Mahesh Jakhetiya: Pioneering Hyperlocal Grocery Delivery with Shopezzy

The hyperlocal segment has seen a surge of entrepreneurial interest, with various platforms aiming to cater to local consumers’ needs. In this landscape, the emergence of Shopezzy, a Gurgaon-based online platform for grocery and daily-use items, exemplifies the sector’s dynamism. Launched in April 2015 by Mahesh Jakhetiya, Shopezzy is on a mission to simplify grocery and daily necessity shopping for consumers, focusing on working professionals, affluent households, and the middle class.

Despite the seemingly crowded marketplace, Shopezzy set itself apart from the competition by introducing innovative solutions. One of the platform’s standout features is its commitment to fulfilling orders within an astonishingly short timeframe—just 20 to 30 minutes, all without any additional charges. To achieve this impressive feat, Shopezzy collaborates with local retailers, capitalizing on their existing capabilities and logistics infrastructure, rather than establishing a parallel delivery network. This unique approach is crucial in maintaining profitability in the grocery segment, which often operates on slim margins.

Mahesh Jakhetiya, Founder of Shopezzy, further highlights the platform’s vision to empower local retailers through technology, enabling them to effectively counter the threat posed by online competitors. Shopezzy not only seeks to enhance the shopping experience for customers but also to elevate the skills and service quality of local retail employees. The company’s roadmap includes plans to enhance the online grocery shopping experience through data analytics and personalized recommendations for customers. Shopezzy’s commitment to continuous improvement reflects its dedication to providing customers with a seamless and efficient shopping journey.

As of now, Shopezzy is a self-funded venture, commencing its journey with an initial investment of USD 80,000. This capital was allocated to technology development, operational expansion, and marketing initiatives. The company is actively pursuing pre-VC funding to bolster marketing efforts and drive further traction. Within the next six months, Shopezzy aims to secure USD 10 million in funding to support its growth objectives. In addition to the sales commission from retailers on each fulfilled order, Shopezzy intends to introduce multiple revenue streams to enhance its profitability.

Over the past few months, Shopezzy has achieved remarkable growth, with a 200 percent month-on-month increase in order placements. The platform operates in a massive market, with India’s grocery retail sector estimated at USD 500 billion, yet only a fraction of it is online. Shopezzy, along with other competitors, has the opportunity to tap into this vast market. The growing competition, including prominent players like Future Retail, Amazon, Flipkart, Snapdeal, PayTM, Aditya Birla, and Tata, underscores the sector’s immense potential.

Mahesh Jakhetiya remains optimistic about the industry’s future, emphasizing that sustainable business models and cost-effective operations will ultimately prevail. With the grocery sector poised for exponential growth, the competition is fierce, driven by discounts and promotions to capture the customer’s attention. Jakhetiya likens the industry to a test match in cricket, where endurance and customer-centric strategies will determine the victors. In this multifaceted competition, those who stand the test of time alongside their consumers will emerge as winners, and there might even be room for multiple champions.

The journey of Mahesh Jakhetiya and Shopezzy exemplifies the entrepreneurial spirit and innovative thinking required to make an impact in the hyperlocal grocery delivery industry. By focusing on customer needs, leveraging local retailers, and introducing groundbreaking solutions, Shopezzy is paving the way for a brighter future in the online grocery space.