Blinkit has cemented its position as the dominant player in India's quick commerce market, with the latest CLSA data showing the platform added 2.7 million weekly active users over the past week, bringing its total user base to a record 55.2 million. This growth significantly outpaced competitors, with the combined addition of just 0.2 million users across BigBasket, JioMart and DMart Ready. According to CLSA's consumer sector tracker, Blinkit's average weekly active user growth stood at 13% over the past four weeks, compared to 7% for BigBasket, 16% for JioMart, 11% for DMart Ready and 9% for Swiggy Instamart. The platform's delivery partner downloads continue to trend higher alongside user growth, though CLSA cautioned that downloads don't always translate directly into transactions.
A strategic partnership between quick commerce companies like Blinkit and Zepto with farmer producer organisations (FPOs) has successfully addressed the price gap between what farmers receive and what consumers pay for horticulture products. According to reports from The Hindu BusinessLine, the Sambhal Swarnim Potato FPO of Moradabad district, Uttar Pradesh has demonstrated remarkable growth since its launch in December 2022 under the Centre's 10,000 FPO scheme. The FPO's turnover increased to ₹15 crore from ₹12 crore in 2024-25, with over 1,000 farmer-members benefiting from rates ₹2-2.50/kg higher than local mandi rates for their potatoes.
The partnership has delivered significant premium pricing for farmers compared to traditional market rates. As reported by The Hindu BusinessLine, Deepak Kumar, MD of Sambhal Swarnim Potato FPO, confirmed delivery of 15 tonnes of potato at ₹15/kg to Kiranakart Wholesale (a group company of Zepto) and 13 tonnes to Zomato Hyperpure (B2B arm of Blinkit) on July 7, 2026. On the same day, prevailing rates in nearby mandis were ₹9-12/kg, while mandi rates in Aligarh and Sambhal were ₹7-8/kg and ₹6-7/kg respectively. Nasir Noor Ahmed, a potato farmer, confirmed receiving ₹11/kg from the FPO with payment received in maximum five days, compared to maximum ₹8.50/kg from local mandi for the same quality.
The business model involves significant operational investments to maintain quality standards and market access. According to reports from The Hindu BusinessLine, Kumar has leased a 10,000 square feet warehouse in Greater Noida at a monthly rental of ₹2.16 lakh to cater to NCR demand. The transportation cost from Sambhal to Sonipat via Greater Noida, where grading and sorting is conducted, amounts to ₹2.50-3/kg. A sourcing executive explained that platforms currently operate on a 'no profit no loss model' while eliminating all middlemen through direct FPO procurement, with each platform working with 5-8 FPOs that agree to take back any rejected quantity.
The quick commerce companies have built vertically integrated supply chains to ensure quality and efficiency. As reported by The Hindu BusinessLine, according to Zepto's IPO filing, the company has established a vertically integrated F&V platform with Farmer Partner Network, collection centres across major growing hubs, and capabilities across sourcing, packaging, cold storage and transportation logistics. A sourcing executive explained that the model reduces intermediary layers, handling delays and wastage, creating room for better producer realisation while maintaining channel efficiency. The strategy focuses on ensuring a larger share of value reaches producers by removing avoidable leakage from the supply chain.
The Back to Root initiative by Meena Bazar exemplifies the broader trend of inclusive direct sourcing models that span diverse supplier tiers. As reported by The Financial Express, the initiative aims to create a platform where every grower, regardless of size, could participate - from large-scale commercial entities to urban rooftop homegrowners. The program focuses on education, training, and awareness through partnerships with organizations like the Hortex Foundation to provide Good Agricultural Practices guidance. Early results show participating growers reporting better returns due to direct access to organized retail buyers and reduced market uncertainty. The initiative addresses the fundamental challenge that "good food can come from anywhere, not just from large commercial farms" while building community ownership around food production.
