Blinkit vs Instamart, what Tricity shoppers should know

For households in Chandigarh-Tricity that use Blinkit and Swiggy’s Instamart for last-minute groceries, fresh produce and everyday essentials, the competition between the two platforms could mean more choices beyond familiar brands. Their decisions on what products to stock, promote and develop under their own labels could also shape the alternatives shoppers see while placing orders.

Blinkit’s parent company, Eternal, questions whether building its own brands generates enough business to justify the investment. Swiggy, meanwhile, is expanding its portfolio to offer distinctive products and encourage customers to shop on Instamart more often.

Why Blinkit is holding back

In its Q2 FY27 shareholders’ letter dated October 21, Eternal said private labels should either attract additional sales or improve profitability enough to cover product development and marketing costs.

Eternal CEO Albinder Dhindsa said the company’s current approach did not meet either objective. According to Eternal, developing own brands requires investment in manufacturing, quality checks, inventory and promotion. The company prefers to focus on selling established brands and earning advertising revenue from brands on Blinkit.

Instamart expands its range

Swiggy is pursuing a different strategy through Switch, which includes its own brands No!ce and Nectr alongside partnerships with around 400 brands.

In its Q2 FY27 shareholders’ letter dated October 22, Swiggy said Switch products featured in more than 20 per cent of Instamart orders across over 60 categories as of September 2026.

No!ce, its clean-food brand, had more than 500 products and featured in more than one in eight Instamart orders, the company said. Customers who purchased No!ce recorded a retention rate 15 percentage points higher than the comparison group, according to Swiggy. The figures show an association with customer retention but do not prove that the brand alone caused customers to return.

Swiggy also reported that one in six Instamart customers in Bengaluru had purchased a product from Nectr, its fruits and vegetables brand, by September.

What it means for shoppers

The two strategies could shape the product choices available on quick-commerce apps, including the alternatives customers see alongside established brands. However, neither company’s reported figures establish whether its own-brand products are cheaper for shoppers or more profitable than competing products.

For Eternal, the priority is making sure its investment in own brands delivers clear business benefits. Swiggy is betting that distinctive products can give customers more reasons to return.

For shoppers across the Tricity, the practical test will be whether these products offer better value, quality and choice, not simply a different name on the packaging.