How JioMart Is Crushing Zepto, Blinkit & Other Quick Commerce Brands

A few years ago, 10-minute grocery delivery sounded unrealistic.

Today, it is expected.

Quick commerce did not grow gradually. It scaled at speed. Dark stores multiplied across metro neighbourhoods, funding flowed aggressively, and platforms competed to shrink delivery timelines even further.

The objective was simple:

Build consumer habits quickly and capture market share before competitors can.

That was the strategy, and for a while, it delivered exactly what it promised. Growth numbers moved up, new cities were added, and customer frequency improved. But speed came with structural costs. Dark stores required rent-heavy locations, dedicated staff, and localized inventory.

These trade-offs were largely accepted because growth remained the priority, while profitability was expected to improve over time. Then, Reliance entered the space with JioMart. Unlike early players, it did not need to create demand or burn capital to educate consumers. The habit was already built. But instead of competing only on speed, the focus shifted toward structure.

In this blog, we examine why margin pressure defines quick commerce today, how JioMart’s expansion model differs from dark store focused competitors, and whether JioMart’s approach to cost control, private labels, and non-metro markets gives it a more sustainable path to profitability.

Why Speed Became the Most Expensive Part of Quick Commerce

Quick commerce companies did not lose money because customers did not order.

It struggled because of how it chose to deliver.

In the race to promise 10-minute delivery, most platforms adopted the same model:

1. Build dark stores inside cities
2. Keep inventory hyperlocal
3. Dispatch orders instantly

This enhanced delivery speed and improved consumer experience. Orders became more frequent. Convenience became a habit. But every dark store meant rent in a prime urban location. It meant dedicated staff on payroll regardless of daily demand. It meant inventory replicated across multiple micro-warehouses instead of being consolidated in a few cost-efficient hubs.

Now layer on another problem:

Most quick commerce baskets are around ₹100, ₹200, and sometimes even less. Plus, if you add delivery costs, picking and packing, inventory holding, and customer discounts – the margin buffer becomes thin.

This is why, across players like Blinkit, Swiggy Instamart, and Zepto, expansion has been rapid, but profitability remains fragile.

Why JioMart’s Expansion Model Is Structurally Different from Swiggy Instamart, Zepto, and Blinkit

Instead of constructing a nationwide dark store network from scratch, JioMart leveraged the existing backbone of Reliance.

A retail network that spans more than 18,000 stores across formats. While this infrastructure was not originally built for quick commerce, it provided a ready-made foundation that could be integrated into a faster delivery model. Alongside this, Jiomart tapped into a large “kirana partner” network already embedded within local neighbourhoods.

Because of this approach, JioMart has expanded into more than 17,000 pincodes, while Blinkit’s operations remain concentrated in a far smaller number of serviceable urban pincodes, largely focused on dense metro markets.

At the same time, this model retains flexibility. In high-order-density zones where demand justifies it, Jiomart can deploy dark stores strategically. In other markets, it continues to rely on existing retail outlets and kirana partners, keeping the operational structure lighter and more cost-controlled.

That balance between optional infrastructure and an existing backbone is what makes the expansion model structurally different.

Why Most Quick Commerce Models Fail on Margins (And How JioMart Fixed It)

In grocery and daily essentials, margins are naturally thin. When a platform sells established third-party brands, pricing power remains limited. The retailer earns a fixed margin while the brand captures most of the value.

This is where JioMart shifts the equation.

Instead of relying primarily on external brands, Jiomart has expanded its private label portfolio across staples and essential categories. This provides them room to remain competitive on consumer pricing while protecting contribution per order.

In a business where a few percentage points can determine sustainability, that margin control can become the deciding factor.

How JioMart Is Cracking The Code Of Small-Town India By Trading Speed For Trust

Quick commerce was built in metros. But India’s growth story does not live only in metros.

Tier 2 and Tier 3 markets are driving a large share of consumption growth. These regions are more price-sensitive. In many of these cities, affordability and availability matter more than shaving a few minutes off delivery time.

This is where JioMart’s structure begins to matter again. Because Jiomart leverages local kirana partners and existing retail infrastructure, it does not need dense dark store clusters in every city to operate. Instead of replicating heavy infrastructure across smaller towns, it integrates into supply chains that are already embedded in local communities.

That approach reduces fixed cost pressure and adapts naturally to lower-density markets where order volumes may not justify aggressive dark store expansion.

However, infrastructure alone is not enough. Accessibility plays an equally important role.

In many smaller cities, asking users to download and regularly use a new shopping app can create friction. This is where integration with WhatsApp strengthens the strategy. Instead of introducing a new interface, Jiomart allows customers to browse and order through a platform they already use daily.

There is no learning curve and no need to build trust with an unfamiliar app. For users who prioritise simplicity and familiarity, this ease of access can directly influence adoption and repeat purchases.

Conclusion

JioMart is showing that profitability and scale are not mutually exclusive. The difference is in how infrastructure is built, how margins are protected, and how expansion adapts to the realities of different markets.

While competitors doubled down on dark stores and metro density, JioMart restructured the playbook around existing assets, private labels, and small-town accessibility. This is how geomarketing is changing the game. Not by chasing the fastest delivery promise, but by understanding where infrastructure makes sense, where partnerships work better, and how local economics shape consumer behaviour across different regions.

Now, if you’re building a D2C brand, launching in new geographies, or just trying to figure out how to scale without bleeding money on ads that don’t convert… we can help. Brandshark, a digital marketing agency in Bangalore, has worked with startups and D2C brands in fintech, consumer goods, and retail to build region-specific strategies that actually drive sustainable growth. Get in touch with our team today.

Frequently Asked Questions

1. Why did 10-minute grocery delivery scale so rapidly in India?

It solved a real consumer need: instant convenience. Dense metro populations, rising smartphone use, digital payments, and aggressive funding helped platforms scale fast. Heavy discounts and fast onboarding built habits quickly, making quick delivery feel less like a luxury and more like a daily expectation.

2. What are the biggest cost drivers in quick commerce today?

Dark store rent in prime locations, fixed staff salaries, inventory duplication across micro-warehouses, last-mile delivery costs, and customer discounts drive expenses. Since average order values are low, these fixed and variable costs significantly pressure contribution margins and delay profitability.

3. Why are Tier 2 and Tier 3 cities important for quick commerce growth?

These cities are driving the next wave of consumption growth. Competition is lower, customer acquisition costs can be cheaper, and long-term volume potential is high. Consumers prioritise affordability and availability, creating opportunities for cost-efficient models rather than speed-focused expansion.