products, gadgets to medicines—delivered in under 10 minutes.
Even the way brands spend their money has changed. D2C companies, once focused on Instagram ads and influencer marketing, now allocate huge budgets to visibility inside quick commerce apps. Zepto alone is estimated to generate over ₹1,000 crores annually just from brand marketing on its platform.
The Domino Effect: Giants Playing Catch-Up
The success of Zepto and Blinkit forced the e-commerce giants to rethink. To defend their market share, they had no choice but to enter this space:
• Flipkart launched Flipkart Minutes
• Amazon experimented with Amazon Now
Read this: Amazon Now Expands to Mumbai, Aims to Leverage Prime Customer Base to Drive Adoption
But the big question is: can these giants dominate quick commerce the same way they dominated e-commerce? Or will Zepto and Blinkit, being first movers, continue to stay on top?
History tells us that in the tech industry, especially in app-based businesses, markets tend to consolidate into a duopoly. Just like Flipkart and Amazon in e-commerce, today Zepto and Blinkit are the two dominant names in quick commerce.
Where Is Quick Commerce Headed Next?
The next chapter seems to be about specialisation and niches. If e-commerce taught us one thing, it’s that broad platforms dominate at first, but niche players eventually carve out loyal markets.
Take Myntra, which started as a niche in fashion and went on to dominate that category under Flipkart’s umbrella. A similar trend is now emerging in quick commerce.
One example: First Club, a Bangalore-based startup, recently raised ₹200 crores to focus solely on gourmet and healthy foods in the quick commerce format. This signals that the future of 10-minute delivery won’t just be about speed, but also about specialised consumer experiences.
The Human Side of the Story
What makes Zepto’s journey remarkable isn’t just the speed of delivery—it’s the speed of vision. Two young founders, barely out of their teens, had the courage to bet against decades of consumer habit. While most thought quick commerce was only about impulse buys, they believed it could become a daily lifestyle habit.
And today, we as consumers are proof of their foresight. Whether it’s late-night cravings, forgotten groceries, or last-minute essentials—we don’t think twice before opening Zepto or Blinkit.
Read this: Zepto Raises $450 Million At $7 Billion Valuation In Funding Round Led By A US Pension Fund
Conclusion: A Lesson for Every Startup Enthusiast
The story of Zepto isn’t just about technology or logistics—it’s about seeing tomorrow before anyone else. It teaches us that industries don’t change gradually anymore; they shift dramatically when a bold idea meets flawless execution.
Quick commerce has gone from an experiment in 2019 to a mainstream necessity in 2025. And as niche players rise, the industry will keep evolving. The only certainty? Consumers will always demand faster, better, and more personalised experiences.
For startups, the lesson is clear:
👉 Don’t just solve today’s problems—anticipate tomorrow’s habits.
Read this: Zepto Signs MoU With Labour Ministry To Boost Youth Employment; 10,000 Jobs Promised
Written By: Kapil Goyal
