Zomato Experiments Rapid Food Delivery With Vending Machines

Foodtech platform Zomato has ventured into rapid food delivery with the launch of vending machines, 'Zomato Now', in corporate offices in Gurugram. This experiment marks a shift from Zomato's focus on rapidly delivering food to bringing food closer to consumers. These vending machines are installed in partnership with restaurants in Gurugram.

The move comes as restaurants complain about increased promotional fees and charges imposed by platforms like Zomato and Swiggy. Zomato's initiative to collaborate with restaurants for vending machines could help mend this relationship. Additionally, Zomato has been launching multiple models, such as Zomato Instant, Everyday, and Ritual, in recent times.

Zomato's food delivery business, despite being a smaller contributor to Eternal's revenue compared to Blinkit, generated ₹606 Cr in adjusted EBITDA in Q1 FY27, up 37% year-over-year to ₹3,100 Cr. The company's profitability is driven by restaurant commissions, platform fees, advertising, and subscriptions like Zomato Gold. While challenges like rising delivery, customer acquisition, and regulatory costs persist, Zomato's mature and profitable operations offer financial stability as Eternal invests heavily in Blinkit and other ventures.

Eternal's net profit in Q1 FY27 increased nearly 3.7 times to ₹92 Cr, with operating revenue surging 182% YoY to ₹20,211 Cr. Eternal's shares closed at ₹327.60 on the BSE.