1. Zomato(Food Delivery) – Delivering More Than Just Food

As we were stuck in our houses, Zomato came to the rescue, it became the bridge between cravings and kitchens. As dine-in experiences were disappearing overnight, the hunger did not, but Zomato acted smartly. The platform modified operations, logistics and launched contactless delivery, a smart marketing move.

From FY18’s ₹466 crore to FY20’s ₹2,604 crore, their 5.5x growth was not merely about figures—it was about trust earned in times of uncertainty.

Takeaways for Other Businesses:

• Customer experience rules: Understand the customer’s need, Zomato made people feel safe, not merely hungry. The brand gained trust through transparency. As brand loyalty matters a lot.

• Flexibility with relevance: Their quick adaptation from live tracking of orders to health updates for delivery riders demonstrated how quickly brands have to move amidst turmoil.

• Build with empathy: Their efforts to aid restaurant partners and delivery personnel tightened their ecosystem.

2. Bigbasket(Online Grocery) – A Cartload of New Normal

Before covid, online shopping wasn’t that much in routine, but as people were confined in homes, BigBasket became the household’s name. Because of high demand, the traffic rose to six times normal levels overnight. But they didn’t collapse. They scaled up, streamlined logistics, and handled demand with calm and coordination.

While others halted, Bigbasket ramped up its backend infrastructure, invested in last-mile delivery, and kept India’s kitchens running.

Takeaways for Other  Businesses:

• Back-end muscle makes front-end successful: Back is as important as front-end, because it’s the backbone of any system. Without effective inventory management and flexible delivery, an increase in demand is not worthwhile.

• Collaborations are a lifesaver: Spread the market and make useful collaborations. Bigbasket partnered with societies, local stores, and governments to address last-mile constraints.

• Data + demand = dominance: Try to be one step ahead of the market and the competitors. Their capacity to predict need and adjust quickly was the key.

3. Urban Company(Home Service) – From Luxury to Necessity

Home services were a luxury before the pandemic. After, they became a necessity. Urban Company adapted rapidly, providing deep cleaning, disinfection, and in-home grooming with added safety measures.

From “zero” to 11.5 million orders by the end of 2021, they didn’t merely adapt—they transformed themselves into an essential service.

Takeaways for Other  Businesses:

• Positioning matters: Urban Company moved from “nice-to-have” to “must-have” through smart messaging and real risk mitigation. Present your product as a must-have.

• User reassurance drives business: They made each worry a selling point—health screening, safety kits, zero-contact bookings. Go for a 360-degree approach.

• Tech-facilitated transparency triumphs: Real-time updates, service history, and transparent hygiene standards empowered users. Make the product transparent and quick.

4. Hula Global(Garment Manufacturing) – Sewing Safety, Not Only Style

For Hula Global, the pandemic was a turning point. With garment orders plummeting, they made a courageous decision: shift completely to producing PPE kits, masks, and face shields.

This transition wasn’t survival alone—it was service. Today, with a turnover of ₹5 crore per year, Hula Global is the epitome of being both agile and compassionate.

Takeaways for Other  Businesses:

• Your infrastructure is more versatile than you realise: Hula Global converted existing equipment to support an entirely new market. 

• Purpose drives profit: Their pivot served a vital national requirement, and in response, delivered business stability. So, solve the problem first, and profit will follow.

• Speed over Perfection: They moved quickly, learned along the way, and optimised processes without ideal circumstances.

5. Tata 1 mg (Digital Healthcare) – How the Pandemic Fueled Its Growth

Founded in 2015, Tata 1mg became a lifeline during the pandemic, offering e-pharmacy, lab test bookings, and teleconsultations across 1,800+ cities. As lockdowns drove demand for remote healthcare, the platform scaled rapidly—delivering medicines, collecting home samples, and connecting users with doctors digitally. With a user-friendly app and reliable health content, it grew to dominate India’s digital health space, backed strongly by Tata Digital’s 2021 majority stake.

Takeaways for Other Businesses:

• Solve urgent problems: Tata 1mg met critical healthcare needs during lockdowns, making it instantly relevant.

• Leverage technology: Smart digital tools helped them scale services while keeping the user experience smooth.

• Build trust through consistency: Transparent services and reliable delivery created long-term customer loyalty.