Latest news with #AmiteshJha
Time of India
7 days ago
- Business
- Time of India
Instamart CEO Amitesh Jha on quick commerce, hyperlocal bets and winning the Indian consumer one ad at a time
Bengaluru: 'If I like the campaign, maybe it's a problem,' says Amitesh Jha with a laugh. 'If I'm confused or scandalised, then the marketing team is doing something right.' In a landscape where 10-minute delivery is no longer the headline but the hygiene, India's most agile quick commerce player is doubling down on localised SKU curation , brand launches, and campaigns. At the ETRetail E-commerce & Digital Natives Summit in Bengaluru, Instamart CEO Amitesh Jha sat down for a candid fireside chat offering deep insight into what it takes to run and grow a quick commerce engine in India's most demanding consumer climate. The Indian consumer, decoded (again and again) 'The Indian consumer changes fast, sometimes even faster than we can model,' Jha observed. 'But some fundamentals never change. They want affordability, trust, convenience and speed. These needs are timeless and they apply to Gen Z as much as to a boomer.' Quick commerce, he explains, is far more local than it appears. "It's a micromarket business. You can't win by applying national playbooks. What sells in Bucha is very different from what sells in MG Road or Palam Vihar.' At Instamart, assortment decisions are made not just city-wise, but pin code by pin code. 'You're constrained by time and space. We can't offer an infinite aisle like traditional ecommerce. So we go hyperlocal .' This, he says, is what makes the job challenging and fascinating. 'We sometimes find that two cities in the same state say, Hyderabad and Guntur, can have a 50% difference in their top-performing food SKUs.' A market of surprises, not assumptions What excites Jha is how unpredictable demand can be. 'Every six months, our mental models change. A tier 3 town with five lakh people suddenly starts clocking tier 1-like growth. We're constantly recalibrating.' He's clear on one thing: brands or platforms that get rigid about their assumptions are bound to lose. ' Consumer demand in India is fluid. If you're not evolving every quarter, you're already behind.' The art of going viral Instamart's mango drop campaign, where the colour of the fruit changed depending on the weather, was one such bold move. 'We couldn't run it in Bangalore because it was too cloudy,' Jha chuckled. 'But that's what made it interesting. We don't just want people to watch an ad. We want them to discuss it, debate it, share it.' But he is quick to clarify: good branding doesn't always show up in next-day dashboards. 'You have to be consistent, long-term, and sometimes uncomfortably bold. If the campaign is making too much sense to the senior leadership… it probably won't go viral.'
Time of India
18-07-2025
- Business
- Time of India
Instamart CEO sees quick commerce dominate shopping mode in five years
Synopsis Quick commerce penetration is extremely low, while consumer love for it is extremely high, said Amitesh Jha at the second edition of the Indian Healthy Snacking Summit in New Delhi. Unlike traditional ecommerce, product shelf space on quick commerce platforms will remain limited, he pointed out.
Time of India
09-06-2025
- Business
- Time of India
Instamart partners with Bharat Organics to bring certified organic staples to Indian homes
Swiggy's Instamart on Monday announced that it has joined hands with Bharat Organics , a farmer-led cooperative brand, to launch a range of certified organic staples across major Indian cities. The partnership, forged through a memorandum of understanding (MoU) with the National Cooperative Organic Limited (NCOL), will make 21 organic food products available to consumers via Instamart's digital platform. Shares of Swiggy Ltd were trading at Rs 364.35, down Rs 10.10 (2.70 per cent ) as of 1:22 pm IST. The alliance is aimed at connecting India's traditional organic farming cooperatives to the country's growing base of health-conscious, digital-first consumers. Products such as pulses, spices, cereals, sweeteners, teas, and organic oils will now be accessible on Instamart in metros and Tier-1 cities at prices significantly below market rates. 'This initiative also aligns with the Government of India's broader vision under White Revolution 2.0, which emphasizes strengthening the agri-cooperative ecosystem through sustainable practices, market access, and digital enablement. By connecting traditional farmer cooperatives to tech-enabled platforms like Instamart, the partnership underscores the role of cooperatives in shaping a healthier, more resilient India,' it said in a statement. 'This partnership with Bharat Organics helps us take a significant step toward promoting healthier living by making a wide range of organic product options easily available to the customers of Instamart,' said Amitesh Jha, CEO, Instamart. 'It also aligns with our broader goal of supporting the growth of local communities through technology. In addition to this, this collaboration is beneficial for India's organic farmers, by enabling greater market access.' Consumers will be able to choose from staples including tur dal, masoor dal, rajma, kabuli chana, basmati rice, atta, jaggery powder, whole and ground spices, honey, ghee, and herbal teas. Every pack comes with a QR code linking to real-time lab test reports verifying pesticide-free status, certified against over 245 residues, marking a new level of transparency in India's grocery segment. Prices have been deliberately kept competitive to encourage adoption. For example, organic tur dal will retail at Rs 240/kg, notably lower than the market average of Rs 290–Rs 300/kg. Shri Ashish Kumar Bhutani, Secretary, Ministry of Cooperation, welcomed the initiative. 'With Bharat Organics, we're offering a range of clean, lab-tested organic staples that are not only accessible to consumers but also ensure fair returns for farming communities. The launch on Swiggy Instamart is a meaningful step forward, bridging our agricultural roots with today's digital consumer landscape.' Shri Vipul Mittal, Managing Director, NCOL, added, 'Swiggy Instamart's reach, reliability, and consumer trust make it an ideal platform to bring Bharat Organics into the homes of a new generation of mindful buyers. Through Swiggy's platform, we're not only delivering food but also building trust, transparency, and empowerment into the grocery-buying experience.' Bharat Organics follows a farmer-first profit-sharing model, with nearly 50 per cent of profits going directly to member farmers. The brand already has a strong offline presence across Delhi-NCR, with distribution through 10,000+ retail outlets including 300+ Safal stores via its partnership with Mother Dairy, it informed. The Instamart collaboration marks its first major foray into digital grocery retail .
Time of India
09-06-2025
- Business
- Time of India
Instamart partners with Bharat Organics to bring certified organic staples to Indian homes
Swiggy's Instamart on Monday announced that it has joined hands with Bharat Organics , a farmer-led cooperative brand, to launch a range of certified organic staples across major Indian cities. The partnership, forged through a memorandum of understanding (MoU) with the National Cooperative Organic Limited (NCOL), will make 21 organic food products available to consumers via Instamart's digital platform. Shares of Swiggy Ltd were trading at ₹364.35, down ₹10.10 (2.70%) as of 1:22 pm IST. The alliance is aimed at connecting India's traditional organic farming cooperatives to the country's growing base of health-conscious, digital-first consumers. Products such as pulses, spices, cereals, sweeteners, teas, and organic oils will now be accessible on Instamart in metros and Tier-1 cities at prices significantly below market rates. Also Read: Instamart drops parent 'Swiggy' in re-branding move for quick commerce platform 'This initiative also aligns with the Government of India's broader vision under White Revolution 2.0, which emphasizes strengthening the agri-cooperative ecosystem through sustainable practices, market access, and digital enablement. By connecting traditional farmer cooperatives to tech-enabled platforms like Instamart, the partnership underscores the role of cooperatives in shaping a healthier, more resilient India,' it said in a statement. Live Events 'This partnership with Bharat Organics helps us take a significant step toward promoting healthier living by making a wide range of organic product options easily available to the customers of Instamart,' said Amitesh Jha, CEO, Instamart. 'It also aligns with our broader goal of supporting the growth of local communities through technology. In addition to this, this collaboration is beneficial for India's organic farmers, by enabling greater market access.' Consumers will be able to choose from staples including tur dal, masoor dal, rajma, kabuli chana, basmati rice, atta, jaggery powder, whole and ground spices, honey, ghee, and herbal teas. Every pack comes with a QR code linking to real-time lab test reports verifying pesticide-free status, certified against over 245 residues, marking a new level of transparency in India's grocery segment. Prices have been deliberately kept competitive to encourage adoption. For example, organic tur dal will retail at ₹240/kg, notably lower than the market average of ₹290–₹300/kg. Also Read: Rapido cuts food delivery charges by half to counter Zomato, Swiggy Shri Ashish Kumar Bhutani, Secretary, Ministry of Cooperation, welcomed the initiative. 'With Bharat Organics, we're offering a range of clean, lab-tested organic staples that are not only accessible to consumers but also ensure fair returns for farming communities. The launch on Swiggy Instamart is a meaningful step forward, bridging our agricultural roots with today's digital consumer landscape.' Shri Vipul Mittal, Managing Director, NCOL, added, 'Swiggy Instamart's reach, reliability, and consumer trust make it an ideal platform to bring Bharat Organics into the homes of a new generation of mindful buyers. Through Swiggy's platform, we're not only delivering food but also building trust, transparency, and empowerment into the grocery-buying experience.' Bharat Organics follows a farmer-first profit-sharing model, with nearly 50% of profits going directly to member farmers. The brand already has a strong offline presence across Delhi-NCR, with distribution through 10,000+ retail outlets including 300+ Safal stores via its partnership with Mother Dairy, it informed. The Instamart collaboration marks its first major foray into digital grocery retail .
The Hindu
30-04-2025
- Business
- The Hindu
Swiggy Instamart to deliver gold and silver coins from Kalyan Jewellers
Swiggy Instamart will deliver gold and silver coins of various weights from Kalyan Jewellers to customers in a matter of minutes, announced the companies in a press note. The coins now available through the quick commerce service include include 0.5 gram and 1 gram gold coins, as well as 5 gram, 10 gram, and 20 gram silver coins. The 24-Karat, BIS hallmarked gold coins and the certified, 999 pure silver coins both come with decorative motifs. The coins will be available to order all year round, though they are being launched in preparation for the Akshaya Tritiya festival, when it is trendy to buy precious metals. Swiggy Instamart customers can use the service to order gold and silver coins across all 100 cities, including top metros, the company said. 'We're excited to welcome Kalyan Jewellers to our platform ahead of Akshaya Tritiya. With more customers embracing the convenience of quick commerce for festive and traditional purchases, this partnership is both timely and relevant. Our goal is to ensure that customers can access trusted, certified products like gold and silver coins with the same ease as they would groceries or other household purchases,' said Amitesh Jha, CEO of Instamart. Blinkit also offers gold and silver coin deliveries in a matter of minutes, with the launch scheduled around the Diwali and Dhanteras festival last year.
