Jan 03rd: As India rang in the New Year, Instamart witnessed a sharp spike in last-minute shopping, driven by a mix of tradition, celebration, and inevitable New Year’s Eve forgetfulness.
Earlier this week, a grape-costumed Instamart reminder playfully nudged people about the popular 12 grapes at midnight ritual. Coincidence or not, the reminder appears to have struck a chord. On New Year’s Eve, Instamart and Phani Kishan Addepalli – Co – Founder at Swiggy shared real time updates on what India is ordering. One post recorded 235,000 searches for grapes in the first half of the day, with searches starting as early as 5 AM. As the evening progressed, grape searches surged 78x, underlining how even well-known traditions need timely reminders when celebrations take over.
As the night unfolded, Instamart’s real-time data reflected classic NYE panic buying patterns. Searches and orders surged across ice, snacks, mixers, beverages, and party essentials, confirming that some things are never stocked enough.
Beyond Metros, Momentum Builds
While metros continued to lead demand, New Year’s Eve shopping momentum expanded rapidly beyond them. Cities such as Lonavla, Karimnagar, Saharanpur, Davanagere, Patiala, and Meerut emerged as high-growth pockets during the evening.
Patiala stood out with one customer placing 200+ items in a single day, including 108 packs of Kurkure, while another user from the city ordered gold coins worth ₹6 lakh, signalling celebratory shopping at scale.
Big Baskets, Bigger Celebrations
High-value purchases also marked the final hours of 2025. In Bengaluru, a shopper placed a single order worth ₹1.8 lakh, purchasing two iPhones, while another customer ordered protein supplements worth ₹41,000. Meanwhile, a Mumbai user received gold worth ₹1.45 lakh from a loved one via Instamart highlighting a growing trend of gifting through quick commerce.
Notably, nearly 1 in 9 New Year’s Eve orders on Instamart were placed for friends and family, reinforcing the platform’s role in facilitating last-minute celebrations and thoughtful surprises.
What India Stocked Up On
In the final hour of the year, Phani shared that Instamart saw dramatic category spikes:
- Grapes: 15x
- Cakes: 7x
- BBQ-related items: 6x
- Beverages: 3.5x
- Party glasses: 2.5x
- Pizza bases: 1.8x
- Calendars & planners: 1.5x
Demand trends also revealed regional preferences, skewers and coal saw strong traction in Pune and Kolkata, while tonic water emerged as the most trending beverage nationwide. Card games recorded a 3x spike in searches, as party plans stretched well into the night.
A Year of Loyalty
Closing the year on a high note, Instamart also celebrated its most loyal customers. One standout user 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.
As the countdown ended, Instamart’s New Year’s Eve data painted a familiar but telling picture of last-minute needs, evolving traditions, generous gifting, and celebrations that refuse to slow down.
”2025 was a defining year for Instamart and for Quick Commerce in India. As we head into New Year’s Eve, we are seeing strong momentum nationwide. What began as a Tier-1 convenience is becoming urban utility infrastructure, with strong growth coming from Tier-2 and Tier-3 cities. New Year’s Eve once again surprises us with orders beyond essentials as Indian consumers turn to quick commerce platforms for every kind of need. Categories such as party supplies, gifting essentials, snacks and beverages, beauty, personal care, and grooming, and viral items such as grapes are seeing high growth on the platform.
This year, we saw Quick Commerce move beyond groceries and emergency top-ups to become part of daily life. From milk and fresh produce to electronics, gifting, and even gold, consumers ordered it all from Quick Commerce. This shift reinforces our belief that reliability, selection, and trust will continue to shape how India shops. As India steps into 2026, we are positive that quick commerce will continue to grow as a reliable, everyday app in people’s lives, powering spontaneous moments, fulfilling planned needs, and offering unparalleled convenience.”- Amitesh Jha, CEO, Instamart