Rapido has launched its standalone food delivery platform Ownly in Hyderabad, marking the app’s second market after Bengaluru and stepping up its challenge to established food delivery platforms Swiggy and Zomato.
The Hyderabad launch comes after Ownly began operations as a pilot in Bengaluru in March this year. The company is positioning the platform around a lower-cost operating model aimed at restaurants as well as price-sensitive consumers.
According to the company, the average order value on Ownly is currently around ₹250, compared with approximately ₹400–420 on listed food delivery rivals Swiggy and Zomato. Ownly operates on a zero-commission model under which restaurants are not charged a commission on orders. Consumers pay for the food and a delivery fee, without additional platform charges, the company said.
A major part of Ownly’s strategy is its ability to use Rapido’s existing logistics infrastructure rather than build a separate delivery system. Rapido co-founder Aravind Sanka said delivery accounts for about 85–90% of the cost of operating a food delivery business for existing aggregators. Ownly is therefore using Rapido’s technology, operating teams and logistics network to keep its cost structure lean.
Rapido Captains, who already work across the company’s mobility network, will also undertake food deliveries. The arrangement is expected to provide Captains with an additional income opportunity while enabling Ownly to tap an already established delivery fleet.
The Hyderabad platform has started with around 10,000 restaurants, with Ownly aiming to increase the number to 30,000. The company’s Bengaluru operations have also expanded rapidly. Ownly has crossed 50,000 orders a day in Bengaluru about five months after its citywide launch and is estimated to account for around 10% of the city’s food delivery market, compared with approximately 7% in July, according to Moneycontrol.
The company has also said that about 15% of its new orders in Bengaluru are being placed by consumers using online food delivery for the first time.
Ownly plans to expand further, targeting Delhi NCR, Mumbai, Pune, Kolkata, Ahmedabad and Surat by the next quarter.
Despite the expansion, the platform remains small compared with established national operators. Zomato processes more than 2.5 million food orders daily, while Swiggy handles around 2–2.2 million orders a day across India. Maintaining high volumes and delivery efficiency will therefore be important for Ownly as it attempts to make its zero-commission model sustainable.
To mark the Hyderabad launch, the company also organised a biryani gathering for Rapido Captains attended by Telugu actor Nani.