BigBasket is set to scale down its geographical footprint from 76 cities to just 40, according to an ET report citing sources, as the Tata Digital-owned grocery platform looks to curb cash burn and chart a path to profitability amid intensifying quick commerce competition.
The consolidation is being driven by newly appointed CEO Amit Nanda, who has been tasked with steering the company toward profitability through operational efficiency, sharper accountability and faster execution. Sources indicate the strategy will prioritise larger, denser urban markets over a spread-out city presence, betting that concentrated demand in bigger cities will yield better returns than thin coverage across many.
The move follows criticism from Tata Sons chairman Noel Tata over BigBasket’s mounting losses and high cash burn. In FY25, the company’s losses jumped 42% to ₹2,006.8 Cr, while operating revenue slipped 2% to ₹9,866.7 Cr.
BigBasket, founded in 2011, was an early leader in online grocery but was slow to pivot when quick commerce took off. Former CEO and cofounder Hari Menon, who recently stepped down along with cofounder Vipul Parekh, has publicly acknowledged underestimating the speed of the shift in consumer behaviour.
The company now trails rivals sharply on scale: it processes 5-6 lakh daily orders against Blinkit’s 30 lakh, Zepto’s 24-25 lakh and Instamart’s 12.5 lakh, while its dark store count of 700 lags Blinkit’s 2,243 and Zepto’s 1,139. New entrants Amazon and Flipkart are also expanding aggressively, adding further pressure on BigBasket’s already-shrinking market position.
