Dark Stores, Hidden Fees & PR Crises: What’s Slowing Down Zepto?
After four quarter of rapid expansion, quick‑commerce giant Zepto is showing signs of slowing down. Founder–CEO Aadit Palicha acknowledges that more than just a big funding round will be needed to steer the company back onto a high‑growth path.
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Market and PR challenges
In recent weeks, Zepto has been under fire for several controversies:
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Maharashtra FDA revoked the license of its Dharavi dark store after inspectors found fungal growth, expired items, unsanitary floors, and malfunctioning cold storage units.
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Viral customer complaints emerged about hidden delivery charges and unclear billing practices, with users posting bill screenshots.
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Allegations have surfaced online about unhygienic conditions in several dark stores and food prep areas .
Aadit Palicha’s candid self-crits and recovery
Palicha has admitted that early hiring missteps and the 2022–23 funding crunch, worsened by the Silicon Valley Bank collapse, nearly caused Zepto to collapse.
He emphasized that recovering from those mistakes required tightened hiring practices, financial controls, and restructuring—lessons he says no new round of capital can replace alone .
Growth isn’t enough—stability matters
While Zepto’s annual gross order value continues to grow—reportedly nearing USD 4 billion—and ARR from its ad-tech stack has soared from USD 40 million to over USD 200 million Palicha stresses the need for responsible scaling and stronger internal systems.
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