D2C brands ramp up festive playbook to tap on impulse demand on 10-minute delivery apps

Make-or-break festive season fuels D2C rush to quick commerce

Festive demand is boosting impulse purchases, pushing India’s direct-to-consumer (D2C) brands to lean on quick commerce apps to capture the surge. Categories like chocolates, namkeens and salty snacks are expected to see strong upticks, driving companies to step up inventory build-up and bid aggressively for prime ad slots on Instamart, Zepto and BigBasket. For many brands, visibility in the 10-minute delivery basket is now considered as critical as shelf space in traditional retail, industry executives said.

The current festive season is important for consumer companies after an year long slump in urban demand. The proposed GST cuts could further boost the purchases once it comes into effect, making packaged food items more affordable. Consumer firms are betting big on impulse categories such as snacks, ice creams and ready-to-make foods, ramping up inventories across online and offline channels to capture festive demand.

Brands like WellBe Foods expect a sharp increase in orders, particularly in snacks and namkeen. Founder and Director Gaurav Manchanda said demand is rising not just on Swiggy Instamart, Zepto, BigBasket and Flipkart, but also through general trade and modern retail outlets.

This also comes in tandem with the recent  Kantar report which flagged a rise in consumption of salty treats and chocolates in urban households amid changing snacking behaviour in  the country.

“Traditionally, our festive season spends on these platforms go up by around 30%, and we’re aligning accordingly to ensure WellBe stands out and be able to fulfil the demand during this period,” he said. The company is focusing on inventory planning, stocking and manufacturing ramp-ups, while also scaling ad spends and bidding for prime banner placements to stand out among growing competition.

Online ice-cream brand NIC too flagged that the higher orders from online platforms and the company is tailoring its ice cream flavors to suit the festive season. "We're tracking inventory closely across our supply chain to ensure every order is fulfilled," said Jeetendra Bhandari, Founder & Managing Director, Walko Food Company, that owns NIC.

While the brands are enhancing their focus on online sales,  quick-commerce platforms too are expanding their offerings, capacity ahead of the festive rush.

An Instamart spokesperson said the platform had been preparing for over three months, with spikes already seen during Janmashtami for items such as pooja essentials, Krishna basuris and laddoo gopal idols. “Our selection is tailored to key celebrations, from eco-friendly Ganpati idols and a wide range of modaks to Pookalam flower selections for Onam,” the spokesperson said.

The assortment is being expanded for Navratri, Karwa Chauth, Dhanteras and Diwali, including diyas, fasting essentials and gifting options. Instamart is also stocking gold and silver coins from brands like Kalyan and Malabar for Dhanteras shoppers and regional mithai and home décor products for Diwali. To meet delivery timelines, Instamart is scaling dark store inventory, staffing and delivery partners, with Tier-2 and Tier-3 cities contributing an increasing share of orders.

Electronics and accessories brands are also leveraging quick commerce to tap urgent festive use cases such as travel and gifting. A boAt spokesperson said, “Quick commerce has become a key growth driver for boAt, particularly for personal audio devices, portable speakers, and charging solutions, where we have observed a steady demand uplift over the past five to six quarters.”

The company undertakes separate forecasts for each channel and works closely with platforms on offers, inventory and marketing. According to the spokesperson, the surge during festive periods is driven by “urgent fulfilment needs,” and the business has expanded substantially as quick commerce grows across more cities.

Fresh food companies are seeing a similar lift in demand, though their operational approach differs due to the perishable nature of products. Gaurav Kwatra, CMO of iD Fresh Food, said, “Traditional food lies at the heart of every Indian festival, and we are seeing a clear uptick in categories like batter, parota, and dairy, which make festive cooking both authentic and hassle-free.”

With festive sales accounting for a significant share of annual revenues, brands across categories are aligning marketing, supply chains and assortments to make the most of the season. While metros remain the largest markets, the expansion of quick commerce into smaller cities is creating new opportunities for D2C and FMCG players aiming to capture the festive basket.