Zepto Expands Into E-Pharmacy, Sets 10-Minute Delivery Benchmark

Zepto has entered the online pharmacy industry with Zepto Pharmacy, which claims to deliver medicines in 10 minutes in select metro cities.

It is currently available in limited locations in Mumbai, Bengaluru, Delhi-NCR, and Hyderabad, Co-Founder and CEO Aadit Palicha said on a LinkedIn post on Thursday.

Per Palicha, the launch follows a year-long pilot program designed to "tweak the supply chain, trial customer experience, and assess regulations, we are trying to do is keep operational standards super high and not scale too quickly because of the complexity of this category,” he said, while also noting that the team had been working 'tirelessly' for the past 12 months to improve the operations.

The move represents Zepto's initial expansion away from its 10-minute grocery delivery model, immediately positioning it in competition against longstanding online pharmacy businesses like Tata 1mg, PharmEasy, and Apollo 24/7, as well as other quick commerce options delivering healthcare products.

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Industry watchers note that in this respect, it reflects an emerging trend around merging quick commerce logistics and its role in retail pharmacy. Fast-tracked delivery is an area, especially, where it would have a meaningful impact on customers who need urgent prescriptions or take routine medications on a regular basis.

That said, the e-pharmacy sector is fraught with regulatory restrictions around prescription validation, cold chain management, and drug storage protocols. Zepto has stated that compliance will remain an important intention even as it develops the service.

Palicha said that if Zepto Pharmacy is done right, it could "dramatically improve the lives of millions of customers" by improving access to their regular medicine when it is required.