Table of Contents

  • What Is Zepto and How Does Zepto Work?
  • Custom mobile app development company
  • How Zepto Works for Customers?
  • Custom mobile app development company
  • What Are Dark Stores?
  • Custom mobile app development company
  • How Zepto Actually Makes 10-Minute Delivery Work (Behind the Scenes)
  • Custom mobile app development company
  • The Technology Behind Zepto’s 10-Minute Delivery Model
  • How these Blocks Fit Together (user roles)
  • Custom mobile app development company
  • The Unified Technology Framework Powering 10-Minute Delivery Apps 
  • Custom mobile app development company
  • Does Zepto Follow the Industry’s Best Practices?
  • Zepto vs Blinkit vs Instamart vs BigBasket
  • Custom mobile app development company
  • Zepto’s Business Model
  • Custom mobile app development company
  • Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
03 November, 2025 . Custom Development

How is Zepto Able to Deliver Groceries in 10 Minutes

Custom mobile app development company
Author: AppsRhino
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Ten minutes, that’s all it takes for Zepto to change how India shops. What once seemed impossible in cities packed with traffic is now routine. The company’s promise that Zepto delivers groceries in 10 minutes has set a new standard for instant convenience.

In a world where express delivery used to mean 30 minutes, Zepto has redefined speed and customer expectations. But how exactly does Zepto work so efficiently? What powers its lightning-fast Zepto delivery system?

This blog uncovers the strategy, technology, and operations that enable Zepto to deliver groceries in 10 minutes, and explains why this model is shaping the future of grocery shopping in India.

What Is Zepto and How Does Zepto Work?

Zepto is a grocery delivery service that promises to deliver groceries in 10 minutes. Founded in 2021 by Aadit Palicha and Kaivalya Vohra, Zepto set out with a simple goal: to make online grocery shopping faster and easier for everyone.

Through the Zepto app, users can order essentials like fruits, vegetables, snacks, and other daily items from nearby grocery stores for delivery. Instead of using large warehouses, Zepto relies on smaller dark stores placed close to customers. 

This setup helps ensure products are always available and delivered fresh. That’s what makes Zepto's 10-minute delivery not just fast but reliable.

How Zepto Works for Customers?

Ever wondered how Zepto works so seamlessly for millions of customers? 

The process is designed to make grocery shopping instant and effortless, from browsing in the Zepto app to receiving groceries at your doorstep in minutes.

Here’s a simple breakdown of how Zepto delivers groceries in 10 minutes works for customers.

1. Finding and Setting Location

When a customer opens the Zepto app, it automatically detects their location or allows them to set it manually.
This helps Zepto connect them to the nearest dark store, usually just 1.5 to 2.5 km away, making Zepto's delivery work efficiently from the start.

2. Browsing and Choosing Products

Customers can explore a wide range of Zepto grocery items, including fruits and vegetables, snacks, beverages, and household essentials.

The app shows real-time availability, ensuring only stocked products are displayed.

3. Placing the Order

After selecting items, customers head to checkout, choose their preferred payment method, and confirm the order.

That’s when the system kicks in, and the real process of how Zepto delivers groceries in 10 minutes begins.

4. Instant Order Allocation

Once the order is placed, Zepto’s technology instantly assigns it to the nearest dark store.
This is where how Zepto approach becomes impressive: these stores are stocked based on local buying patterns, so the ordered products are always nearby and ready to be picked up.

5. Picking and Packing

The dark store team receives an automated picking list immediately.

Items are scanned, packed, and sealed in under 60–90 seconds. The process is fully digitized, showing how Zepto delivers grocery in 10 minutes remains consistent every time.

6. Rider Assignment and Delivery

Once packed, AI automatically assigns a rider who’s already in the area.

The route is optimized using live traffic, weather, and delivery density data. This smart system explains how Zepto delivers so fast and why Zepto's delivery time averages under 9 minutes.

7. Real-Time Tracking and Arrival

Customers can track every step in real time through the Zepto app from order confirmation to arrival.
Most deliveries arrive faster than expected, making Zepto 10-minute delivery a reality for thousands of users daily.

8. Post-Delivery Experience

Once delivered, customers can rate the order, tip the rider, and reorder frequently purchased products with a single tap.
 

It’s a smooth, connected experience that demonstrates Zepto's precision, combining customer satisfaction with operational efficiency.

9. Delivery Confirmation

The rider marks the order as delivered in the Zepto app, automatically notifying both the customer and the system.

10. Customer Feedback & Ratings

The app prompts the customer to rate their delivery experience, product quality, and rider behavior.
This feedback helps Zepto monitor service quality and improve how Zepto delivery works in real time.

11. Support & Issue Resolution      

If there’s a problem, such as a missing item or a quality concern, customers can raise a ticket through in-app support.
Zepto’s customer care team responds quickly, ensuring Zepto's operations remain customer-first.

12. Reorder Suggestions

Based on previous orders, Zepto recommends frequently purchased items or offers discounts to encourage repeat use.
This builds loyalty and increases engagement within the Zepto app.

We talked a lot about Dark Stores, let’s take a quick look at what exactly it is and how it works.

What Are Dark Stores?

Dark stores are small, tech-enabled warehouses made only for online grocery orders, not walk-in shoppers. Each store stocks around 2,000–3,000 popular items chosen through data insights, helping staff pick and pack in under a minute.

For Zepto grocery, these dark stores are placed strategically within 1.5–2.5 km of customers to ensure faster dispatch and fresher deliveries. This hyper-local, data-driven setup is the secret behind how Zepto delivers groceries in 10 minutes with precision and consistency.

How It Works 

  • Strategic Location: Each store is set up close to high-demand residential areas for quick access.
     
  • Curated Inventory: Only fast-moving essentials are stocked based on local shopping behavior.

     
  • Automated Picking: Staff follow digital picking routes using barcode scanners for faster processing.

     
  • Smart Dispatch: Real-time systems assign riders based on proximity and live traffic data.
     
  • Reliable Delivery: Short distances and automation make Zepto delivery quick, accurate, and fresh.
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How Zepto Actually Makes 10-Minute Delivery Work (Behind the Scenes)

Zepto’s promise to Zepto deliver groceries in 10 minutes isn’t just about a fast rider. It’s a stack of in-house mapping, geospatial databases, ML ranking, operational automation, and observability designed to shave seconds at every step. 

Below is the end-to-end system from pre-order intelligence to post-delivery learning grounded in Zepto’s own engineering posts and top-tier business reports.

1) Pre-Order intelligence: Search, Suggestions, and Availability

  • Personalized Search Ranking: Zepto applies learning-to-rank to reorder results based on your context (signals like session behavior, popularity, price sensitivity). This reduces time to cart and increases the chance that in-stock, nearby items are chosen, key to how Zepto delivery works.

     
  • First-party catalog + stock freshness: Ranking pipelines are tied to live availability feeds, so the app is less likely to recommend out-of-stock SKUs critical for ultra-short zepto delivery time windows.

2) Location intelligence: Mapping For Ultra-Short Hops

  • Zepto Maps (in-house): Zepto rebuilt its maps to address India-specific pain points misplaced pins, unmarked gates, society entrances because “every meter counts” in Zepto's 10-minute grocery delivery. Better address resolution reduces rider detours and missed gates.

     
  • Geospatial Engine (Tile38): Under the hood, Zepto has optimized a high-performance geospatial store to run fast “nearby/within” queries for store selection, rider assignment, and geofencing, improving ETA reliability for 10-minute delivery.

3) Store Selection & Micro-Fulfilment Assignment

  • Nearest Viable Dark Store: The system matches the order to a micro-warehouse within a tight radius, balancing distance, stock freshness, picker load, and rider availability, core to how does Zepto delivers in 10 minutes. Zepto’s map/geo improvements shrink last-meter errors that typically break ETAs.

4) In-Store Speed: Pick/Pack Automation

  • Digitized Pick Paths: Pickers get optimized routes and digital pick lists; shelf maps and barcode validation cut seconds and reduce mispicks. Zepto delivers in 10 minutes and stays repeatable at scale. 
     
  • Order Batching Under Constraints: Orders that share aisles/sections can be batched without breaking the 10-minute SLA; ML/rules decide when to batch vs. single-pick to protect zepto delivery time.

5) Rider Dispatch, Routing & Geofences

  • Dispatch with Live Traffic: Rider assignment uses live proximity and traffic signals from Zepto’s geo stack; address normalization and building-level landmarks from Zepto Maps reduce last-mile friction, which is vital to how Zepto delivers so fast.

     
  • Geofencing Triggers: Tile38-style geofences fire events (leave store, near drop-off, delivered) so ops can intervene early if an ETA slips. Key to how Zepto deliver in 10 minutes.

6) Reliability & Speed of the App Experience

  • Zero-Downtime Mobile Updates: Zepto automated multi-version CodePush so critical UI/logic fixes ship fast across app cohorts, keeping the experience responsive during peak windows.

     
  • End-to-End Observability: A standardized telemetry layer (traces/metrics/logs) helps SRE and product teams spot regressions that could slow zepto delivery or search flows, one of the quiet levers behind “speed that sticks.”

7) Post-Delivery Learning Loops

  • Continuous feedback into ML. Delivery outcomes (actual vs. predicted ETAs, hand-off issues, address corrections) feed Zepto’s ranking, mapping, and dispatch models. That’s how Zepto works to get faster in each neighborhood over time.

Aadit, the co-founder of Zepto, and a TOI report claims that the average Zepto delivery time is around 8 minutes 47 seconds, with nearly 90% of all orders arriving before the 10-minute mark.

In short, how Zepto works isn’t magic; it’s precision engineering powered by AI, data, and automation. Every second saved is why Zepto delivers groceries in 10 minutes truly works.

We have learned how Zepto’s 10-minute delivery works. But it is also essential to understand the technology and software behind it. 

Without wasting any more time, let’s begin with it.

The Technology Behind Zepto’s 10-Minute Delivery Model

Behind every order lies a smart web of automation, data, algorithms, and multiple software working in perfect sync to save every second.

Geospatial & Mapping (address → store → rider, in seconds)

  • In-house mapping (“Zepto Maps”)
    Zepto created its own map system for Indian cities, designed to handle tricky addresses with landmarks, gated societies, and sub-addresses. Zepto Maps helps locate the exact delivery point quickly by cleaning and standardizing messy address data. This makes navigation easier for riders and reduces delivery errors—essential when Zepto delivers groceries in 10 minutes.


 

  • High-throughput geospatial index with Tile38
    Zepto also uses a geolocation engine called Tile38 to instantly find the closest dark store and delivery rider. It processes thousands of locations in real time to decide who can deliver the fastest. This system helps Zepto maintain accurate, consistent delivery times, even as the number of orders grows.

Search, Catalog Intelligence & Personalization

  • Learning-to-Rank for product search
    Zepto uses Learning-to-Rank (LTR) models in its search system to show customers the products they’re most likely to buy first. This intelligent ranking helps users find what they need faster, builds their shopping cart quicker, and makes the overall process of how Zepto delivery works smoother from browsing to checkout.


 

  • LLM-powered query & taxonomy intelligence
    Zepto also uses Large Language Models (LLMs) to improve search results' accuracy and user-friendliness. These models correct typos, understand the intent behind each search, and organize products under a consistent structure (called OPOR – Orders, Products, Offers, Retailers). This improves product discovery and helps reduce time spent searching, a key reason how Zepto delivers so fast and keeps every Zepto grocery order moving efficiently.

Fulfillment & Store-Side Software (from “placed” to “packed”)

  • Smart Dark-Store Selection
    When an order is placed, Zepto’s geospatial system automatically selects the best dark store (a nearby micro-warehouse) within about 2 km of the customer. This minimizes travel time for both the picker and the delivery rider, a major reason how Zepto delivery in 10 minutes works so efficiently at scale.
     
  • Guided Picking and Slotting
    Inside each dark store, Zepto uses smart software that guides staff through the fastest route to collect items. Using product data and location mapping, the system creates a short, step-by-step pick path, reducing time spent on each order. This intelligent process helps explain how Zepto delivers groceries in 10 minutes and every second is saved through precise, optimized movement.

Dispatch, Routing & Last-mile

  • Smart Rider Matching with Tile38
    Zepto uses Tile38, a real-time geospatial engine, to match orders with the nearest available riders instantly. It keeps rider locations and active orders in memory, helping assign the right person within seconds. This technology is one reason what Zepto does differently, results in faster hand-offs and smoother Zepto delivery times.

     
  • Accurate House and Society Navigation
    Zepto’s in-house map system is designed for India’s complex layouts like gated societies, multiple blocks, and elevators. By mapping these details, riders take the right path every time, avoiding confusion and delays. It’s one of the hidden factors behind how Zepto delivers in 10 minutes, even during busy hours.

Data Platform, Testing & Reliability

  • Consistent Testing Across Systems
    Zepto created a Universal Mock Service, which provides uniform test data across all its internal systems. This helps developers detect bugs early, ensure consistency, and deploy updates quickly keeping what is Zepto app stable and reliable for users.

     
  • Safe and Gradual App Updates
    Using CodePush, Zepto rolls out app updates in small batches, tracks performance, and fixes issues before full release. This process ensures smooth updates without affecting Zepto delivery time or user experience, maintaining the reliability of the 10-minute delivery app promise.

How these Blocks Fit Together (user roles)

  • For Customers
    • Customers enjoy a fast and smooth shopping journey, from searching to tracking delivery. Learning-to-Rank (LTR) and LLM-based systems make product search quick and accurate. 
    • The geospatial engine automatically assigns the nearest dark store, while smart dispatching connects the closest rider. Zepto’s in-house maps ensure riders reach the right gate or floor on time, all working together to make Zepto deliver groceries in 10 minutes a real experience.


 

  • For Store Operations
    • Store staff rely on Zepto’s intelligent catalog and location-based tools to pick and pack efficiently. The system suggests the best pick path and provides accurate replacements if items are out of stock. 
    • This streamlined setup explains how Zepto works behind the scenes to maintain speed and accuracy even during rush hours.


 

  • For Riders
    • Riders use real-time geofencing and navigation tools built for India’s complex neighborhoods. These reduce delays from missed turns or wrong gates. With optimized routes and faster hand-offs, it’s easy to see how Zepto delivers in 10 minutes consistently and how does Zepto deliver so fast without missing deadlines.

The reason how zepto deliver groceries in 10 minutes works isn’t a single trick; it’s the combination of (1) purpose-built mapping for India, (2) fast geospatial indexing, (3) ML-driven search & taxonomy, and (4) release/test discipline, each shaving seconds, together saving minutes. 

The Unified Technology Framework Powering 10-Minute Delivery Apps 

Ultra-fast grocery isn’t “just more riders.” It’s a stack of software, data, and micro-fulfilment built to compress every second from click to door. 

The same foundations power Zepto, Blinkit, Swiggy Instamart, and BigBasket as they scale quick-commerce across Indian metros. 

Below is a concise, sources-backed view of the standard building blocks, why they matter, and how they mesh together.

Core Building Blocks Used Across Such Platforms

  • Dark stores / Micro-fulfilment centers (MFCs)
    Small, high-throughput hubs embedded in dense neighborhoods to shorten the last-mile distance and time. This model contains rising last-mile costs and enables sub-30-minute SLAs. 

     
  • Order Management System (OMS) + Warehouse Management System (WMS)
    Central brain that accepts orders, checks serviceability, reserves stock, orchestrates picking/packing, and triggers dispatch. 
     
  • Geospatial platform & routing engine
    ETA prediction, traffic-aware routing, dynamic re-routing, and rider assignment core to keeping actual grocery delivery time under promise. 
     
  • Real-time data/streaming
    Event pipes (e.g., Kafka-style architectures) keep inventory, order state, and maps in sync for live tracking and accurate stock views; used widely in hyperlocal delivery. 

     
  • Forecasting & inventory optimization (AI/ML)
    Demand forecasting by hour/area SKU; slotting algorithms to place fast-movers near pick paths; replenishment to prevent stockouts. 

     
  • Order batching & assignment
    Pools nearby orders to the same rider/dark store window when it doesn’t hurt promised ETAs; critical for unit economics. (Described in Swiggy logistics engineering.)

     
  • Quality, safety, and compliance layer
    Hygienic storage, audits, temperature zones; growing transparency at dark stores as scrutiny rises.

     
  • Payments, risk & support systems
    Fast, low-friction checkout; COD controls; refunds and support flows tied to the OMS.

     
  • Analytics & experimentation
    Cohort analysis, A/B tests on slotting, promos, and fees to improve density and margins; sector-level unit economics trends tracked by Bain/Flipkart. 

     
  • Scale outlook (context)
    BigBasket is expanding dark stores and moving into <10–20-minute offerings, showing the model’s convergence across players. 

Why this matters: India’s q-commerce now commands a large share of e-grocery orders, enabled by these technologies, not just fleet size. 

Benefits for the Business and the User

  • Dark stores near demand

    Business: Lower delivery cost per order via short radii. 
    User: Faster, fresher grocery delivery service with reliable ETAs.

     
  • AI demand forecasting
    Business: Fewer stockouts, higher order density. 
    User: Items in stock, fewer replacements key to trust.

     
  • Traffic-aware routing
    Business: Higher rider productivity and on-time rate. 

User: Accurate Zepto delivery time / ETA-style tracking across any 10-minute delivery app.

  • Order batching & smart assignment
    Business: Better unit economics without missing SLAs. 

User: Consistent “minutes-level” drop-offs even at peak.

  • Real-time inventory sync
    Business: Lower cancellations/returns. User: What you see is what’s available, fewer disappointments.
     
  • Process transparency & audits
    Business: Compliance and brand trust. 

User: Confidence in storage quality at the grocery delivery store.
 

  • Analytics-driven promos/fees
    Business: Improved contribution margin. 

User: Clear value on fast essentials, not just speed.

The Interconnected Technology powering 10-Minute Delivery Models

Modern 10-minute delivery isn’t a set of isolated tools; it’s one event-driven system where forecasting, inventory, routing, and rider ops feed each other in real time.

Let’s see how.

1) Forecast— Buy—Place (before the order)

  • Demand forecasting (AI/ML) predicts SKU demand by hour, area, and season. These models decide what to stock and where to place it across dark stores/MFCs so items are already near customers. 
     
  • Replenishment & slotting: Forecasts feed into WMS rules to replenish stock and locate fast-movers near picker paths.

2) OMS/WMS as the “operating system”

  • The Order Management System (OMS) receives the order, checks serviceability, reserves inventory, and picks the best fulfillment node (nearest dark store).
     
  • The Warehouse Management System (WMS) turns each order into an optimized pick list and packing job, then hands off to dispatch.

3) Event streaming keeps everyone in sync

  • A real-time streaming layer (Kafka-style) publishes order status, inventory deltas, and GPS pings so the app, store terminals, and rider devices see the same truth, critical for live ETAs and zero “ghost stock.”

4) Geospatial brain: assignment, batching, routing

  • A routing/assignment engine consumes events and continuously solves: which rider takes which orders, in what sequence, on which path?
     
  • Proven at scale: Swiggy publicly details assignment and routing optimization (including order batching) to keep promises under tight SLAs, a blueprint widely mirrored across q-commerce. 

     
  • Outcome: pooled nearby orders when safe, dynamic re-routing for traffic, and ETA prediction tuned to local conditions.

5) Last-mile execution loop

  • Rider app receives turn-by-turn tasks, batched drops, and live updates; store app receives digital pick lists and scan flows; customer app shows real-time tracking and support hooks.

     
  • This closed loop pick progress → dispatch → rider location → customer ETA reduces uncertainty and shortens cycle time.

6) Governance: quality, safety, and audits

  • As volumes scale, quality layers (temperature zones, audits, compliance) are added to sustain trust. Sector coverage highlights the need for stronger hygiene controls in dark stores as networks densify.

Is the Technology Stack Different for Users, Riders, and Ops?

It’s the same platform, different views:

  • Customer view: App UI for search, availability, payments, and live ETAs benefiting from the same geospatial and streaming backbone.
     
  • Rider view: Assignment, navigation, and batching from the routing engine to maximize tasks/hour.
     
  • Ops view: OMS/WMS dashboards for stock health, picker productivity, SLA alerts, and A/B tests on fees/promos. 


In short, it’s this seamless tech symphony that makes apps like Zepto tick where AI, data, and logistics work in perfect harmony to get your groceries to your door in minutes.

Does Zepto Follow the Industry’s Best Practices?

This Ultra-fast grocery has brought a revolution in fast delivery services. Zepto runs on the same core foundations as dark stores, real-time data, and geospatial routing but each brand implements them differently. 

Here is a quick comparison table of the best practices Zepto follows and those it does not.

Best Practice / ModelPurposeDoes Zepto Follow It?
Dark Stores / Micro-Fulfillment Centers (MFCs)To reduce delivery distance and enable faster order processingYes—Zepto’s core model is built on MFCs placed within 1.5–2.5 km radius of customers
AI-Powered Demand ForecastingPredict local demand and restock accordinglyYes (Implied)---Zepto uses data-driven restocking and predictive demand models
Order Management System (OMS) + Warehouse Management System (WMS)Automate order assignment, picking, and dispatchLikely Yes —Standard in q-commerce; Zepto hasn’t detailed its stack
Geospatial Routing & Live ETA PredictionOptimize routes using live traffic and mapsYes (Confirmed)
Zepto uses location intelligence and geospatial data
Real-Time Data & Event StreamingSync data across apps, stores, and ridersNot Disclosed
Common in industry; Zepto’s use is probable but not confirmed
Automated Order Batching & Rider AssignmentCombine nearby orders to optimize tripsNot Disclosed 
Practiced by Swiggy/Instamart; Zepto likely uses similar logic
Quality, Safety, and Audit ControlsMaintain product freshness and hygienePartially 
Zepto mentions cold rooms and audits, with limited public details
Payment, Risk & Support AutomationEnsure smooth checkout and refund handlingNot Disclosed
No public data, but standard across all 10-minute delivery apps
Data Analytics & ExperimentationOptimize prices, fees, and user experienceYes (Implied)
Zepto uses performance data for continuous improvement
Location Intelligence for Store PlanningChoose high-demand zones for new storesYes (Explicit)
Zepto uses geography, demography, and traffic data for placement


Here we have mapped the standard 10-minute stack to Zepto, showing the benefit for customers and the business, and flagging whether Zepto publicly confirms the practice.

Dark stores / micro-fulfilment centers

  • Consumer benefit: Shorter zepto delivery time, fresher orders.
     
  • Business benefit: Lower last-mile cost via tiny radii.
     
  • Does Zepto do this? Yes. Zepto’s model is built on dark stores/micro-warehouses, placed with “location intelligence and geospatial data.”

Location intelligence for site selection

  • Consumer benefit: More reliable ETAs in dense areas.
     
  • Business benefit: Better store placement → higher order density.
     
  • Does Zepto do this? Yes

OMS/WMS (order & warehouse management)

  • Consumer benefit: Fewer cancellations; smoother what is Zepto delivery flow.
     
  • Business benefit: Faster pick/pack; fewer stockouts.
     
  • Does Zepto do this? Not publicly detailed. Standard for q-commerce/MFC ops; Zepto hasn’t published stack specifics.

Geospatial routing & rider assignment

  • Consumer benefit: Accurate ETAs on the 10-minute delivery app.
     
  • Business benefits: Higher rider productivity and on-time rates.
     
  • Does Zepto do this? Implied. Zepto cites geospatial use for network optimization; routing is an industry norm.

Real-time data/streaming

  • Consumer benefit: Live tracking that matches reality.
     
  • Business benefit: Inventory truth shared across apps/stores/riders.
     
  • Does Zepto do this? Not disclosed. Typical pattern in hyperlocal

AI demand forecasting & replenishment

  • Consumer benefit: Popular items in stock; fewer replacements.
     
  • Business benefit: Better margins; fewer lost sales.
     
  • Does Zepto do this? Implied. Zepto frames data-driven ops; sector evidence shows AI/ML is standard in q-commerce.

Order batching & smart assignment

  • Consumer benefit: “Minutes-level” drop-offs even at peak.
     
  • Business benefit: Better unit economics without breaking SLAs.
     
  • Does Zepto do this? Not disclosed.

Quality, safety & compliance layer

  • Consumer benefit: Confidence in storage quality at each grocery store during each delivery.
     
  • Business benefit: Compliance, brand trust.
     
  • Does Zepto do this? Not detailed. 

Payments, risk & support systems

  • Consumer benefit: Fast checkout; clear refunds.
     
  • Business benefit: Reduced friction and fraud.
     
  • Does Zepto do this? Expected

Analytics & experimentation

  • Consumer benefit: Better promos, fewer stock gaps.
     
  • Business benefit: Higher contribution margins via pricing/fees tests.
     
  • Does Zepto do this? Implied via data-driven ops narrative; common across the space.


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Zepto vs Blinkit vs Instamart vs BigBasket

The competition for the fastest grocery delivery in India is intense. 

Players like Zepto, Blinkit, Swiggy Instamart, and BigBasket are redefining how quickly groceries reach your doorstep.

Let’s break down how Zepto delivers groceries in 10 minutes compared with others in terms of technology, delivery time, and scale.

Comparison table between Zepto vs Blinkit vs Instamart vs BigBasket

Platform

Delivery Time

Cities 

Key Features (incl. Pricing & Subscription)

Zepto10-minute delivery for most orders Operates in 10+ major cities across India

• Uses dark stores + AI-driven logistics

• Average delivery time ≈ 9 min

• Offers competitive pricing & wallet cashback

• No subscription; relies on app-based rewards

Blinkit (Zomato)Promises 10–15 min delivery in metrosAvailable in 150+ cities

• Uses real-time inventory sync & route AI

• Linked to Zomato Gold for free delivery & discounts

• Frequent coupon-based price cuts

• Focused on convenience over bulk pricing

Swiggy Instamart10–20 min average fulfilmentAvailable in 25+ Indian cities

• Uses Swiggy’s delivery fleet + predictive analytics

• Subscription via Swiggy One for free delivery & cashback

• Heavy app-wide promotional pricing

BigBasket (BB)15–30 min under BB Now; scheduled for regular ordersCovers 40+ cities; BB Now in select metros

• Operates hybrid: dark stores + warehouse model

• BB Star membership with exclusive discounts

• Subscription for free delivery & priority slots

• Focus on product variety & reliability over speed

Each app brings its own strength: Zepto with unmatched speed, Blinkit and Instamart with reach, and BigBasket with reliability.

Next, we’ll explore Zepto’s Business Model and Challenges, and how it sustains its 10-minute delivery promise efficiently.

Zepto’s Business Model

Ultra-fast delivery isn’t just a tagline for Zepto, it’s the core of its business model

The promise to zepto deliver groceries in 10 minutes drives everything from store placement to tech investment. 

Here’s how the economics work, and what stands in the way.

Revenue Model

Zepto earns from multiple streams.

  • Product margins & sales: The platform buys volume, sells essentials via the Zepto app, and lays the foundation for its quick-commerce engine.
     
  • Delivery & surge fees: While many orders aim for free or low-fee delivery, Zepto uses small fees during peak times to support its operations. 
     
  • Brand partnerships & advertising: Zepto collaborates with FMCG brands and D2C firms for in-app promotions, leveraging its high-frequency platform. 
     
  • Subscriptions & new formats: Initiatives like “Zepto Pass” and expansions into ready-to-eat via “Zepto Café” signal diversification beyond standard grocery.
     
  • Revenue Performance:
    Zepto’s growth story is as fast as its deliveries. In FY 23, the company clocked ₹2,024 crore in revenue, marking a 14x jump from the previous year, even as it reported a ₹1,272 crore loss.

     
  • By FY 24, Zepto more than doubled its earnings to ₹4,454 crore, while narrowing its losses slightly to ₹1,249 crore, a sign that its 10-minute delivery app model is finding a balance between growth and efficiency.

For a comprehensive look at the financial architecture powering this lightning-fast service, check out the complete analysis of the Zepto Business Model.

Together, these streams show what is Zepto delivery from a business lens; it’s more than speed, it’s monetisation of that speed.

Conclusion

Zepto, one of India’s fastest-growing startups, has transformed the grocery delivery service industry with its promise to deliver groceries in 10 minutes. 

Through innovative technology, optimized dark stores, and a data-driven system, how Zepto approach has become a benchmark for innovation and speed. 

Despite its lightning pace, Zepto delivery maintains quality and reliability, proving that instant convenience can be sustainable.

If you’re inspired to build your own 10-minute delivery app or on-demand grocery delivery store, partner with AppsRhino, a trusted name in scalable app development. 

AppsRhino builds intelligent, customizable platforms that help businesses grow faster and deliver better.

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Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)

What is Zepto, and how does Zepto deliver in 10 minutes?

Zepto is a grocery delivery service that uses local dark stores, real-time tracking, and intelligent routing technology to deliver groceries in 10 minutes efficiently.

How does Zepto work and deliver groceries so quickly?

How Zepto works involves a network of nearby micro-warehouses and trained riders. This reduces travel distance, optimizing every order for ultra-fast Zepto delivery time.

How is Zepto different from other grocery delivery services?

Zepto focuses exclusively on 10-minute grocery delivery, using advanced technology, data-driven stocking, and local sourcing, setting it apart from traditional grocery delivery services.

What types of products does Zepto deliver?

Zepto grocery includes essentials like fruits, vegetables, snacks, beverages, and household goods, making it a one-stop grocery delivery store for daily needs.

Is there a minimum order requirement on Zepto?

No, the Zepto app allows flexible ordering; customers can buy a single item or a full cart, ensuring convenience with every Zepto delivery.

 

Table of Contents

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  • What Is Zepto and How Does Zepto Work?
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  • How Zepto Works for Customers?
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  • What Are Dark Stores?
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  • How Zepto Actually Makes 10-Minute Delivery Work (Behind the Scenes)
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  • The Technology Behind Zepto’s 10-Minute Delivery Model
  • How these Blocks Fit Together (user roles)
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  • The Unified Technology Framework Powering 10-Minute Delivery Apps 
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  • Does Zepto Follow the Industry’s Best Practices?
  • Zepto vs Blinkit vs Instamart vs BigBasket
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  • Zepto’s Business Model
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  • Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)