As India counted down to the New Year, celebrations weren’t the only thing gaining momentum—last-minute shopping surged across Instamart, painting a vivid picture of how tradition, impulse, and quick commerce now intersect on festive nights.
A playful reminder earlier in the week—a grape-costumed Instamart nudge about the popular 12 grapes at midnight ritual—set the tone. Coincidence or not, it worked. On New Year’s Eve, Instamart and Swiggy Co-founder Phani Kishan Addepalli began sharing real-time data that revealed just how deeply the ritual had landed.
By the first half of the day, grapes had already clocked 235,000 searches, with activity starting as early as 5 AM. As the evening progressed and party plans took over, grape searches skyrocketed 78x, proving that even the most well-known traditions need a timely prompt when celebrations are in full swing.
Panic Buying, Perfectly Timed
As midnight approached, Instamart’s dashboards lit up with classic New Year’s Eve panic-buying patterns. Ice, snacks, mixers, beverages, cakes, and party essentials saw sharp spikes—confirmation that no matter how well one plans, something always runs out.
In the final hour of the year alone, demand surged dramatically:
Tonic water emerged as the most trending beverage nationwide, while card games recorded a 3x spike in searches, as house parties stretched late into the night. Skewers and coal were especially popular in Pune and Kolkata, revealing distinct regional celebration styles.
Beyond Metros, the Party Spreads
While metros continued to anchor demand, New Year’s Eve shopping momentum clearly spilled beyond Tier-1 cities. Towns such as Lonavla, Karimnagar, Saharanpur, Davanagere, Patiala, and Meerut emerged as high-growth pockets as the evening unfolded.
Patiala, in particular, stood out. One customer placed 200+ items in a single day, including 108 packs of Kurkure, while another shopper ordered gold coins worth INR 6 lakh—a striking signal of celebratory spending at scale.
Big Baskets, Bigger Surprises
High-value orders marked the final hours of 2025. In Bengaluru, one shopper placed a single order worth INR 1.8 lakh, purchasing two iPhones, while another stocked up on protein supplements worth INR 41,000. In Mumbai, a user received gold worth INR 1.45 lakh from a loved one via Instamart, underscoring the platform’s growing role in last-minute gifting.
Notably, nearly one in nine New Year’s Eve orders were placed for friends and family—highlighting how quick commerce has become an enabler of thoughtful, spontaneous surprises.
A Year of Loyalty—and Scale
As the year closed, Instamart also celebrated its most loyal users. One standout customer placed 4,548 orders in 2025, including 15 orders on New Year’s Eve alone, earning the title of Instamart’s MVP customer of the year.
Reflecting on the night and the year gone by, Amitesh Jha, CEO, Instamart, said:
“2025 was a defining year for Instamart and for quick commerce in India. What began as a Tier-1 convenience is fast becoming urban utility infrastructure, with strong growth coming from Tier-2 and Tier-3 cities. New Year’s Eve once again surprised us with orders far beyond essentials—as Indian consumers turned to quick commerce for everything from party supplies and snacks to electronics and even gold.”
He added that the shift signals a deeper change in consumer behaviour.
“Quick commerce has moved beyond emergency top-ups to become part of daily life. From milk and fresh produce to gifting and high-value purchases, consumers are trusting these platforms for every kind of need. As India steps into 2026, we believe reliability, selection, and trust will continue to shape how the country shops.”
As the countdown ended, Instamart’s New Year’s Eve data told a familiar yet revealing story—of evolving traditions, generous gifting, last-minute needs, and celebrations that refuse to slow down.
Welcome to The CEO Post, where thoughts are redefined through compelling marketable content.
ⓒCopyright 2024 The CEO Post . All rights reserved
Admin
2026-01-18 09:08:26
