In a strategic expansion beyond two-wheeler mobility, ride-hailing startup Rapido has officially entered the food delivery space with its new service—Ownly. The Bengaluru-based company, known for its bike taxi and auto-hailing services, announced the rollout of this new vertical earlier this month, beginning with select tier-II and tier-III Indian cities.
The move positions Rapido directly in competition with Zomato and Swiggy, but with a differentiated model aimed at low-cost logistics, deeper regional penetration, and restaurant-first partnerships. While the food delivery ecosystem in India’s metros has matured with fierce pricing wars and high customer acquisition costs, Rapido is betting on the untapped potential in smaller cities, where food delivery is still evolving and the economics are leaner.
Why ‘Ownly’—And Why Now?
According to Rapido’s co-founder Aravind Sanka, Ownly is designed to cater to the underserved restaurants and consumers in non-metro regions, where the likes of Zomato and Swiggy have scaled back operations or imposed higher commissions.
Rapido’s mission- “Every person should have the luxury of choice and the ability to order a reasonably priced meal,” as quoted by Moneycontrol.
Unlike its larger rivals, Rapido claims it will keep commissions lower, charge zero onboarding fees, and allow restaurants to retain their customer data, a sticking point that has long irked small and mid-sized F&B operators.
The B2B Proposition: Logistics-Led Enablement
Where Ownly aims to differentiate is in logistics efficiency and last-mile delivery—leveraging Rapido’s existing 100M+ customer base and its expansive bike taxi fleet. The startup has already established a delivery force in 90+ cities, allowing it to reduce fulfillment times and fleet idle costs, especially in regions where gig worker density is thin.
For restaurants, the promise is faster delivery at lower cost without being locked into aggressive platform algorithms or discounting schemes. “This is not a marketplace model in the traditional sense,” Sanka emphasized. “It’s a logistics-plus-tech solution, tailored to F&B operators who want more control.”
Industry experts believe this restaurant-first narrative could resonate with independent cloud kitchens, QSRs, and regional food chains who are actively seeking alternatives to aggregators.
Industry Outlook and Competitive Landscape
While Ownly’s entry comes at a time when India’s food delivery sector is witnessing consolidation and rising costs, it also reflects a broader trend of B2B diversification among consumer-facing tech firms. Players like Zepto and Dunzo have explored similar extensions, though without sustained momentum.
Rapido’s entry may not shake up the metros, but it could well become the dominant player in India’s next wave of F&B tech adoption. According to a 2024 NRAI report, over 38% of foodservice growth in India is now being driven by tier-II and tier-III cities—a number expected to reach 50% by 2026.
With unit economics in these regions more favorable, and customer loyalty largely untapped, Rapido’s Ownly could potentially unlock a high-margin, low-competition opportunity, provided it maintains service quality and fleet consistency at scale.
