Blinkit CEO Albinder Dhindsa has addressed concerns raised by the National Restaurants Association of India (NRAI) regarding the launch of Bistro, Zomato's standalone 10-minute food delivery app. The NRAI recently flagged potential competition concerns and hinted at approaching the Competition Commission of India (CCI) about similar rapid delivery apps like Bistro and Swiggy's Snacc.

Responding to these concerns, Dhindsa clarified that Bistro operates as a completely independent entity, separate from Zomato’s primary app. He assured that no Zomato restaurant data has been used to develop or market Bistro, emphasizing,

“This is a standalone team, with a standalone app – and no Zomato restaurant data has been used. We will not even use the Zomato app to market Bistro.”

Dhindsa also addressed apprehensions about Zomato launching private brands that could compete with restaurant partners. He reaffirmed the company’s ethical commitment, stating,

“Zomato will never launch private brands on the main app to compete with our restaurant partners. Ethics and sticking to our word mean more than anything else to us, and we are not going to compromise just to save on marketing costs.”

Highlighting Bistro’s potential, Dhindsa noted that the app aims to add value to the food and restaurant ecosystem, not disrupt it. He shared,

“All the companies innovating with us on Bistro also work with a number of restaurants, and our success at Bistro has the potential to add value for the entire ecosystem.”

The NRAI’s concerns stem from the growing competition posed by standalone apps like Bistro, which may challenge traditional restaurant business models. With the rise of 10-minute food delivery services, the industry is closely watching how such innovations will reshape customer expectations and operational dynamics.

Blinkit and Zomato’s commitment to ethical practices and collaboration with restaurants may set a precedent for ensuring that rapid delivery models coexist harmoniously with the broader food service industry.