Slug: rapido-tests-ownly-food-delivery-bengaluru
One-line tag: Rapido launches beta food delivery in Bengaluru under new brand Ownly to take on Swiggy and Zomato.
Tags: India, Food Delivery, Rapido
Headline:Rapido Kicks Off Food Delivery Trials in India to Challenge Swiggy and Zomato
Rapido, India’s popular ride-hailing platform, has quietly entered the food delivery market, launching beta tests of its new service, Ownly, in Bengaluru.
The 10-year-old startup is piloting the service in key neighborhoods, Byrasandra, Tavarekere, Madiwala (BTM) Layout, Hosur Sarjapura Road (HSR) Layout, and Koramangala, with plans to undercut rivals Swiggy and Zomato by offering meals at roughly 15% lower prices.
The price drop comes from Rapido’s no-commission model, charging restaurants a fixed per-order fee instead of the industry-standard 20–30% commission. Ownly’s Android app is already live on Google Play.
Ownly operates under a new wholly owned subsidiary, Ctrlx Technologies, headed by Rapido CEO Aravind Sanka and VP of Finance Vivek Krishna. The move may be aimed at sidestepping potential conflicts with Swiggy, which owns a 12% stake in Rapido and has signaled plans to review its investment.
Rapido is leveraging its fleet of 10 million vehicles, particularly two-wheelers, and insights gained from handling Swiggy deliveries to optimize routes, reduce fuel costs, and focus on high-demand restaurants.
Founded in 2015, Rapido has expanded from bike taxis into auto rickshaws, courier services, cabs, and logistics. Backed by investors including Prosus, WestBridge Capital, and Nexus Venture Partners, it operates in over 250 cities and handles 3.5 million rides daily.
