Retail's tech revolution: How BranchX is powering kiranas with AI
Visit any local
kirana
shop and you may dash across something extraordinary, which is going beneath the surface. As customers wander the aisles, availing themselves of daily necessities, the proprietor is behind the scenes plotting a
digital revolution
that would have been easy to imagine only a few years ago. This is the tale of how artificial intelligence is transforming the retail market of
India
, shop by shop.
The figures are a case in point. The retail market of India, worth more than $1.01 trillion, is occupied by more than 13 million kirana shops that nearly contribute 93 per cent of all trade. However, such enterprises remained formally out of the banking environment and until about the recent past, they resorted to the use of cash and the accounting practices of the past that transferred no business potential. The difference between the significance of their economies and their digital accessibility led to a colossal innovative opportunity.
Cue
BranchX
, a fintech startup launched in 2020 by industry veterans Sajid Jamal and Rajesh Johnny, who saw in India that the
small retailers
required simple technology to solve their exclusive set of issues. But instead of imposing sophisticated corporate banking instruments on corner stores, they created something altogether different: a computerised ecosystem that understands the language of the smaller businesspeople.
The centrepiece behind such transformation is
Xenie
, the first voice-based neobanking system that is aimed at small retailers in India. The technology is not the only revolutionary aspect of Xenie, since the company is innovative in terms of user experience. The system allows store owners to engage with the system through vernacular voice and removes the challenge of digital literacy that has historically left the store owners outside of fintech solutions.
No separate payment, bank, inventory, or marketing tools are installed; the whole package is integrated into a single smart POS device that thinks like a kirana store owner, not like a corporate banker.
The impact has been substantial. With over 100,000 users, 30,000 wallet holders, and $50 million in transactions processed, Xenie is proving that inclusive fintech isn't just socially responsible, it's profitable. These numbers represent real businesses that can now access credit, manage inventory digitally, and tap into new revenue streams that were previously unavailable to them.
The timing couldn't be more critical. Urban real estate costs are creating unprecedented pressure on small retailers, particularly in India's rapidly growing Tier-2 and Tier-3 cities. As these areas densify, kirana stores face shrinking spaces, higher rents, and reduced inventory capacity. The retail sector occupies an estimated 500+ million square feet of real estate, and over 200,000 kirana stores have already shut down due to these mounting pressures combined with competition from organised retail and quick commerce platforms.
BranchX's solution addresses these challenges head-on by helping retailers optimise their operations digitally. Through automated inventory management and embedded financial services, store owners can maximise revenue from smaller spaces while accessing micro-monetisation opportunities like local advertising and instant credit. This approach enables them to compete effectively with larger players while maintaining their neighbourhood presence.
The company's vision extends far beyond individual stores. Through Xpandifi, their unified commerce platform, BranchX is connecting brands, retailers, and distributors in ways that enable social selling and global exports. This is particularly relevant as India's social commerce market, currently valued at $7.2 billion, is projected to grow sevenfold by 2033. Over 1.2 million Indian brands now sell directly through WhatsApp, Instagram, and YouTube, making social platforms essential retail channels.
Meanwhile, their Tramo platform focuses on
financial inclusion
for rural communities, offering digital savings, credit, and insurance services to populations traditionally underserved by conventional banks.
The financial fundamentals support this ambitious vision. BranchX posted ₹115 crore in consolidated revenue this financial year while maintaining profitability for the second consecutive year. The company has transitioned to public limited status and is preparing for a future IPO, backed by strategic funding and multiple acquisitions that strengthen its market position.
With over 80 per cent of kirana owners now adopting some form of digitisation, BranchX is capitalising on a crucial inflection point in India's retail evolution. This quiet revolution happening in neighbourhood stores across India represents something larger: proof that the most profound technological transformations often occur not in corporate boardrooms or tech campuses, but in the everyday spaces where people live, work, and shop.
For more information, visit:
https://www.branchx.in/
Authored by Nishat Manzar, NB Digital PR & Branding. The views expressed are personal.
Brand Connect Initiative
This article has been produced by the Primex Team. ETBrandEquity may or may not subscribe to the views produced in the article.
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By Nishat Manzar Visit any local kirana shop and you may dash across something extraordinary, which is going beneath the surface. As customers wander the aisles, availing themselves of daily necessities, the proprietor is behind the scenes plotting a digital revolution that would have been easy to imagine only a few years ago. This is the tale of how artificial intelligence is transforming the retail market of India , shop by shop. The figures are a case in point. The retail market of India, worth more than $1.01 trillion, is occupied by more than 13 million kirana shops that nearly contribute 93 per cent of all trade. However, such enterprises remained formally out of the banking environment and until about the recent past, they resorted to the use of cash and the accounting practices of the past that transferred no business potential. The difference between the significance of their economies and their digital accessibility led to a colossal innovative opportunity. 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This is particularly relevant as India's social commerce market, currently valued at $7.2 billion, is projected to grow sevenfold by 2033. Over 1.2 million Indian brands now sell directly through WhatsApp, Instagram, and YouTube, making social platforms essential retail channels. Meanwhile, their Tramo platform focuses on financial inclusion for rural communities, offering digital savings, credit, and insurance services to populations traditionally underserved by conventional banks. The financial fundamentals support this ambitious vision. BranchX posted ₹115 crore in consolidated revenue this financial year while maintaining profitability for the second consecutive year. The company has transitioned to public limited status and is preparing for a future IPO, backed by strategic funding and multiple acquisitions that strengthen its market position. With over 80 per cent of kirana owners now adopting some form of digitisation, BranchX is capitalising on a crucial inflection point in India's retail evolution. This quiet revolution happening in neighbourhood stores across India represents something larger: proof that the most profound technological transformations often occur not in corporate boardrooms or tech campuses, but in the everyday spaces where people live, work, and shop. For more information, visit: Authored by Nishat Manzar, NB Digital PR & Branding. The views expressed are personal. Brand Connect Initiative This article has been produced by the Primex Team. ETBrandEquity may or may not subscribe to the views produced in the article.
