‘Zomato, Swiggy and Zepto, please, don’t…’: Mumbai CEO’s warning on ultra-fast food delivery

Shantanu Deshpande, CEO, Bombay Shaving Company, has raised the alarm over India’s growing addiction to quick food delivery, calling it a health epidemic in the making.

In a strongly worded post on LinkedIn, Deshpande criticized the reliance on processed and ultra-processed meals that dominate delivery platform menus, which are often laden with palm oil and sugar.

“Our addiction to fast food, fueled by Rs 49 pizza, Rs 20 energy drinks, and Rs 30 burgers, is leading us down the path of the US and China – without the economic safety net of healthcare,” Deshpande wrote urging the food delivery giants. Like Zomato, Swiggy and Zepto to rethink their approach.

“Zomato, Swiggy, Zepto – please, don’t do that. And if you are so keen, please make the product palatable. I would love for us to innovate and actually be able to deliver decent, not stale food in 10 minutes. Huge opening but I don’t think we are close to that yet.”

Deshpande expressed his shock at the industry’s race to deliver meals in record time.

“Cooking time: 2 minutes. Delivery time: 8 minutes. One of the founders of Qcom for Food told me this, and I lost my mind.” The CEO also criticized the use of frozen ingredients that are decorated to look fresh, and are transported by delivery riders speeding through traffic to fulfill With unrealistic timetables.

The startup’s founder said India’s obsession with ready-to-eat foods poses a serious threat to public health in the long term. “The intestines are the center of your being. You are what you eat,” he warned.

Deshpande addressed his message not only to companies and investors, but also to regulators and consumers. He called on regulators to ensure better food quality control, even within the 10-minute delivery window.

For consumers, his advice was simple: cook. “No one is too busy to spend 10 minutes making dal chawal, juice, salad or sandwich. It is an adult skill,” he urged to learn it, warning that dependence on fast food could lead to serious health problems in the long run.

Deshpande’s post resonated with many on social media. While some echoed his concerns, others suggested regulatory reforms to separate food preparation time from delivery time to ensure quality.