bigbasket Targets 30% Festive Sales Boost, Banks on Q-Commerce, Fresh Assortments, and Cultural Intelligence

As India’s e-grocery market gears up for its annual festive surge, bigbasket is going all in, aiming for a 20–30% sales spike during the 2025 festival season. Riding high on insights from past celebrations and a sharply expanding Q-Commerce network, the Tata-owned grocery giant is blending hyperlocal relevance with logistical muscle to outpace competition.

“We're expecting 2.5x overall growth during the festival months,” says Seshu Kumar, Chief Buying & Merchandising Officer, bigbasket. “While our traditional categories like sweets and dry fruits will double or triple, it’s the festival-associated lifestyle products that are showing exponential growth.”

From 500 to 800 Dark Stores: Turbocharging 10-Minute Delivery

While speed remains the battleground of quick commerce (Q-Commerce), bigbasket is banking on what it sees as its differentiator: quality and assortment.

“Customers come to us for better quality staples and fresh fruits and vegetables. That's our core. Now we're coupling that with 10-minute delivery,” he said.

The company already operates 500+ dark stores, servicing most Tier-I and Tier-II cities, and plans to ramp that up to 800 by December 2025, ahead of its previously speculated March 2026 goal. “We’ll hit 800 stores by December itself, covering over 90% of our customer base,” Kumar confirms.

Festival Push: From Rakhis to Dandiyas, Associated Categories Seeing Exponential Growth

The biggest shift in bigbasket’s festive strategy this year? A broader product lens.

Traditionally focused on core festival SKUs including rakhis for Rakshabandhan or diyas for Diwali, BigBasket is now doubling down on adjacent categories that cater to the full festive experience.

During Raksha Bandhan, while rakhi sales grew 2.5x, gift sets, smartwatches, and mugs jumped 5–10x.

For Janmashtami, Krishna idols and jhulas grew 4x, but kids’ apparel and jewelry exploded by 8–9x.

“These are not your average grocery items, but they’re culturally relevant. Customers want the full festive kit,” Kumar adds.

Expect a similar blitz for Navratri, Diwali, Karva Chauth, and beyond. From dandiya sticks to Swastik LED lights, mehendi cones, and Karva Chauth thalis, bigbasket is stacking up inventory that mirrors cultural diversity.

Festive Preparations: Logistics, Manpower, and Market Pulse

Behind the scenes, BigBasket's operations engine is scaling in lockstep. The company follows a 30-day advance planning cycle for hiring and inventory. “We’ve got a well-oiled process in place — from delivery staffing to stocking culturally relevant items,” he informs.

While the marketing blitz will intensify closer to Navratri and Diwali, campaigns are already live, centered around the company’s promise of 10-minute delivery and quality assurance.

Regional Learnings: Southern Cities Step Up

Interestingly, growth hasn’t just been restricted to traditional festival hubs. Cities including Chennai and Bengaluru, where some North Indian festivals are less commonly celebrated, have shown unexpected spikes.

“Rakhi sales in Chennai grew 6–7x, purely driven by the North Indian diaspora. In Delhi, the growth was flatter — around 2x — likely because customers still rely on local markets,” Kumar explained.

The Target: Maintain Momentum

Last year’s festive season delivered a 20–30% lift in sales. BigBasket is confident of repeating if not exceeding that percentage this year, thanks to deeper market penetration and sharper festive merchandising.

While the Q-Commerce space sees fierce competition from Blinkit, Zepto, and Instamart, BigBasket isn’t chasing speed alone. Instead, it's playing to its strengths: quality, cultural alignment, and product depth.

“The game isn't just about delivering fast. It's about delivering the right thing, at the right time, with the right emotion.”