Rapido teams with BigBasket, Big Bazaar & Spencer's for lockdown essential deliveries across 90 cities

Rapido deploys 70% of its bike-taxi fleet for last-mile grocery delivery in partnership with BigBasket, Big Bazaar and Spencer's Retail during the COVID-19 lockdown, charging no commission. Talks are underway with Grofers, Dunzo and FreshtoHome to expand the essentials network.

— FiledMon, 6 Jul, 2026, 05:50 IST·First seen Mon, 6 Jul, 2026, 05:49 IST·Source Financial Express · BrandWagon

What happened

Rapido partners with Big Basket, Big Bazaar and Spencer's Retail for last-mile essential deliveries across 90 Indian cities during COVID-19 lockdown, deploying

Key facts

  • 90 cities
  • 70 percent of fleet

Why this matters

The multi-retailer, multi-city partnership footprint and active talks with Grofers, Dunzo and FreshtoHome position Rapido as a potential acquisition or integration target for players seeking scaled bike-based last-mile essentials capacity.

What to watch

  • Lockdown extension or phased mobility reopening timelines
  • Announcement of paid commission structure replacing zero-fee model
  • Signed contracts with Grofers/Dunzo/FreshtoHome
  • Rider earnings and churn data during redeployment
  • Competitive response from Swiggy/Dunzo/Zomato essentials pivots
  • Retailers' own dark-store and fleet buildout announcements
  • Convert goodwill deliveries into structured paid SLAs with BigBasket and Spencer's before lockdown eases
  • Close Grofers/Dunzo/FreshtoHome talks to lock multi-retailer rider utilization
  • Build rider safety/hygiene protocols and PPE supply to sustain operations and PR
  • Launch a standalone hyperlocal delivery API/product to institutionalize the pivot
  • Secure bridge capital citing new logistics revenue line to counter ride-hailing collapse