Zepto, the quick-commerce unicorn known for its 10-minute grocery runs, has now set its sights on your medicine cabinet. The company on Thursday rolled out Zepto Pharmacy in select areas of Mumbai, Bengaluru, Delhi-NCR and Hyderabad, with a promise to deliver prescription and over-the-counter medicines in as little as 10 minutes.
Co-founder and CEO Aadit Palicha said the launch comes after a year-long pilot designed to fine-tune the notoriously tricky business of pharmaceutical delivery. “Over the past 12 months, we have worked to perfect the customer experience, supply chain and compliance on a small scale. Now we will grow steadily, without rushing expansion, because of the complexity of this category,” Palicha said in a LinkedIn post.
The pilot phase focused on building partnerships with licensed vendors, strengthening cold-chain logistics for temperature-sensitive drugs, and ensuring deliveries met regulatory standards. The company has not disclosed the number of partner pharmacies or the size of its delivery fleet for the segment but insiders say Zepto will initially cover only high-density urban clusters before widening its footprint.
By stepping into the online medicine market, Zepto is taking on heavyweights such as Tata 1mg, PharmEasy and Apollo 24/7, all of which offer same-day or next-day deliveries. Other quick-commerce players like Blinkit and Swiggy Instamart have also dabbled in the category, though none have fully committed to a 10-minute promise at scale.
India’s online pharmacy market, valued at over ₹25,000 crore in 2024, is projected to grow at double-digit rates over the next five years, driven by rising health awareness, expanding digital adoption, and demand for instant fulfilment. For Zepto, the move not only diversifies its business beyond groceries but could cement its position as the fastest delivery platform in multiple essential categories.
The real test begins now: keeping the promise while keeping compliance intact.
