The company is aiming to build goodwill by addressing long-standing complaints from eateries,
In a move to challenge the established players in the segment, bike-taxi aggregator Rapido is preparing to test its new food delivery venture, Ownly, in Bengaluru within the next eight to ten days, starting with the neighbourhoods of Koramangala, HSR Layout, and Sarjapur, as per media reports.
The company plans a cautious pilot phase to refine its model before expanding to up to ten cities by July next year. In a departure from its initial plan for a wider rollout in August, Rapido has advanced the pilot to July to gather early operational insights. The company aims to keep Bengaluru as the core market for the first few months, with a gradual move into two to three additional cities by September or October.
Backed by investors including Prosus, Nexus Venture Partners, and WestBridge Capital, Rapido is positioning Ownly as a low-commission alternative to food delivery leaders Zomato and Swiggy. The startup is reportedly offering restaurant partners commission rates between 8 per cent and 15 per cent significantly lower than the 16 to 30 per cent range currently charged by dominant platforms.
Rapido is also in discussions with restaurant associations to finalise a memorandum of understanding (MoU). The company is looking to build goodwill by addressing long-standing complaints from eateries, particularly around access to customer data, which has been a point of contention with other aggregators. In return, Rapido expects restaurants to provide competitive pricing and limit packaging charges.
Rapido is reportedly also asking partners to include affordable dishes under Rs 150, hoping to attract cost-conscious consumers.
The launch comes as Swiggy, which is notably an investor in Rapido, has introduced its own budget-friendly Rs 99 menu. This could set the stage for a sharper focus on low-cost meal options across the sector, as platforms vie for customers seeking affordable delivery choices.
Rapido’s move into food delivery marks its latest diversification effort as it looks to tap into India’s growing online food ordering market. The company will closely monitor its pilot run in Bengaluru to test logistics, restaurant partnerships, and pricing strategies before considering a larger-scale rollout.
