Startups Bet Big on Quick Commerce

For these startups, qcom is emerging as a launch and discovery platform, not simply a fulfilment channel.

Direct-to-consumer (D2C) startups across food, beverages, fashion, consumer electronics and lifestyle categories are lining up to launch new products on quick commerce (qcom) platforms ahead of the festival season.

They are using the August-December festival window to introduce new categories, expand their assortment and test consumer response, with several expecting the channel to contribute significantly to sales growth.

For instance, Leads Brand Connect, which markets and distributes food brands in India, is targeting Rs 100 crore to Rs 150 crore in sales from qcom platforms alone in the current financial year.

Frozen meat startup Zappfresh expects qcom to add 25 to 30 per cent to its current D2C sales run-rate over the next six to nine months.

Consumer electronics startup SnapUp is targeting around Rs 5 crore in sales on qcom platform during the remaining months of the year.

And, beverage company Borécha expects a 25 to 30 per cent increase in qcom channel volumes over the coming quarters.

Festive Season Product Launches

"The festival season is one of the strongest consumption periods for food products, especially premium convenience foods," said Richa Khandelwal, founder and managing director, Leads Brand Connect.

The company's ready-to-cook brand Amazonika Mundi is currently available on Amazon Now and will be launched on other platforms in August-October 2026.

It will have new products like avocado, veggie, falafel and quinoa burger patties, Italian veggie balls, and Brazilian bean croquettes, among others.

Zappfresh is similarly using qcom to expand its ready-to-cook portfolio.

The company entered the channel only about a month ago and is currently live on Amazon Now and Blinkit.

"We are launching a range of ready-to-cook chicken marinades. The timing is deliberate: Festival season is when households entertain more and look for ways to put together special, indulgent meals without the effort of elaborate cooking," said Deepanshu Manchanda, founder and MD, Zappfresh.

The marinades, in flavours such as Achari Tikka, Tandoori, Malai, Garlic Lemon, Peri Peri and Schezwan, will debut on Blinkit across Delhi-NCR.

The same shift towards festive consumption is playing out in beverages.

Borécha is using qcom as a launchpad for the debut of Bun-Taa! Orange Pop, a zero-sugar probiotic orange soda, on Swiggy Instamart.

Following this, Orange Pop will be expanded to Blinkit, Zepto, BigBasket, Amazon and Flipkart in the coming months.

According to the company spokesperson, qcom has become an important discovery channel as it puts new products in front of consumers at the point of an impulse beverage decision.

In addition to snacks and beverages, plant-based frozen dessert brand 1.5 Degree is in talks with Zepto to launch its kulfi, which would be its first listing on a qcom marketplace.

The kulfi is already sold at the company's outlets, but the Zepto launch is being timed around the festival gifting season.

"Festival season kulfi demand is genuinely higher on qcom, and it gets us into a category (frozen, occasion-driven) that suits impulse and last-minute buying," said Vedansh Goyal, the firm's founder.

Kids' food brand Gladful has launched four premium gifting boxes featuring chocolate spreads, dry fruits, snack jars and festive essentials on Zepto and Blinkit for Rakhi and family celebrations.

"At Gladful, we consciously introduce a few new products every year to keep expanding our breakfast and kids' food portfolio," said Parul Sharma, founder, Gladful.

On the fashion side, women-focused startup Pinq Polka is expanding its qcom assortment ahead of the festival and wedding seasons.

The brand, which is already available on Blinkit, Zepto and Swiggy Instamart, sells products such as reusable nipple covers, breast tape and fashion tape.

"Qcom fits us particularly well because many of our products address an immediate wardrobe problem.

"We are looking at expanding our qcom assortment across newer innerwear, shapewear and fashion-led wardrobe solutions, with the festival and wedding seasons being particularly relevant for the category," said Manveen Ssharma, the firm's CEO.

Startups Expand Festive Assortment

Tuning into the festival vibe, consumer electronics startup SnapUp is entering the party speaker category, alongside new products such as Bluetooth speaker models and smartwatches.

Tushar Tekriwal, the company's founder, said new launches will be available on Myntra Now from August 20, ahead of Raksha Bandhan.

"Festival shopping has become increasingly spontaneous, and qcom perfectly complements this changing consumer behaviour," Tekriwal said.

"During festivals, people often make last-minute purchases for celebrations, gifting, or home entertainment."

The expansion is also moving into kitchen and household categories.

Kitchen brand Cumin Co. has expanded into two new categories ahead of the festival season.

It includes Stash, a premium range of food-storage containers, and Quill, its first collection of knives.

The products will be first available on Zepto.

Feature Presentation: Ashish Narsale/Rediff