Apna Mart Layoffs: Impact on Grocery Delivery Startup

Apna Mart, a grocery delivery startup funded by Accel and Peak XV, has made the decision to lay off about 10% of its workforce. This marks the company’s first reported layoffs in the fast-paced world of quick commerce. According to a report from ET, these layoffs are part of a broader restructuring effort aimed at implementing AI technologies and moving operations from Bengaluru to Gurugram.

The layoffs have affected approximately 35-40 employees from various departments. The company indicated that some positions became redundant due to automation driven by AI, while certain employees faced layoffs as the relocation was not a viable option. Apna Mart has transitioned its product and technology teams to Gurugram, although its operational teams will continue to function from their existing locations.

About Apna Mart

Founded by Abhishek Singh and Chetan Garg, Apna Mart operates a franchise-based quick commerce model that focuses on Tier II and Tier III cities. The startup prides itself on delivering groceries within about 10 minutes and faces competition from firms like Blinkit, Swiggy, and Zepto. Contrary to models that rely solely on dark stores, Apna Mart adopts an omnichannel strategy, drawing parallels to Reliance Retail’s JioMart.

Current Operations and Funding

Presently, Apna Mart is active in 14 cities across Jharkhand, Chhattisgarh, and West Bengal. In March last year, the company secured Rs 214.5 crore (around $25 million) in equity and debt financing led by Fundamentum Partnership Fund and Accel. Reports from Startup Superb suggest that Apna Mart has raised close to $40 million in total across various funding rounds.

For the financial year FY25, Apna Mart reported a net loss of Rs 75.8 crore on a revenue of Rs 190 crore. However, the company asserted that its revenue surged by 2.5 times to reach Rs 500 crore in FY26, although it did not disclose specific details regarding its profitability.