Blinkit Expands into Premium Grocery Segment with ‘Gourmet’ Offering

Gourmet, Blinkit's premium grocery service, is now live in several Bengaluru, Delhi-NCR, and Mumbai pincodes. The move is part of the strategy by the Eternal-owned rapid commerce startup to increase order values and margins by capitalising on the demand for premium food and grocery items.

Among the high-quality items provided by the business are artisanal breads and cheeses as well as produce that has been ozone-washed. According to the sources, Gourmet is being catered to by a distinct network of approximately five dark stores, with two locations in Bengaluru and Delhi and one in Mumbai.

Blinkit Locking Horns with FirstClub

Former Cleartrip CEO R. Ayyappan is promoting FirstClub in Bengaluru, and with this launch, Gourmet positions itself as a rival to FirstClub. At a valuation of $255 million, FirstCLub secured $55 million last month from Peak XV Partners and Sofina. Users that value quality and curation more than speed of delivery are FirstClub's target audience. Although Blinkit's pilot is now on a smaller scale, it might pave the way for a larger rollout in other cities if the format becomes popular.

The Gourmet Jar, Krumb Kraft, Oat Mlk, VK Hydroponic Farms, and Zuru Zuru are among the niche businesses that have already joined the platform. It is currently in negotiations with other participants, like Urban Platter. In an effort to compete with other online grocery companies that cater to affluent consumers and increase their profit margins, Blinkit is reportedly looking into ways to sell premium items on its site.

This trend began in October, according to a media company. As Blinkit's primary markets experience swift commerce maturity and the acquisition of new clients becomes tougher, the move underscores the company's attempt to differentiate itself.

Blinkit Wants to Capitalize on Premium Product Category

The business model of Blinkit is reminiscent of how established stores cater to affluent consumers by introducing premium formats. To put it in perspective, Blinkit might benefit from premium brands on Gourmet, which sell products at prices around 20-30% higher than mass-market alternatives. Blinkit aspires to maintain its position as a market leader by continuously innovating, according to Bisen. According to estimations made by market research firm Datum Intelligence, in 2025, the rapid commerce industry was dominated by Blinkit with 47% of the share; Zepto with 24%; Swiggy Instamart with 22%; and a few others, including BigBasket, Flipkart Minutes, and Tata-owned BigBasket, with 6% each.

Gourmet is the latest addition to Blinkit's trial programmes, which also include 10-minute ambulances, Bistro (a fast snack delivery service), and a large-order fleet (for products like air purifiers, gaming consoles, and geysers) for those larger items. In the March quarter of FY26, Blinkit reported operational revenue of INR 37,779 crore and an adjusted Ebitda profit of INR 37 crore, marking its second consecutive quarter of profitability. Despite this, there was a small improvement in net average order value (NAOV), which went up to INR 525 from INR 520 the previous year.