Discover the surge in orders on popular e-commerce platforms like Zomato's Blinkit, Zepto, and Swiggy Instamart during the Holi festival in India. From Holi essentials to white T-shirts and coconut oil, find out what products were in high demand. Explore the insights shared by industry leaders and the growth of online food and grocery delivery in India.
Record-breaking Orders on E-commerce Platforms during Holi Festival in India
( Credit to: Dazeinfo )
India is renowned for its vibrant festivals, and the Holi festival is no exception. Celebrated on March 25th, 2024, Holi witnessed an unprecedented surge in orders on popular e-commerce platforms like Zomato's Blinkit, Zepto, and Swiggy Instamart. This article explores the record-breaking increase in demand for various products during the festive season.
Holi essentials such as colors (Gulaal), sweets, playful Pichkaris, flowers, and food items saw particularly high demand during this time. Surprisingly, white T-shirts, commonly worn during Holi, and coconut oil were also in significant demand among consumers.
Zomato's Blinkit, Swiggy Instamart, and Zepto, on a regular business day, process around 600,000, 550,000, and 500,000 orders respectively. However, on the day of Holi, these platforms witnessed a remarkable surge in orders. Swiggy Instamart was projected to exceed 700,000 orders, while Zepto was expected to surpass 600,000 orders, setting new records for both platforms.
Insights from Industry Leaders
Albinder Dhindsa, the co-founder and CEO of Blinkit, revealed that the platform achieved its highest Order Volume per Minute (OPM) on the day before Holi. Phani Kishan Addepalli, the co-founder of Swiggy and head of Instamart, shared that the sales of flowers on Instamart had increased five-fold compared to the previous year's Holi, indicating a significant rise in demand. Aadit Palicha, the co-founder and CEO of Zepto, highlighted the purchase of white T-shirts during Holi, demonstrating the platform's versatility beyond daily grocery needs.
Holi-related Items in High Demand
During Holi, consumers turned to online platforms for a range of products. Swiggy Instamart reported that almost every order placed on Holi included a packet of Gulaal, while one in every seven orders in Bangalore and one in every five orders in Mumbai included Pichkaris. Gulaal orders started pouring in as early as 6 am and peaked at 444 Gulals per minute until 10 am.
Zepto CEO, Aadit Palicha, shared a screenshot showing a surge in sales of juices and mixers on March 25th as customers prepared for house parties. This demonstrates the platform's ability to cater to a diverse range of needs beyond groceries.
Online Food Delivery during Holi
In addition to Holi-related items, online food delivery platforms like Swiggy and Zomato also experienced a surge in orders for culinary delights during the festival. Traditional treats like Gujia and Thandai were in high demand. Swiggy's CEO, Rohit Kapoor, mentioned a remarkable instance where a user from Lucknow spent a staggering Rs 28,830 on Gujiyas ordered from Swiggy for their Holi celebrations.
The Future of Online Food and Grocery Delivery in India
India's e-commerce market is the fastest-growing in the world, providing a significant opportunity for established and emerging players to capture the attention of customers in tier 2 and tier 3 cities. With the continued growth and dominance of key players like Swiggy, Zomato, and Zepto, the future of online food and grocery delivery in India looks incredibly promising, offering greater convenience and choice to consumers nationwide.