India rang in 2025 by breaking a few instant delivery records. In the age of the convenience economy, fast-delivery startups such as Swiggy Instamart, Blinkit, BigBasket and others live-posted the order habits of their consumers which led to some amusing insights. From grapes to condoms to packets of chips to handcuffs, the customers ordered everything that could have aided their party mood on the celebratory occasion of New Year's Eve.
Party staples such as chips, coke and namkeen were the toast of the evening as per Blinkit co-founder Albinder Dhindsa. He took to X (formerly Twitter) to reveal that his delivery executives had delivered 2.3 lakh packets of aloo bhujiya's and 6,834 packets of ice cubes by 8 pm on December 31.
He added that 39 per cent of condom sales were for chocolate flavour, with strawberry at 31 per cent and bubblegum at 19 per cent after a user asked for the breakdown.
https://t.co/ookPgwMqg3 pic.twitter.com/oUViC73eGS
— Albinder Dhindsa (@albinder) December 31, 2024
https://t.co/ookPgwMqg3 pic.twitter.com/oUViC73eGS
— Albinder Dhindsa (@albinder) December 31, 2024
Mr Dhindsa particularly expressed surprise at the customers ordering grapes on the last day of the year. "What's with the sudden craze for grapes today?? It's one of the highest ordered items on the platform since morning!" he wrote.
Social media users explained that eating 12 grapes on New Year's Eve and making a wish was an age-old tradition that had caught on after Sofia Vergara aka Gloria in the Modern Family sitcom did something similar.
What's with the sudden craze for grapes today?? 🤔
— Albinder Dhindsa (@albinder) December 31, 2024
It's one of the highest ordered items on the platform since morning! pic.twitter.com/cdSNjHnveu
Meanwhile, Swiggy Instamart reported a peak of 853 chips orders per minute at 7:30 pm with a customer ordering blindfolds and handcuffs as well.
“Ice hit its peak at 7:41 PM with 119 kgs delivered in that minute!” posted Phani Kishan A, co-founder of Swiggy Instamart.
Ice hit its peak at 7:41 PM with 119 kgs delivered in that minute! 👀
— Phani Kishan A (@phanikishan) December 31, 2024
Despite doubling their orders, Chennai still trails behind Mumbai, Bengaluru, and Hyderabad when it comes to stocking up for chilled drinks tonight. 🧊
On BigBasket, sales of non-alcoholic beverages went up by 552 per cent and disposable cups and plates by 325 per cent. Sod and mocktail sales also increased by 200 per cent.
India's quick commerce platforms have transformed grocery shopping across India by promising delivery within minutes which manages to undercut the traditional shops. The COVID-19 pandemic accelerated the shift and since then, these companies have spread beyond the metro cities to tier-2 and tier-3 cities as well.
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