Blinkit, Instamart outpace Zepto in India's quick commerce growth

Quick commerce platforms Blinkit, owned by Eternal, and Swiggy’s Instamart have reportedly gained market share during the April-June quarter, according to brokerage reports.

This follows a slowdown in growth for rival Zepto, which is focusing on reducing cash expenditures.

ICICI Securities estimates that Blinkit’s gross order value (GOV) increased by over 25% quarter-on-quarter in the first quarter of fiscal 2026.

Instamart’s growth was estimated at 22%.

The overall quick commerce sector expanded by less than 20% during the same period, indicating increased market share for both platforms.

On a yearly basis, Blinkit’s GOV is projected to rise by 140%, while Instamart’s is expected to increase by 110%.

Both companies are also working on improving profitability by increasing average order values (AOV) and slowing the pace of dark store additions.

🔗 Source: The Economic Times

🧠 Food for thought

1️⃣ Quick commerce’s transition from hyper-growth to profitability focus

The Indian quick commerce market is shifting strategic priorities after years of aggressive expansion, demonstrating a classic industry maturation pattern.

Market projections show the sector reaching $5.5 billion by 2025 from virtually zero a few years ago, with companies now strategically slowing dark store expansion after meeting initial scale targets 1.

This transition mirrors earlier e-commerce evolutions where companies initially prioritized market share over profits before investors demanded sustainable economics. Blinkit and Instamart have both significantly widened their operating losses in recent quarters while focusing on improving unit economics 2.

Quick commerce platforms are implementing several profitability measures simultaneously: adding various service fees, introducing incentives for higher-value orders like Instamart’s “Maxxsaver,” and slowing costly infrastructure expansion to reduce cash burn 3.

This pivot reflects the reality that despite impressive growth rates of 140% and 110% year-over-year for Blinkit and Instamart respectively, the path to profitability remains challenging in a highly competitive market with substantial logistics costs.