'They learned it from us’: Zomato CEO Deepinder Goyal's not-so-subtle swipe at Zepto on marketing

Zomato’s chief executive, Deepinder Goyal, offered a glimpse into the competitive dynamics of the fast-intensifying food delivery and quick-commerce market during a recent appearance on entrepreneur Raj Shamani’s podcast, mixing candour with a dose of dry humour.

Goyal, who leads one of the largest consumer internet companies, was asked about how closely he tracks rivals in a market crowded with well-funded competitors. At first, he played down the idea. “Hum nahi karte hain,” he said, suggesting that he does not actively monitor competitors or place orders on rival platforms such as Swiggy or Zepto to study their operations.

When pressed, however, Goyal acknowledged the reality of the competition. Swiggy, which competes head-on with Zomato in food delivery and through its quick-commerce arm Instamart, remains a particularly tough opponent. “It’s always difficult to fight them,” he said, adding that there is little room to manoeuvre in the category.

His assessment of Zepto, the fast-growing 10-minute delivery startup that competes with Zomato-owned Blinkit, was more playful. Asked to identify what each rival does well, Goyal praised Zepto’s marketing for being “quirky and nice,” before adding, with a laugh, that much of that talent had its roots at Zomato. Many of Zepto’s marketers, he noted, were former Zomato employees. “They learned it from us,” he said.

The conversation also touched on Zepto’s founder and chief executive, Aadit Palicha. After a brief pause, Goyal said he held a positive view of the young entrepreneur, describing him as smart, articulate and earnest based on their interactions.