Zepto, the quick commerce startup, has temporarily suspended operations at 44 of its Zepto Cafe outlets across several northern Indian cities. This move comes as the company works to optimize its supply chain infrastructure to keep up with rising demand.
The suspension will remain in effect until the July–September quarter (Q2 FY25) and has impacted dark store locations in Delhi NCR, Agra, Meerut, Haridwar, Gorakhpur, Mohali, Amritsar, and Ghaziabad, according to a report by NDTV Profit.
Zepto Cafe is the company’s venture into hot food delivery, offering a curated menu including coffee, tea, puffs, and pizzas. It was introduced as a direct competitor to Zomato and Swiggy in the ready-to-eat segment.
Earlier, CEO Aadit Palicha revealed that the cafe vertical was handling close to 100,000 orders daily, with a projected annualized GMV run rate of $100 million.
Employees affected by the pause in operations were notified on April 20 and given a one-month window to opt for transfers to nearby active locations.
Despite the closures, Zepto continues to operate around 750 cafes across India. The company emphasized that the move is part of a broader supply chain optimization strategy, aimed at supporting its long-term scaling ambitions in the competitive quick commerce landscape.
