Mukesh Ambani, Asia’s richest man, is adopting the strategy of popular Indian grocery startups to transform Reliance’s retail operations, moving from delivery timelines of one to two days to a targeted 10-30-minute service. This pivot toward “quick commerce” aligns Reliance with the models of leading Indian delivery platforms like Zomato, Swiggy (backed by SoftBank), and Zepto, which offer fast delivery within 10 minutes, often outpacing even Amazon.
Reliance’s approach aims to capitalize on the exponential growth in quick commerce, which Datum Intelligence estimates will reach $6 billion in sales in 2024, a stark rise from just $100 million in 2020. Quick commerce’s explosive growth has disrupted sales for traditional mom-and-pop stores and supermarkets, as consumers increasingly prefer swift deliveries of essentials like groceries and electronics. To tackle this, Reliance plans to leverage its 3,000 supermarkets across 1,150 cities, using dedicated kiosks within these stores for fast delivery.
According to sources, Reliance’s plan is not only to bolster the quick-commerce segment but also to support the future IPO of Reliance Retail, last valued at $100 billion, with backing from firms like KKR. With the planned 10-30-minute delivery, Reliance aims to meet customer demands sustainably, as it believes customers may not need a 10-minute delivery window. While Reliance faces challenges from its late entry into this space and the lack of small-scale warehousing infrastructure, this shift aims to integrate quick commerce into Reliance’s retail ecosystem.
