In a significant move that reshuffles India’s quick commerce leaderboard, Reliance Retail announced on January 16, 2026, that its platform, JioMart, has become the second-largest player in the segment by order volume.
The claim, made during the company’s Q3 FY26 earnings presentation, highlights the aggressive “reboot” of Reliance’s hyperlocal strategy through its massive brick-and-mortar network.
The “1.6 Million” Milestone
Reliance reported that JioMart reached a peak daily order run rate of 1.6 million by the end of December 2025. This marks a staggering 360% year-on-year growth, fueled by festive demand and a rapid expansion of its fulfillment infrastructure.
| Quick Commerce Player | Approx. Daily Orders (Q3 FY26) |
| Blinkit | ~2.5 Million (Market Leader) |
| JioMart | 1.6 Million (Reliance Claim) |
| Swiggy Instamart | ~1.1 to 1.3 Million |
| Zepto | ~1.0 to 1.2 Million |
Strategy: The “Hyperlocal” Advantage
Reliance’s rise is built on a “hybrid” model that differs from the pure dark-store approach used by its rivals:
- 3,000 Fulfillment Hubs: Unlike Blinkit or Zepto, which rely almost exclusively on dark stores, Reliance uses its existing network of 3,000+ physical retail stores as delivery nodes.
- 600+ Dark Stores: To fill gaps in high-density areas where stores can’t reach within 30 minutes, Reliance has operationalized a secondary grid of dedicated dark stores.
- 30-Minute Promise: While its competitors focus on sub-15-minute deliveries, JioMart targets a 30-minute window, allowing it to offer a wider catalog of 12,000+ SKUs, including fashion and electronics.
The “Competitive Frequency” Claim
Reliance Retail CFO Dinesh Taluja noted that transaction frequency on their digital platforms is now roughly twice that of competitors, driven by the integration of the JioMart and AJIO (apparel) ecosystems.
- AJIO Rush: The company’s quick apparel service is now live in 300 pin codes, reporting a 16% higher average selling price than standard e-commerce orders.
Industry Skepticism
Despite the impressive numbers, some industry analysts remain cautious. A report from India Dispatch on January 17 noted that while Reliance’s order volumes are high, the “Big Three” (Blinkit, Zepto, and Instamart) still dominate the sub-15-minute grocery space in Tier-I metros.
- Peak vs. Average: Critics point out that the 1.6 million figure is a “peak exit rate” rather than a sustained daily average.
- Category Mix: Much of Reliance’s volume includes scheduled and non-grocery items, which some analysts argue shouldn’t be compared directly to the “instant-need” model of Zepto or Blinkit.
Conclusion: The Battle for “Everywhere”
Reliance is betting that its reach—covering 1,000 cities and 5,000 pin codes—will eventually outweigh the metro-heavy speed of its rivals. With quick commerce now contributing 20% of total retail revenue for Reliance, the company is positioning itself as the only player capable of scaling the model to “Bharat” (Tier II and III cities) at a profit.
