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Blinkit's big bet: How Zomato's pivot paid off

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India.com
2 hours ago
- India.com
Bad news for Deepinder Goyal as Maharashtra govt takes big decision on Blinkit, Zepto after..., says will continue to...
(File) In more trouble for quick commerce majors Zepto and Blinkit amid the controversy surrounding their dark stores in Maharashtra, the state government has announced that it would continue regular inspections of these units to ensure cleanliness and other mandatory standards are being followed. The development comes after the Maharashtra Food and Drug Administration (FDA) ordered the closure of dark stores of both Zepto and Blinkit in early June for allegedly violating hygiene standards. The state suspended the food license of a Zepto dark store in Dharavi, while a similar facility of Blinkit was shuttered in Pune. Why FDA took action against Zepto and Blinkit? Last month, based on a consumer complaint, the Maharashtra raided a Blinkit dark store, run by Darkstore Services near Mitcon College in Pune's Balewadi area, and found that the facility was operating without a food safety license, in violation of the Food Safety and Standards Act, 2006. Apart from lack of a license, several other gross violations of hygiene standards were found during the FDA inspections, such as pieces of food items lying on the floor, workers handling consumables without headgear, etc. Following the revelation, the Joint Commissioner (Food) ordered the store operator to immediately halt all food- related activities until it obtains a valid food license from authorities. In Zepto's case, the FDA cancelled the license of its Dharavi facility for non-compliance with food standards. As per the FDA, Zepto's Dharavi dark store was shuttered for violating several regulations, including Food Safety and Standards Act, 2006 and the Food Safety and Standards (Licensing and Registration of Food Businesses) Regulations, 2011, according to a report by NDTV Profit. According to the agency, gross violations of food standards norms were found at Zepto's Dharavi facility, including fungal growth in certain food articles, and food products stores near stagnant water, which indicated poor hygiene as cold storage rules were flouted. The inspection also discovered the facility's floors were wet and filthy, and food items were stored in a disorganized and unsanitary manner, including directly on the floor. The state FDA had also found norms violations during inspections at Zepto facilities in Bhiwandi, Bandra West and Borivali. What happened to these stores after FDA action? According to Moneycontrol report, the Zepto and Blinkit have reopened their dark stores after acquiring the necessary permissions from authorities. 'Blinkit and Zepto have made the necessary changes. We had sent them a letter clearly stating that all their stores should follow the cleanliness and rules. They have assured us that these rules are now being followed completely. However, we are constantly checking whether everything is being implemented properly or not,' the report quoted Maharashtra's Minister of State for Food and Civil Supplies Yogesh Kadam as saying.


News18
14 hours ago
- News18
No Dine-In, No Zomato, Just Secret ‘Addiction' Recipes: This Delhi Dhaba Earns Whopping ₹100 Crore+
Nearly 40 years ago, Rajinder started a small food stall in the Safdarjung market in Delhi. Tucked away in a lane of Delhi's Safdarjung area is a food joint that has quietly grown into a Rs 100-crore-plus empire without any flashy marketing. To this day, Rajinder Da Dhaba continues to draw massive crowds every single day, for one simple reason: taste. Best known for its Chicken Curry and Galauti Kebabs, this decades-old dhaba has cemented its place as a landmark on Delhi's culinary map. What makes its journey truly remarkable is its beginning in 1968. From selling fish fry to eggs, it has since grown into a thriving chain with multiple successful outlets. The Journey Of A Small Food Stall Nearly 40 years ago, Rajinder started a small food stall in the Safdarjung market in Delhi. He began with just Rs 500 and served simple dishes like fish fry and eggs. There were no investors and no advertisements. Slowly, the taste caught on, and customers kept coming back. Recently, content creator Rocky Saggoo Capital, who shares business stories, posted a reel explaining how this small stall grew into a business worth crores. 'Sirf Butter Chicken aur Galauti Kebabs bechkar crore ka empire khada kar diya. Na investors, na ads, na Zomato ka gimmick. (They built a crore-plus empire by just selling butter chicken and galauti kebabs. No investors, no ads, no Zomato gimmicks)," Rocky said in the video. Business That Grew With Customers As demand grew, so did the challenges. Long wait times began to frustrate customers. That's when the team made a bold call. They decided not to launch an app but to create a system. 'Customer ne bola zyada chahiye— menu expand kar diya. Bola time lagta hai – time bachaya (When customers asked for more variety, they expanded the menu. When they complained about delays, they saved time)," Rocky explained. Instead of market surveys, they listened directly to customer feedback. 'Critics ne sudhara, customers ne badhaya (Critics helped them improve, customers helped them grow)," he added. Three Brands, One Idea Today, Rajinder Da Dhaba operates under three formats: Rajinder Da Dhaba Rajinder Xpress 'Aaj yeh sirf ek dhaba nahi, Delhi ka cultural landmark hai, (Today, it's not just a dhaba but a cultural landmark of Delhi)," Rocky pointed out. Operational Mastery Their success isn't just about recipes; it is about operations. From marinating in batches to keeping gravy ready in advance, they have engineered kitchen speed without compromising taste. 'Kitchen ko system ki tarah chalaya, lekin food ko fast food nahi banne diya (They ran the kitchen like a system, but never let the food become like fast food)," Rocky mentioned. Even without seating, they created a unique 'car dining" experience. 'Order time pehle 20 mins tha, ab sirf 2–3 mins reh gaya hai (Earlier, the wait time was 20 minutes. Now it's down to 2–3 minutes)," he added. The Brand's Expansion The brand began by perfecting just two dishes: Butter Chicken and Galauti Rolls. Once these hit the mark, they expanded step by step. 'Automation kari. Ek ek dish ko perfect karte chale gaye (They automated things. Perfected each dish one by one)," Rocky said. Crowds haven't stopped since. Be it a weekday evening or a weekend night, the place is always buzzing. As Rocky puts it, 'Crore ka empire sirf ek wajah se – customer-centric approach (A crore-worth empire was built for one reason—putting customers first)." Now, the business is handled by Rajendra's son, Bhushan Kumar, who is keeping the legacy going. tags : delhi food viral news view comments Location : Mumbai, India, India First Published: July 26, 2025, 08:47 IST News viral No Dine-In, No Zomato, Just Secret 'Addiction' Recipes: This Delhi Dhaba Earns Whopping ₹100 Crore+ Disclaimer: Comments reflect users' views, not News18's. Please keep discussions respectful and constructive. Abusive, defamatory, or illegal comments will be removed. News18 may disable any comment at its discretion. By posting, you agree to our Terms of Use and Privacy Policy.


News18
14 hours ago
- News18
No Dine-In, No Zomato, Just ‘Secret Addiction' Recipes: This Delhi Dhaba Earns Whopping ₹100 Crore+
Nearly 40 years ago, Rajinder started a small food stall in the Safdarjung market in Delhi. Tucked away in a lane of Delhi's Safdarjung area is a food joint that has quietly grown into a Rs 100-crore-plus empire without any flashy marketing. To this day, Rajinder Da Dhaba continues to draw massive crowds every single day, for one simple reason: taste. Best known for its Chicken Curry and Galauti Kebabs, this decades-old dhaba has cemented its place as a landmark on Delhi's culinary map. What makes its journey truly remarkable is its beginning in 1968. From selling fish fry to eggs, it has since grown into a thriving chain with multiple successful outlets. The Journey Of A Small Food Stall Nearly 40 years ago, Rajinder started a small food stall in the Safdarjung market in Delhi. He began with just Rs 500 and served simple dishes like fish fry and eggs. There were no investors and no advertisements. Slowly, the taste caught on, and customers kept coming back. Recently, content creator Rocky Saggoo Capital, who shares business stories, posted a reel explaining how this small stall grew into a business worth crores. 'Sirf Butter Chicken aur Galauti Kebabs bechkar crore ka empire khada kar diya. Na investors, na ads, na Zomato ka gimmick. (They built a crore-plus empire by just selling butter chicken and galauti kebabs. No investors, no ads, no Zomato gimmicks)," Rocky said in the video. Business That Grew With Customers As demand grew, so did the challenges. Long wait times began to frustrate customers. That's when the team made a bold call. They decided not to launch an app but to create a system. 'Customer ne bola zyada chahiye— menu expand kar diya. Bola time lagta hai – time bachaya (When customers asked for more variety, they expanded the menu. When they complained about delays, they saved time)," Rocky explained. Instead of market surveys, they listened directly to customer feedback. 'Critics ne sudhara, customers ne badhaya (Critics helped them improve, customers helped them grow)," he added. Three Brands, One Idea Today, Rajinder Da Dhaba operates under three formats: Rajinder Da Dhaba Rajinder Xpress 'Aaj yeh sirf ek dhaba nahi, Delhi ka cultural landmark hai, (Today, it's not just a dhaba but a cultural landmark of Delhi)," Rocky pointed out. Operational Mastery Their success isn't just about recipes; it is about operations. From marinating in batches to keeping gravy ready in advance, they have engineered kitchen speed without compromising taste. 'Kitchen ko system ki tarah chalaya, lekin food ko fast food nahi banne diya (They ran the kitchen like a system, but never let the food become like fast food)," Rocky mentioned. Even without seating, they created a unique 'car dining" experience. 'Order time pehle 20 mins tha, ab sirf 2–3 mins reh gaya hai (Earlier, the wait time was 20 minutes. Now it's down to 2–3 minutes)," he added. The Brand's Expansion The brand began by perfecting just two dishes: Butter Chicken and Galauti Rolls. Once these hit the mark, they expanded step by step. 'Automation kari. Ek ek dish ko perfect karte chale gaye (They automated things. Perfected each dish one by one)," Rocky said. Crowds haven't stopped since. Be it a weekday evening or a weekend night, the place is always buzzing. As Rocky puts it, 'Crore ka empire sirf ek wajah se – customer-centric approach (A crore-worth empire was built for one reason—putting customers first)." Now, the business is handled by Rajendra's son, Bhushan Kumar, who is keeping the legacy going. tags : delhi food viral news view comments Location : Mumbai, India, India First Published: July 26, 2025, 08:47 IST News viral No Dine-In, No Zomato, Just 'Secret Addiction' Recipes: This Delhi Dhaba Earns Whopping ₹100 Crore+ Disclaimer: Comments reflect users' views, not News18's. Please keep discussions respectful and constructive. Abusive, defamatory, or illegal comments will be removed. News18 may disable any comment at its discretion. By posting, you agree to our Terms of Use and Privacy Policy.