Zomato Launches Bistro: A 10-Minute Food Delivery App to Target Unorganised Food Channels

Zomato Launches Bistro: Zomato has recently launched Bistro, a 10-minute food delivery app under its Blinkit brand, in a bid to address an unmet need in the fast-food and unorganised food sectors. Despite its primary food delivery app aggregating a wide range of restaurant partners, Zomato has struggled to penetrate the canteen and unorganised food stalls market due to issues with food selection, pricing, and delivery timelines.

Competition in the Quick Delivery Space

The quick-food delivery market has seen fierce competition, with major players like Zomato, Swiggy, and Zepto pushing hard to capture market share. Bistro enters this competitive arena, offering snacks, meals, and beverages delivered in just 10 minutes. This offering fills a gap that Zomato's primary app couldn't adequately address, particularly in the unorganised food sector, which accounts for over 50% of out-of-home food spending in India.

Features and Operational Differences of Bistro

Bistro was released on the Google Play Store on December 6, 2024, with plans for an iOS release soon. The app delivers a wide range of convenience food items, including beverages, shakes, snacks, fast food, value meals, and desserts. It offers low-ticket value, fresh meals sourced from self-operated kitchens. Unlike Zepto Café, which operates from dark stores, Bistro kitchens are located separately and focus on instant food offerings, including Zomato Everyday meals.

A Genuine Need for Bistro?

According to an analysis report by JM Financial, Zomato’s earlier attempts to capture the unorganised food sector had failed due to limitations in selection, pricing, and delivery timelines. Bistro aims to address these limitations by offering quick delivery and affordable options, potentially capturing a significant share of the unorganised food market.