BigBasket
Company History
BigBasket History: Founding, Growth & Key Milestones
Founded 2011 in Bengaluru, India
When was BigBasket founded?
BigBasket was founded in 2011 in Bengaluru, India by Hari Menon, V.S. Sudhakar, Vipul Parekh, Abhinay Choudhari and V.S. Ramesh, making it 15 years old.
- Founded
- 2011
- Founding place
- Bengaluru, India
- Founders
- Hari Menon, V.S. Sudhakar, Vipul Parekh, Abhinay Choudhari and V.S. Ramesh
- Headquarters today
- Bengaluru, Karnataka, India
- Milestones documented
- 16 (1999–2026)
- Current CEO
- Amit Nanda
- Acquisitions
- 3
| Year | Event |
|---|---|
| 1999 | Founders start Fabmart.com |
| 2011 | BigBasket founded in Bengaluru |
| 2015 | Delyver acquired |
| 2016 | India's largest online grocer |
| 2018 | Alibaba leads $300 million round |
| 2018 | BBdaily and BB Instant launched through acquisitions |
| 2019 | Unicorn valuation |
| 2020 | Data breach of about 20 million users |
| 2021 | Tata Digital takes majority control |
| 2021 | BB Now and the first fresho store |
| 2022 | $200 million at a $3.2 billion valuation |
| 2024 | Full switch to quick commerce |
| 2025 | 10-minute food delivery pilot |
| 2026 | Amit Nanda becomes CEO |
| 2026 | Focus narrowed to about 40 cities; FY2026 loss reported |
| 2026 | Hari Menon retires from full-time role |
- Where was BigBasket founded?
- BigBasket was founded in Bengaluru, India in 2011.
- Who founded BigBasket?
- BigBasket was founded by Hari Menon, V.S. Sudhakar, Vipul Parekh, Abhinay Choudhari and V.S. Ramesh.
- When did BigBasket start?
- BigBasket was founded in 2011.
- How old is BigBasket?
- BigBasket is 15 years old as of 2026.
Founding Story
BigBasket's founders had tried online retail once before. In 1999 K. Vaitheeswaran, Hari Menon, V.S. Sudhakar, Vipul Parekh, V.S. Ramesh and others started Fabmart.com, one of India's first online stores, selling books, toys and groceries. After the dot-com crash they built Fabmall, a chain of grocery stores in south India that later became part of Aditya Birla Retail's More chain. In December 2011, with smartphones spreading, Menon, Sudhakar, Parekh, Ramesh and Abhinay Choudhari set up Supermarket Grocery Supplies in Bengaluru's Indiranagar with $10 million from Ascent Capital, and ran it as an online supermarket that held its own stock.
Founders
Hari Menon
Hari Menon co-founded Fabmart.com in 1999 and its physical extension Fabmall, a south Indian grocery chain that became part of Aditya Birla Retail's More. He co-founded BigBasket in December 2011 and was its chief executive for almost 15 years, through Alibaba's 2018 investment, the 2021 sale of majority control to Tata Digital and the August 2024 move to quick commerce, which he later admitted he had at first been in denial about. He handed the CEO role to Amit Nanda on 16 June 2026, retired from full-time work on 30 September 2026 and remains on the board as a mentor to the leadership team. He has said he plans to spend his time on music and travel. (Exact birth year remains publicly undisclosed).
V.S. Sudhakar
V.S. Sudhakar co-founded BigBasket's parent, Supermarket Grocery Supplies, in Bengaluru in December 2011 with Hari Menon, Vipul Parekh, V.S. Ramesh and Abhinay Choudhari. Bloomberg's 2018 profile of the company described its founders as dotcom-bust veterans mostly over 50, with Sudhakar then 58. His operating role after the 2021 Tata Digital acquisition has not been publicly detailed. (Exact birth year remains publicly undisclosed).
Vipul Parekh
Vipul Parekh co-founded BigBasket in 2011 and ran its finance and marketing, often acting as its public voice on private labels, which he said made up more than a third of revenue in early 2023. In a May 2026 interview with Mint he said BigBasket would surrender market share if needed to become profitable and was not raising outside capital for now. He stepped back from day-to-day operations in June 2026 and serves on the board, mentoring the new leadership. (Exact birth year remains publicly undisclosed).
Abhinay Choudhari
Abhinay Choudhari co-founded BigBasket in December 2011 with Hari Menon, V.S. Sudhakar, Vipul Parekh and V.S. Ramesh. The Economic Times reported in September 2025 that he was the only founding member to have left the company after the 2021 Tata Digital acquisition. (Exact birth year remains publicly undisclosed).
V.S. Ramesh
V.S. Ramesh co-founded BigBasket in 2011 and oversaw its logistics and supply chain, the warehouse and delivery network that let it hold its own stock instead of picking orders from local shops. The Economic Times still listed him in that role in September 2025. (Exact birth year remains publicly undisclosed).
Key Milestones
Founders start Fabmart.com
K. Vaitheeswaran, Hari Menon, V.S. Sudhakar, Vipul Parekh, V.S. Ramesh and others launched Fabmart.com, one of India's first online stores, selling books, toys and groceries. After the dot-com crash the team built the Fabmall grocery chain, later part of Aditya Birla Retail's More.
Source: ndtv.comBigBasket founded in Bengaluru
Menon, Sudhakar, Parekh, Ramesh and Abhinay Choudhari set up Supermarket Grocery Supplies in Indiranagar, Bengaluru, in December 2011, with $10 million of initial funding from Ascent Capital.
Source: m.economictimes.indiatimes.comDelyver acquired
BigBasket bought hyperlocal delivery company Delyver in a cash-and-stock deal to build its last-mile delivery network.
Source: en.wikipedia.orgIndia's largest online grocer
By mid-2016 BigBasket operated in eight large Indian cities and had become the country's biggest online grocer.
Source: en.wikipedia.orgAlibaba leads $300 million round
Alibaba Group led a $300 million round in February 2018 that valued BigBasket at about $950 million. It then sold around 18,000 items to eight million customers in 25 cities.
Source: indianexpress.comBBdaily and BB Instant launched through acquisitions
In October 2018 BigBasket bought milk delivery startups RainCan and Morning Cart outright and a controlling stake in vending machine startup Kwik24, creating its BBdaily subscription service and BB Instant vending machines.
Source: m.economictimes.indiatimes.comUnicorn valuation
A $150 million round led by Mirae Asset-Naver Asia Growth Fund, CDC Group and Alibaba took BigBasket's valuation past $1 billion in May 2019.
Source: en.wikipedia.orgData breach of about 20 million users
Cyble reported in November 2020 that details of about 2 crore BigBasket users were on sale on the dark web. The company acknowledged the potential breach and filed a police complaint with the Bengaluru cyber crime cell.
Source: economictimes.indiatimes.comTata Digital takes majority control
Tata Digital bought a 64.3 percent stake in May 2021, adding about $200 million of fresh capital and buying out Alibaba and Actis in a deal reported at about $1.1 billion (₹9,500 crore).
Source: economictimes.indiatimes.comBB Now and the first fresho store
In November 2021 BigBasket launched BB Now, its quick delivery service, and opened its first physical store in Bengaluru under the fresho brand for fruit and vegetables.
Source: en.wikipedia.org$200 million at a $3.2 billion valuation
BigBasket raised $200 million from investors including Tata Digital at a $3.2 billion valuation, announced in December 2022, and said it was eyeing a stock market listing by 2025.
Source: en.wikipedia.orgFull switch to quick commerce
In August 2024 BigBasket dropped scheduled next-day slots and moved its whole business to 10-to-30-minute delivery, folding BBdaily into the main app.
Source: entrackr.com10-minute food delivery pilot
BigBasket began 10-minute food delivery in Bengaluru in June 2025 with Tata Starbucks and Qmin, the food platform of Indian Hotels Company. Tata Sons also hired Citi and Moelis that year to look for outside investors.
Source: inc42.comAmit Nanda becomes CEO
Amazon veteran Amit Nanda replaced co-founder Hari Menon as chief executive on 16 June 2026. Menon and Vipul Parekh moved to board and mentoring roles; BigBasket then ran more than 850 dark stores.
Source: financialexpress.comFocus narrowed to about 40 cities; FY2026 loss reported
In July 2026 BigBasket cut its focus to about 40 profitable cities from 76 markets. Tata Sons' annual report showed the consumer arm's loss up 66 percent to ~$356 million (₹3,073 crore) on ~$954 million (₹8,223 crore) of revenue.
Source: economictimes.indiatimes.comHari Menon retires from full-time role
Co-founder Hari Menon's last day in full-time employment was 30 September 2026. He remains on the board and mentors the leadership team.
Source: moneycontrol.comMajor Acquisitions
Delyver
2015Bought the hyperlocal delivery company in a cash-and-stock deal to build BigBasket's own last-mile delivery network.
RainCan and Morning Cart
2018Bought 100 percent of Pune based RainCan and Bengaluru based Morning Cart, two subscription milk and morning essentials delivery startups, months after raising $300 million from Alibaba.
Kwik24 (Savis Retail), controlling stake
2018Took control of the Bengaluru smart vending machine startup to put unmanned grocery and snack machines in offices, tech parks and apartment blocks.
Keep researching BigBasket
BigBasket Company History FAQ
When was BigBasket founded?
In December 2011, when five founders set up its parent Supermarket Grocery Supplies in Indiranagar, Bengaluru, with $10 million of initial funding from Ascent Capital.
What was Fabmart?
Fabmart.com was one of India's first online stores, started in 1999 by K. Vaitheeswaran with Hari Menon, V.S. Sudhakar, Vipul Parekh, V.S. Ramesh and others. After the dot-com crash the team built Fabmall, a south Indian grocery chain that later became part of Aditya Birla Retail's More.
When did BigBasket become a unicorn?
In May 2019, after a $150 million round led by Mirae Asset-Naver Asia Growth Fund, CDC Group and Alibaba. A year earlier, Alibaba's $300 million round had valued it at about $950 million.
When did BigBasket move to quick commerce?
It launched BB Now in November 2021 alongside scheduled delivery, then switched the whole business to 10-to-30-minute delivery in August 2024.
What changed at BigBasket in 2026?
Amit Nanda replaced Hari Menon as CEO in June, the company narrowed its focus to about 40 profitable cities from 76 markets in July, and Menon retired from full-time work on 30 September.
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