D2C Brands Should Use Quick Commerce Gains To Scale General Trade: Veeba’s Viraj Bahl

Veeba founder Viraj Bahl argued at Inc42's D2C & Retail Summit 2026 that consumer brands relying on quick commerce for growth are missing a larger opportunity if they don't channel those gains into expanding general trade presence, per Inc42.

Speaking during a fireside chat at the event, Bahl said he sees brands that have scaled to ₹100 Cr in revenue largely on the back of quick commerce but fail to reinvest in traditional retail. "Earn from quick commerce but reinvest that in retail in India," he said, according to Inc42. He added that quick commerce can improve brand visibility and consumer discovery, which can then support expansion across kirana stores and other general trade outlets — and that the two channels can grow simultaneously rather than compete.

At Veeba, quick commerce entered the picture relatively late in the company's 13-year history but has since become a meaningful revenue contributor. Per Bahl's earlier remarks to media, the channel accounts for roughly 8%–10% of Veeba's revenue, with sales running through Blinkit, Zepto, and Swiggy Instamart. Traditional kirana stores, by contrast, still represent more than 70% of the business, as Inc42 reports.

Bahl also reflected on past missteps during the session, noting that failed experiments contributed to building a business now generating more than ₹1,000 Cr in revenue. He pointed to Veeba's push into child nutrition through its V-Nourish brand as a cautionary example. The company incurred sizable losses due to heavy marketing spend and eventually shut that business down in 2021. The experience led Veeba to set stricter caps on marketing expenditure when entering adjacent product categories.

Looking ahead, Bahl indicated Veeba may explore the high-protein condiments category, though the company plans to test the proposition in smaller markets first and refine consumer appeal before any aggressive rollout, given what he described as an already crowded market, according to Inc42.