Blinkit

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Blinkit
Company typePrivate
IndustryE-commerce, Quick commerce
Founded2013; 12 years ago (2013)
FoundersAlbinder Dhindsa • Saurabh Kumar
Headquarters
Gurgaon
,
India
Area served
India
Key people
Albinder Dhindsa (CEO)
ProductsGroceries, Electronics, Apparel, Home appliances
Services10-minute delivery, Returns and exchanges
Revenue₹1709 crore (Q4 FY25)
Number of employees
5000+ As of March 2025
ParentEternal Ltd (formerly Zomato)
Websitewww.blinkit.com

Blinkit is an Indian quick commerce platform specializing in 10-minute delivery of groceries, essentials, electronics, apparel, and home appliances. Originally founded as Grofers in 2013 by Albinder Dhindsa and Saurabh Kumar, it rebranded to Blinkit in December 2021 following its acquisition by Eternal Ltd (formerly Zomato) in August 2022 for $569 million. Headquartered in Gurgaon, Haryana, Blinkit operates over 1301 dark stores across 40+ cities in India, making it the market leader in quick commerce with 1.65–1.75 million daily orders in March 2025. [1][2]

History

Blinkit began as Grofers, focusing on hyperlocal grocery delivery. It gained traction by partnering with local stores but faced challenges in scaling due to inventory and logistics constraints. In 2021, it pivoted to a dark store model, enabling faster deliveries, and rebranded to Blinkit to reflect its focus on speed. [3] Eternal’s acquisition in 2022 provided Blinkit with capital and infrastructure to expand its dark store network, growing from 634 stores in August 2024 to 1301 by March 2025. [2][4]

In 2025, Blinkit expanded its offerings to include high-value items like TVs, air conditioners, and Apple products, leveraging a large order fleet. [5] The company also introduced a 10-minute return and exchange service for clothing and footwear. [5] However, Blinkit faced controversies, including a delivery worker strike in Varanasi in April 2025 and allegations of short-weight deliveries. [6][7]

Products and Services

Blinkit provides a wide range of products, including:

  • Groceries: Fresh produce, dairy, and packaged foods.
  • Electronics: Smartphones, laptops, TVs, and accessories like AirPods.
  • Apparel and Footwear: Clothing and shoes with 10-minute returns.
  • Home Appliances: Air conditioners, microwaves, and small appliances.

Its services include 10-minute delivery, real-time inventory tracking, and a variable commission model for brands, with take rates at 17.9% in Q3 FY25. Blinkit’s average order value (AOV) reached ₹700 in Q4 FY25, the highest among competitors. [2][8]

Business Model

Blinkit transitioned to a 100% inventory-owned model in 2025 after receiving Indian-owned and controlled company (IOCC) approval, allowing compliance with FDI norms. This shift, supported by Eternal capping foreign shareholding at 49.5%, enables Blinkit to control inventory, reduce delivery times, and improve profitability. [9][10] The company operates dark stores and warehouses, with 1 million sq ft of new warehousing added in Q4 FY25. [11]

Funding

Blinkit has been primarily funded through its parent, Eternal Ltd, with earlier rounds as Grofers. Below is a summary of its funding history:

Blinkit Funding Rounds
Date Round Amount Lead Investor Other Investors
December 2013 Seed $120,000 Sequoia Capital -
April 2015 Series A $10 million Sequoia Capital -
September 2015 Series B $36 million Tiger Global Sequoia Capital
October 2018 Series F $200 million SoftBank Vision Fund Naspers, Apoletto
June 2021 Series J $100 million Zomato Tiger Global, SoftBank
August 2022 Acquisition $569 million Eternal Ltd (Zomato) -

[3][12]

Legal Entity Details

Blinkit operates under the following legal entity:

  • Legal Name: Locodel Solutions Private Limited
  • Foundation Date: December 2, 2013
  • Registrar of Companies (ROC): ROC Delhi
  • Corporate Identification Number (CIN): U74140HR2013PTC051161
  • Registered Address: Pioneer Square, Tower B, 4th Floor, Sector 62, Gurgaon, Haryana, 122101, India
  • Company Status: Active (Subsidiary of Eternal Ltd) [13]

Reception and Challenges

Blinkit has been praised for its market leadership and operational efficiency, with a 90% growth in daily orders from March 2024 to March 2025. [1] However, its aggressive expansion led to an EBITDA loss of ₹178 crore in Q4 FY25 due to 294 new dark stores, 40% of which are underutilized. [11] A Varanasi strike in April 2025 highlighted gig worker concerns over wages and conditions, with 150 delivery IDs blocked until workers pledged not to protest. [6] FMCG distributors also filed a petition with the CCI in March 2025, alleging unfair pricing practices. [14] Social media posts have raised issues of delivery worker discrimination and short-weight deliveries. [15][7]

References

  1. ↑ 1.0 1.1 "Blinkit, Zepto and Swiggy Instamart scale to over 4 million daily orders in March". Moneycontrol. 2025-05-04. Retrieved 2025-05-08.
  2. ↑ 2.0 2.1 2.2 "Blinkit's losses widen amid expansion". The Financial Express. 2025-05-01. Retrieved 2025-05-08.
  3. ↑ 3.0 3.1 "Blinkit Success Story – From Grofers to Quick Commerce Leader". StartupTalky. 2024-11-15. Retrieved 2025-05-08.
  4. ↑ @Ravisutanjani (2024-08-25). "Blinkit is Launching in Haridwar". X. Retrieved 2025-05-08.
  5. ↑ 5.0 5.1 "Get AC delivered in 10 min: Blinkit's plan to beat the heat in Delhi-NCR". Business Standard. 2025-03-30. Retrieved 2025-05-08.
  6. ↑ 6.0 6.1 "Blinkit Protest: 150+ Delivery Executives Strike Over Minimum Wage". Times Now. 2025-04-29. Retrieved 2025-05-08.
  7. ↑ 7.0 7.1 "Customer Accuses Blinkit Of Short Weight Delivery Of Grapes". NDTV Food. 2025-03-15. Retrieved 2025-05-08.
  8. ↑ "Zepto vs Blinkit: Which Quick Commerce Giant Has Higher Commission Rates?". Times Now. 2025-03-07. Retrieved 2025-05-08.
  9. ↑ "Eternal plans inventory ownership model at Blinkit following IOCC nod". Moneycontrol. 2025-05-01. Retrieved 2025-05-08.
  10. ↑ "Can Blinkit's shift from marketplace to inventory-owned model do the trick?". LiveMint. 2025-05-05. Retrieved 2025-05-08.
  11. ↑ 11.0 11.1 "Blinkit losses widen to Rs 178 crore in Q4 FY25". Business Today. 2025-05-01. Retrieved 2025-05-08.
  12. ↑ "Zomato completes acquisition of Blinkit for $569 million". The Economic Times. 2022-08-10. Retrieved 2025-05-08.
  13. ↑ "FMCG distributors file petition with CCI against Blinkit, Zepto, Instamart". Business Standard. 2025-03-05. Retrieved 2025-05-08.
  14. ↑ "Delhi man signs up as Blinkit delivery agent, says untouchability goes beyond caste". India Today. 2025-04-21. Retrieved 2025-05-08.

External links

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