Amazon may be bigger, but Zomato’s Deepinder Goyal says Blinkit has the edge in quick commerce- Here’s why

Deepinder Goyal believes Blinkit is better positioned than Amazon to win India’s highly competitive express commerce race, arguing that the express delivery business requires a fundamentally different operating model from traditional e-commerce.

In an interview with the Financial Times, Goyal said that Blinkit, which was acquired by Zomato in 2022, now operates differently from the rest of the industry and has reached a scale that many rivals are still chasing.

According to Goyal, Blinkit currently accounts for nearly half of India’s flash commerce market and remains profitable despite intense competition. He contrasted this with several rivals that continue to spend heavily to gain market share through discounts and incentives. “We’re actually making money,” Goyal told the FT when discussing Blinkit’s position in the industry.

These remarks come as competition in India’s express commerce segment is intensifying with the aggressive expansion of players like Amazon, Swiggy Instamart and Zepto. Industry executives also warned that the market may not be able to sustain the large number of competitors currently operating in the space.

Also Read | Does Deepinder Goyal want to hire only highly suitable people? Is it legally allowed?

Goyal argued that Amazon’s challenge lies in adapting its existing business model to a speed-based market. He said Amazon has traditionally focused on offering a wide range of products with longer delivery times, gradually increasing the speed of delivery as volumes increase. Express trade started with ultra-fast deliveries and expanded its catalog over time.

“Speedy trading has turned this situation around,” Goyal told the FT, explaining why he believes Blinkit is advantageous. He added that although Amazon has significant financial resources, Blinkit also has the ability to invest aggressively when necessary. “We still think we have a better chance of winning,” he said.

Focus on deeper customer engagement

Goyal said Blinkit is focusing on increasing the range of products offered to existing customers rather than prioritizing expansion into smaller towns and cities. He pointed to the National Capital Region, where Blinkit’s product line has grown to about 80,000 products from about 35,000-40,000 the previous year.

He said the strategy helps strengthen customer loyalty and creates a competitive moat against larger global rivals. While Amazon already has strong product selection capabilities, Goyal suggested that offering the same level of service and speed is still a challenge for traditional e-commerce platforms.

Goyal also expressed confidence in the broader food distribution business beyond express trade. He told the FT that food delivery growth, currently around 20 per cent, could potentially rise to 30 per cent in the next few years as ordering frequency increases in India.

Also Read | How Blinkit, Zepto and Instamart are creating brand hits with 10-minute delivery.

He noted that Indians still order relatively less food from restaurants and delivery platforms compared to consumers in markets such as China, Singapore, Europe and the United States. According to Goyal, this leaves significant room for long-term growth in the sector.

The interview also touched on Goyal’s new ventures, including healthtech startup Temple and aerospace company LAT Aerospace, but what stood out as one of the strongest messages in the speech was his confidence in Blinkit’s ability to withstand the challenges of global giants like Amazon.