Deepak Ravindran is back in the entrepreneurial arena with the launch of KiranaPro, a platform designed to empower local kirana stores by offering ultra-fast delivery services. Reports indicate that the startup is on the verge of closing its seed funding round, according to two sources familiar with the negotiations.
An unnamed source revealed that Unpopular VC will spearhead this funding round, with contributions from Blume Founders Fund, Snow Leopard, and several angel investors. KiranaPro aims to help traditional kirana shops remain competitive against the growing influence of quick-commerce giants like BlinkIt, Zepto, and Swiggy Instamart. Notably, Yatish Talvadia from MilkBasket and Vikas Taneja from the Boston Consulting Group are also expected to invest in KiranaPro’s inaugural funding effort.
Leveraging the ONDC framework, KiranaPro allows local kirana store owners to fulfill orders within an impressive timeframe of 15-20 minutes, as per insider reports.
Inquiries sent to Ravindran, Unpopular VC, Blume Ventures, Snow Leopard, and Talvadia on Monday evening went unanswered.
Back in 2014, Ravindran founded Lookup, a platform that connected businesses with customers through chatbot technology. At the time, chatbots were a hot trend among investors, and Lookup successfully secured over $3 million in funding from backers including Khosla Impact and Catamaran Ventures. The following year, the company was acquired by NowFloats, which was later absorbed by Reliance.
According to the All India Consumer Products Distributors Federation (AICPDF), approximately 200,000 kirana stores have closed in the past year, driven by the rise of quick commerce and economic challenges. The federation argues that discounting practices employed by quick commerce platforms are detrimental to the earnings and customer base of local kirana shops, leading to their decline.
Despite several past initiatives aimed at empowering local kirana store owners, nearly all have failed to create significant change. Over the last decade, platforms such as Zepo, BuildaBazaar, NowFloats, Dukaan, and Bikayi have struggled to establish sustainable growth or viable business models. It remains to be seen how KiranaPro will perform in a market dominated by heavily capitalized competitors like BlinkIt, Swiggy Instamart, and Zepto.