QUICK COMMERCE COMPANIES
Urban Company posts Rs 240 crore profit in FY25, revenue rises 38%
The significant turnaround in Urban Company’s bottomline came on the back of a Rs 211-crore deferred tax credit accounted for during fiscal 2025. However, even on a pre-tax basis, the at-home services platform reported a profit of Rs 28 crore.
Tata Consumer doubles down on quick commerce, eyes growth beyond traditional retail
Tata Consumer Products is strategically focusing on quick commerce, pharmacy, and food services as high-potential emerging channels, revealed PB Balaji during the company's annual general meeting. The FMCG firm witnessed a significant surge in e-commerce, with quick commerce contributing substantially to this growth.
AI-led operations to drive next phase of value creation at Tata Consumer Products, says CFO
Tata Consumer Products is strategically investing in AI and digital ecosystems to enhance operational precision and speed within the rapidly transforming FMCG sector. The company is leveraging AI for demand forecasting, inventory optimization, and pricing strategies, while also focusing on digital-first marketing and hyper-personalisation.
NAACP files intent to sue Elon Musk's xAI company over supercomputer air pollution
The NAACP plans to sue Elon Musk’s xAI over air pollution from its Memphis supercomputer facility, located near predominantly Black communities. Critics cite unpermitted turbine use, health risks, and Clean Air Act violations. xAI defends its investments and emission-reduction tech amid mounting environmental and legal concerns.
Quick commerce fires up record discounts with rivals getting quicker
Amazon and Flipkart's expansion intensifies competition in quick commerce. Discounting across platforms reaches record levels. This trend impacts various categories, including dairy and groceries. Average discounts rise significantly compared to two years ago. Experts attribute this to the increasing number of players. Intense discounting may lead to further cash burn for these companies.
Q-comm’s discount push, startup hiring picks up
Quick commerce firms are offering record-high discounts at a time when cash burn and competition continue to rise. This and more in today’s ETtech Morning Dispatch.
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Quick commerce industry's hygiene headache explained
Quick commerce platforms face scrutiny. Inspections reveal hygiene issues in some dark stores. Expired products and improper storage are concerns. Regulations exist, but compliance is challenging. Companies have internal guidelines, but implementation varies. Third-party audits are crucial for maintaining standards. Expansion continues, with thousands of dark stores across India. Blinkit and Instamart lead the market.
MFs accumulate capital goods, rate-cut beneficiaries in May
In May, despite reduced equity mutual fund inflows due to profit booking, fund managers adjusted portfolios, favoring large-cap companies. They capitalized on corrections in the capital goods sector, acquiring stocks like GE Vernova and BHEL, anticipating power sector growth.
Zepto’s Mumbai facility resumes operations
A fortnight ago, the FDA had revoked the facility’s food license following an investigation in which they found fungal growth on food articles, food storage near stagnant water, cold storage temperature not maintained and expired food items not segregated from the main stock.
Top tech and startup stories this week
Welcome to a new edition of ETtech Unwrapped – our weekend newsletter packed with the most important stories this week. Let’s take a look.
Amazon goes live with quick commerce service Now in Bengaluru
The service is currently in beta mode and is available to select users, according to details on the Amazon app and people aware of the development. The ecommerce giant has set up 10-15 dark stores to support deliveries in the city, and plans to expand its footprint further in the coming weeks, sources said.
Lenskart gets pre-IPO bump; Amazon’s q-comm entry
Asset manager Fidelity has marked up Lenskart’s valuation to $6.1 billion as the eyewear retailer gears up an IPO. This and more in today’s ETtech Top 5.
US says China's Huawei can't make more than 200,000 AI chips in 2025
White House AI Czar David Sacks said on Tuesday that China was only 3-6 months behind the US in AI. The White House later said he was referring to China's AI models, adding that Chinese AI chips are one to two years behind their U.S. counterparts. Huawei's CEO Ren Zhengfei told Chinese state media on Tuesday that the company's chips were a generation behind those of US competitors, but that it invests more than $25 billion annually to improve performance.
Groww FY25 profit triples; Qcomm growth beyond metros
Happy Friday! IPO-bound fintech major Groww has reported a three-fold jump in its net profit for FY25. This and more in today’s ETtech Morning Dispatch.
Quick commerce fuels niche D2C boom in smaller cities
According to Satish Meena, adviser at ecommerce consultancy Datum Intelligence, a set of customers who previously shopped on ecommerce platforms are shifting to quick commerce for certain categories of products for instant gratification. Many consumers who haven’t used ecommerce before are also trying quick commerce because of its ease and accessibility, he added.
Govt may increase scrutiny on quick commerce firms following hygiene, food safety issues
The government is likely to increase oversight of quick commerce companies’ dark stores following a spate of complaints about food safety violations at facilities run by leading players. Officials told us that the Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI) will lead the effort, with plans for surprise inspections at dark stores and other storage facilities across the country.
Qcomm cos on govt radar; Tata upskills in Taiwan
Happy Wednesday! The government may step up surveillance on quick commerce dark stores over rising hygiene concerns. This and more in today’s ETtech Morning Dispatch.
10-minute delivery boom fuels hyperlocal warehousing surge in urban and tier-2 India
India's booming quick-commerce is driving unprecedented demand for small, hyperlocal warehouses, converting underutilized urban spaces into micro-fulfillment hubs. This surge is transforming urban logistics, impacting rental dynamics, and expanding into Tier-2 cities. Companies are prioritizing speed and location, leading to innovative real estate repurposing and significant growth in the sector.
BigBasket to launch 10-minute food delivery across India by March 2026, executive says
The Tata-backed grocery giant will take on established players such as Swiggy's Snacc, Blinkit's Bistro and Zepto Cafe, which already deliver coffee and ready-to-eat snacks in less than 15 minutes.
If quick commerce was hurting beauty, we wouldn’t be growing at 30% year-on-year: Nykaa’s Adwaita Nayar
As Blinkit, Zepto, and Instamart expand aggressively into beauty and personal care, Nykaa is taking a slower, more curated approach. Its pilot, Nykaa Now, is live in select areas of Mumbai, New Delhi, and Bengaluru, with a deliberate focus on personal care rather than its core beauty range.
Buy, Sell or Hold: Emkay initiates coverage on Aditya Birla Real Estate; Morgan Stanley initiates coverage on Swiggy
Emkay Global has initiated coverage on Aditya Birla Real Estate with a Buy rating and 40% upside potential, driven by strong bookings, project pipeline, and healthy financials. Meanwhile, Morgan Stanley began coverage on Swiggy with an Overweight rating, citing its improving food delivery performance and rapid expansion in quick-commerce. Both brokerages signal strong long-term growth prospects for the respective companies.
ID startups face data heat; Nykaa eases into qcomm
Happy Monday! Startups offering identity verification services are under the government’s scanner. This and more in today’s ETtech Morning Dispatch.
Online prices in 12 cities to be monitored for new CPI series
The government plans to monitor e-commerce price trends in 12 major cities to improve the accuracy of the new Consumer Price Index (CPI) series, set to release in 2026. This initiative involves tracking prices from leading online sellers and expanding market coverage to 2,900 markets.
Quick is good, but not at such costs
Quick commerce promises fast deliveries. However, this speed comes at a cost. FMCG companies are concerned about quality issues. Dark stores often lack proper storage. This leads to compromised freshness and safety hazards. Customer complaints are increasing due to damaged goods. The Food and Drug Administration and Food Safety and Standards Authority of India are conducting inspections.
Quick commerce job growth outpaces ecommerce, modern trade
The sector will employ up to 5.5 lakh people by next year, up from 2.5 to 3 lakh now, says a report by Teamlease. In quick commerce, last-mile delivery accounts for 46 out of 62 jobs, higher than the 13 to 15 employed by ecommerce. In modern trade, these roles are minimal, it adds.
Concerns rise over hygiene standards in dark stores amid quick commerce boom
Packaged food companies are raising concerns about unhygienic conditions in quick commerce dark stores, citing storage and handling lapses. The FDA and FSSAI are increasing inspections due to these issues. Companies like Britannia and KRBL emphasize the need for strict hygiene and safety standards to maintain consumer trust as quick commerce grows rapidly.
Structural cracks appear to complicate qcomm's quick surge in India
India's quick commerce market is expected to grow to Rs 1.5-1.7 lakh crore by 2027, driven largely by existing trade channels. While it creates significant employment, most jobs are gig roles with limited security. Pricing and adoption across categories present ongoing challenges for the sector's future.
Quick commerce trade-off; Google still wants engineers
Quick commerce is gaining popularity at the expense of sales in other retail channels. This and more in today’s ETtech Top 5.
Quick commerce growth eating share from other channels
A Kearney report indicates quick commerce growth largely coming from other sales channels. Supermarkets and ecommerce offer bigger discounts. Marico aims to tailor portfolios to boost sales. Quick commerce contribution to ecommerce sales doubles yearly. It accounts for 3-6% of consumer goods firms' sales. Kearney projects threefold growth for quick commerce grocery market by 2027. Consumer companies expect continued segment growth.
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