Breaking News: Leadership Shuffle in India’s Quick Commerce and Gourmet Retail Sectors.jpg)
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Mumbai | October 16, 2025: In a major leadership move within India’s fast-growing food and retail industry, Shashank Shekhar Sharma, former Chief Experience Officer (CXO) of Zepto Café, has exited the quick commerce unicorn to join gourmet retail chain FoodStories as its Chief Executive Officer (CEO).
According to Sharma’s LinkedIn profile, he took charge of the Mumbai-based modern gourmet retail chain in October 2025, marking a new chapter after a three-year stint at Zepto, where he played a pivotal role in building and scaling the company’s café operations.
A FoodStories spokesperson confirmed the appointment, stating that “Shashank brings a unique blend of operational depth and brand innovation to FoodStories. His experience in scaling Zepto Café will help us accelerate our retail footprint and elevate customer experience.”
Meanwhile, Zepto has not issued an official statement or shared details regarding its succession plan for the Café vertical.
From Startup Experiment to Standalone Success: Sharma’s Journey at Zepto Café
Shashank Shekhar Sharma’s journey at Zepto began in 2022, when he joined as Senior Vice President (SVP) overseeing the company’s then-nascent food and beverage (F&B) experiment within Zepto’s dark store model. The idea was simple yet transformative — deliver freshly brewed coffee, smoothies, and snacks within minutes, alongside groceries and essentials.
By 2024, the pilot evolved into Zepto Café, which expanded rapidly across major Indian metros. In December 2024, the company rolled out Zepto Café as a standalone app, mirroring the success of dedicated food-tech platforms like Blinkit’s Bistro and Swiggy’s Instamart Café.
Around the same time, Sharma was elevated to the role of CXO, tasked with leading end-to-end customer experience, supply chain management, equipment procurement, and quality control. Under his leadership, Zepto Café grew into a recognized brand within the quick food ecosystem.
In February 2025, Zepto’s Co-founder and CEO Aadit Palicha announced that Zepto Café had crossed 75,000 daily orders, underscoring its strong early traction and potential as a scalable vertical.
Challenges Emerge Amid Expansion
Despite early success, Zepto Café’s growth wasn’t without turbulence. By mid-2025, the startup was forced to shut operations in 44 newly launched stores across seven North Indian cities due to supply chain bottlenecks and operational inefficiencies.
According to internal sources familiar with the matter, the closures were part of a “cash conservation exercise”, as the company sought to optimize its burn rate and restructure its supply network before reopening the affected outlets.
An employee who worked closely with Sharma told The Trending People on condition of anonymity:
“Shashank was instrumental in building Zepto Café from the ground up. Even during tough restructuring phases, he remained focused on maintaining quality standards and customer satisfaction. His departure leaves a big gap in leadership.”
FoodStories: The New Chapter in Premium Retail
Founded in Mumbai, FoodStories positions itself as a modern gourmet retail chain offering a curated range of premium groceries, artisanal foods, and ready-to-eat meals. The brand has recently expanded its presence in Delhi, Bengaluru, and Pune, targeting affluent urban consumers seeking quality and transparency in their food purchases.
Industry insiders believe Sharma’s appointment as CEO is a strategic move aimed at combining Zepto-style operational agility with FoodStories’ premium positioning.
A senior analyst at a Mumbai-based retail consultancy told The Trending People:
“Shashank’s operational background and experience in hyperlocal delivery give FoodStories a distinct edge. As consumer demand shifts from speed to quality, FoodStories can bridge both worlds — premium experience with efficient delivery.”
Why This Move Matters
The quick commerce and gourmet retail sectors in India are currently undergoing a period of consolidation and reinvention. With players like Blinkit-backed Bistro and Accel-backed Swish entering the café and gourmet delivery market, companies are racing to differentiate through customer experience, sustainability, and product innovation.
Sharma’s move is therefore more than a career shift — it reflects India’s changing consumption patterns, where urban customers are willing to pay a premium for quality, experience, and convenience.
According to industry estimates, India’s organized gourmet retail market is expected to grow at 20–25% CAGR over the next three years, fueled by rising disposable incomes and growing interest in healthy, artisanal, and international food products.
Industry Reaction: A Sign of Maturity
Sharma’s transition has sparked conversations among startup leaders and retail observers. Many see it as a sign that India’s quick commerce talent is moving toward building long-term, sustainable retail ecosystems.
A Bengaluru-based founder in the same sector said:
“Quick commerce has built a foundation of speed. Now, leaders like Shashank are taking that discipline into gourmet retail — where the challenge is not speed, but sustained brand love.”
What Lies Ahead
As CEO of FoodStories, Shashank Shekhar Sharma is expected to lead the company’s national expansion, build strategic partnerships with premium suppliers, and integrate technology-driven customer insights to enhance shopping experiences — both online and offline.
While Zepto Café continues to stabilize its operations, Sharma’s exit may trigger further leadership reshuffles in India’s quick commerce sector, which remains fiercely competitive and investor-sensitive.
TheTrendingPeople.com’s Final Take
Shashank Shekhar Sharma’s move from Zepto Café to FoodStories reflects a strategic shift from speed to substance — from instant deliveries to immersive experiences. As India’s food retail landscape matures, leadership transitions like this one will likely shape the next wave of innovation in how India eats, shops, and experiences food.