Food delivery giant Zomato marked the occasion of Raksha Bandhan with a lighthearted message for Blinkit, the hyper-local delivery company it acquired in 2022. In a post on its official X page, Zomato affectionately referred to Blinkit as its “adopted sis”, accompanied by a kiss emoji.
Blinkit was quick to respond with a witty remark, correcting Zomato's terminology. “Adopted nahi acquired hota hai..itna bada hogaya pata nahi kab seekhega," Blinkit wrote, implying that it was acquired, not adopted, and jokingly asking when Zomato would learn the difference.
Zomato's acquisition of Blinkit, formerly known as Grofers, was a strategic move to expand its footprint in the quick commerce sector. In August 2022, Zomato officially completed the acquisition for a deal worth approximately $568 million (Rs 4,447 crore). The acquisition was an all-stock deal, with Zomato issuing new shares to Blinkit's shareholders. This was not Zomato's first investment in Blinkit. In 2021, Zomato acquired a 9 per cent stake in Grofers for $100 million.
After the acquisition, Blinkit's founders, Albinder Dhindsa and Saurabh Kumar, joined Zomato's management team as part of the acquisition. This move marked Zomato's entry into the hyper-local delivery space, allowing it to compete with players like Swiggy's Instamart and Dunzo.
This Raksha Bandhan, Zomato also showered love on its “sister” Blinkit with a reel on Instagram. The reel opens with a man wearing a red Zomato T-shirt being tied a rakhi by a girl dressed in a yellow Blinkit T-shirt. After the rakhi ceremony, the Zomato ‘brother' hands his Blinkit ‘sister' a box of sweets, and she feeds him a sweet. But in an amusing turn of events, the Blinkit sister is then edited to transition into a monkey wearing the same yellow outfit.
“Nice edit chote,” Blinkit commented sarcastically.
Not one to be outdone, they responded with their own reel, playfully editing Zomato's ‘brother' with a donkey's head. The caption reads, “Happy raksha bandhan @zomato bhaiya.”
Zomato was quick to reply, “Tujhe adopt karke gadha hi feel ho raha hai behen (Adopting you feels like I am a donkey, sister).”
Blinkit, founded in 2013, established itself as a prominent player in the hyper-local delivery space, offering quick delivery of groceries, electronics, and other essentials. Zomato, founded in 2008, has dominated the food delivery market in India, with over 100,000 restaurants listed on its platform.
Since its acquisition, Blinkit has evolved into one of the most profitable ventures under Zomato's umbrella. The company has significantly reduced its cash burn and improved its operational efficiencies. Blinkit's focus on essentials and everyday items, coupled with its promise of delivery within 10-20 minutes, has resonated well with urban consumers, leading to a significant surge in demand.
