Zepto CEO Aadit Palicha backs Labour Ministry’s move to remove '10-minute' delivery branding

Zepto Co-Founder and CEO Aadit Palicha on Wednesday described the Labour Ministry's suggestion to remove the 10-minute delivery branding from quick commerce platforms as a fair one, stating that Zepto remains open to further inputs from the government to improve operations.

In a LinkedIn post, Palicha recounted a "wonderful meeting" with Labour Minister Mansukh Mandaviya, praising the ministry's support for the gig economy and hyperlocal commerce.

This conversation on the nature of the workforce aligns with broader industry sentiments expressed in January 2026. Speaking at the World Economic Forum (WEF) in Davos on January 20, 2026, Swiggy's Food Marketplace CEO Rohit Kapoor argued that delivery jobs should be reclassified, stating that "Gig sounds like a little bit of a fancy term, but the reality is it's flexible employment."

With government support, Zepto has created over 180,000 jobs for delivery partners and more than 40,000 positions for store personnel, truck drivers, and warehouse operators, Palicha noted. Highlighting the sheer scale of this "third pillar" of the job market, Kapoor revealed in January 2026 that almost 2.5 million people had worked on the Swiggy platform alone in the previous year. He emphasised that the workforce is not monolithic, comprising students, those seeking second incomes, and those treating it as a long-term livelihood.

"Our hope is to partner with the government and serve its initiatives in taking our country forward... We are not perfect, and we are always open to input from the government on how we can improve," Palicha stated.

"This is what we did recently when Mansukh ji gave us a good-faith suggestion to remove '10 minutes' from our branding. The minister was clear that his end goal is to keep growing the employment and economic mobility that platforms like ours generate, and his feedback was intended to help us do that seamlessly. That is why we are always happy to work with him on any of his suggestions," Palicha wrote.

Similarly, regarding government regulation, Kapoor welcomed the government's social security code in January 2026, calling it a step in the "right direction." However, he cautioned stakeholders to treat this sector differently from formal employment, warning that "The moment you apply the same parameters, you will end up throttling something which is truly different."

Delivery partners are the soul of Zepto, Palicha said, adding that the company disburses "thousands of crores" in payouts annually while providing "world-class service" to consumers and supporting farmers and new Indian brands through its platform.

Last week, Zepto, along with other major quick commerce firms like Blinkit, Swiggy Instamart, and Flipkart Minutes, scrapped the '10-minute' delivery branding following rising pressure from labour rights groups and the labour minister's directive.

The quick commerce unicorn has filed preliminary papers with markets regulator Sebi to raise Rs 11,000 crore through its initial public offering (IPO) using a confidential route, according to people in the know.

(With inputs from PTI)