Zepto's rise to $5 billion valuation, revolutionises 10 minute grocery delivery

New Delhi: Aadit Palicha, co-founder of Zepto, on Monday speaking at NDTV World Summit 2024 - The India Century, shared insights into the rapid success of the startup, now valued at over $5 billion.

Reflecting on his journey, he noted that his decision to drop out of college sounds like a cliche Silicon Valley story. However, before leaping, he and co-founder Kaivalya Vohra carefully considered their options for a year.

"As kids, we had a passion for coding and building small products for fun. Caught in Mumbai during the COVID-19 pandemic, we were supposed to go to California for studies but saw little value in online education. Instead of wasting a year, we decided to experiment," said Palicha.

“We were just sitting in Andheri and thought, ‘Let’s take a year and build something interesting,’” Palicha explained.

At the time, grocery delivery was unreliable, with offline stores often shut down. They began using WhatsApp to communicate with customers and gradually built the first version of Zepto. A year later, they launched a WhatsApp group, which became a pivotal moment.

Palicha recounted, "Vohra’s mother burst into tears, feeling I had brainwashed her son." However after some time, Zepto was already generating a few million dollars in revenue and growing rapidly.

When asked why they chose a ten-minute delivery model, Palicha said, "Zepto is a customer-centric company. Most groceries in India are bought hyper-locally, with people ordering multiple times a day."

They initially launched in Bandra, and within a few months, realised that ten-minute deliveries were not only possible but in high demand. "Customer retention and love were so high. People were excited," he added.

He also addressed the gig workers who play a crucial role in the company’s operations. “We see adding value to delivery partners’ lives as a core part of Zepto’s values. In the past 36 months, we’ve employed 50,000 delivery partners, providing them with consistent income,” he shared.

Zepto offers delivery partners benefits like doctor consultations, vehicle repair, insurance, and other services, continuously seeking ways to improve their work experience. “Our philosophy is to unlock productivity, and we are always open to feedback and suggestions,” he said.

On AI and technology, Palicha emphasised Zepto’s commitment to leveraging data systems to enhance customer experience. "We focus on search history to offer personalised products, and AI can help respond in two seconds instead of taking minutes to clarify a doubt," he said, highlighting the company's dedication to excellence since day one.

He also shared that future plans include expanding Zepto in the cities that they have not reached yet.