👓Crystal Clear👓
NUUK's Funding, Blinkit’s Commission Twist & BigBasket’s IPO Buzz!
Hi Surgies 👋
Last week we wrote about how FMCG companies are restructuring supply chains and departments for quick commerce. This is why- Quick commerce contributes to more than 30% of the e-commerce pie.
Speaking of FMCG, let’s get to Oats, which seems to be at an inflection point in India. Marico’s food segment has grown at an average of >25% for 10 quarters - in which the largest product is Saffola Oats.
Speaking of healthy Oaty food, here are some insights on how to crack the market.
🗞️Marketplace Buzz
Blinkit’s Commission Remix: More Margin, Less Mayhem? The company just turned up the heat in the quick commerce kitchen! The Zomato-owned platform is ditching its flat commission model for a variable commission structure. Translation? If your favourite bodega makes more, Blinkit takes more. The move aims to boost take rates, but will it be a smooth ride or a checkout lane full of abandoned carts?
Zomato, Swiggy, and Zepto in Hot Water (Again): The trio are in hot soup as the Indian antitrust watchdog starts sniffing around their ultra-fast grocery game. Allegations? Unfair pricing, vendor exploitation, and possible monopolistic tactics. The q-commerce war just got a compliance boss battle-will. Time to lawyer up.
Amazon Says Bye-Bye to Refurbished Biz: Amazon Renewed, the company’s refurbished goods marketplace, is getting the axe. With rising competition from Flipkart and dedicated refurb players, Amazon is cutting losses. Guess second-hand isn’t always second best.
BigBasket to IPO: Because Who Doesn’t Love a Good Grocery Story? The company is prepping for an IPO in the next 18-24 months. CEO Hari Menon is busy polishing the apples (and the balance sheet) ahead of the big debut.
💊 Quick commerce wants a piece of your medicine cabinet! E-pharmacies and 15-minute delivery giants are now racing to drop meds at your doorstep faster than you can say paracetamol. Traditional(?) e-pharmacies like Pharmeasy and Tata 1mg are feeling the heat. Regulations? Still a grey area. Competition? Fierce. But one thing’s clear-quick commerce isn’t just about chips and cola anymore. The new battleground? Flu meds and first-aid kits.
🍕D2C Snippets
Bacca Bucci Laces Up With $2.5M Funding. The D2C footwear brand just bagged $2.5M in its maiden funding round. Known for its affordable ‘sneaker culture’ vibe, the brand plans to scale up in a market where sneakerheads are multiplying faster than new Yeezy drops. 👟
NUUK just plugged into a fresh $5M Series A round to power up its home appliance game! The brand is on a mission to make home gadgets cooler, smarter, and Gen-Z-approved. Think appliances that vibe with your aesthetic while actually doing their job (yes, looking at you, air fryers that become glorified storage units)
Lenskart’s Vision: Clear as Crystal. Eyewear giant Lenskart is shifting gears from rapid expansion to sustainable scale & consistency. After years of chasing growth, the brand now wants to fine-tune operations.
Indē Wild just landed a powerhouse combo- 5M USD funding from Unilever Ventures and shelf space at Sephora US! 💸💄 Founded by Diipa Büller-Khosla, the Ayurvedic beauty brand is turning its influencer clout into a serious business, blending Indian skincare traditions with global aspirations.
📢Power Talk
📚Reads and Recommendations
Let’s start with 300 tips to sell on Amazon by Steven Pope
How Are Consumers Interacting with India's New-Age B2C Startups? The latest wave of IPOs has given us a real-time view of digital consumption habits.
A ready reckoner on quick commerce ad formats
India’s retail market soared to ₹82 lakh crore in 2024 from ₹35 lakh crore in 2014, driven by economic growth and a diverse consumer base. The market is set to reach over ₹190 lakh crore by 2034.
Check out Google’s AI shopping tools. The company has launched its Vision Match feature for all mobile users in the United States
🔥That’s all for this week! Pass this along to your fellow D2C builders- because knowledge (and memes) are best when shared.
PS: Folks at some companies have told us this newsletter is almost mandatory weekly reading for their teams 🥰. If your company is not in on it yet, get your teams on the latest in the e-commerce space every week.