QSRs go quick; Apple grows India suppliers

QSRs go quick; Apple grows India suppliers

  • 19.03.2025 00:00
  • economictimes.indiatimes.com
  • Keywords: Quick Service Restaurant, Quick Commerce, Apple, Wipro Enterprises, Lakshmi Machine Works (LMW), Tata Group, Motherson Group, Bharat Forge, Alphabet (Google), Wiz, Microsoft, Intel, GoZero, Federal Bank, Scapia, NPCI (National Payments Corporation of India), DeepSeek, Baidu, Tencent, Alibaba

Quick-service restaurant brands are adapting by offering customized packaged foods for delivery platforms, boosting sales. Apple is negotiating with Indian companies to diversify its supply chain, reducing reliance on China and cutting costs.

Alphabet ProductsAAPLsentiment_satisfiedMSFTsentiment_satisfiedINTCsentiment_dissatisfiedBIDUsentiment_satisfiedTCEHYsentiment_satisfiedBABAsentiment_satisfied

Estimated market influence

Wow Momo

Negativesentiment_dissatisfied
Analyst rating: N/A

No negative influence mentioned.

Chaayos

Positivesentiment_satisfied
Analyst rating: N/A

Sales growing on quick commerce channels.

Chai Point

Positivesentiment_satisfied
Analyst rating: N/A

Retailing specially curated tea bags and boxes, contributing to growth.

Boba Bhai

Positivesentiment_satisfied
Analyst rating: N/A

Selling pre-packaged bubble tea and ice creams, aiding in sales expansion.

Blue Tokai

Positivesentiment_satisfied
Analyst rating: N/A

Providing ready-to-drink coffee products contributing to growth.

Apple

Apple

Positivesentiment_satisfied
Analyst rating: Buy

Expanding supply chain in India, reducing costs and risks.

Wipro Enterprises

Positivesentiment_satisfied
Analyst rating: N/A

Partnership with Apple to strengthen supply chain.

Lakshmi Machine Works (LMW)

Positivesentiment_satisfied
Analyst rating: N/A

Partnership with Apple for supply chain expansion.

Tata Group

Positivesentiment_satisfied
Analyst rating: N/A

Already part of Apple's supplier network, contributing to growth.

Motherson Group

Positivesentiment_satisfied
Analyst rating: N/A

Partnership with Apple for supply chain expansion.

Bharat Forge

Positivesentiment_satisfied
Analyst rating: N/A

Partnership with Apple to strengthen supply chain.

Alphabet (Google)

Positivesentiment_satisfied
Analyst rating: N/A

Acquiring Wiz for $32 billion, expanding cloud and cybersecurity businesses.

Wiz

Positivesentiment_satisfied
Analyst rating: N/A

Being acquired by Alphabet, leading to significant financial gains for founders and investors.

Microsoft

Microsoft

Positivesentiment_satisfied
Analyst rating: Strong buy

Previously sold Adallom to Microsoft for $320 million.

Intel

Intel

Negativesentiment_dissatisfied
Analyst rating: Neutral

Wiz's acquisition surpasses Intel’s Mobileye deal, highlighting Wiz's success.

GoZero

Positivesentiment_satisfied
Analyst rating: N/A

Raised Rs 30 crore for expansion and innovation.

Federal Bank

Positivesentiment_satisfied
Analyst rating: N/A

Restarted co-branded credit card issuance with Scapia.

Scapia

Positivesentiment_satisfied
Analyst rating: N/A

Collaborating with Federal Bank on credit cards.

NPCI (National Payments Corporation of India)

Negativesentiment_dissatisfied
Analyst rating: N/A

Pulling plug on fraud-prone UPI pull payments, impacting consumers.

DeepSeek

Positivesentiment_satisfied
Analyst rating: N/A

Disrupting AI sector in China, prompting major tech companies to accelerate AI efforts.

Baidu

Baidu

Positivesentiment_satisfied
Analyst rating: Buy

Accelerating AI strategies due to DeepSeek's disruption.

Tencent

Tencent

Positivesentiment_satisfied
Analyst rating: Strong buy

Increasing focus on AI following DeepSeek's impact.

Alibaba

Alibaba

Positivesentiment_satisfied
Analyst rating: Strong buy

Ramping up AI efforts due to competition from DeepSeek.

Context

Analysis: Business Insights and Market Implications

Market Trends

  • Quick Commerce Growth: The Indian quick commerce market is projected to grow from $10 billion in 2025 to $75 billion by 2032, driven by surging demand for instant delivery.
  • QSR Adaptation: Leading QSR brands like Wow Momo, Chaayos, and Chai Point are customizing products for quick commerce platforms, with Wow Momo already accounting for over 50% of its sales through this channel.

Competitive Dynamics

  • Wow Momo: Projected to generate Rs 75 crore in sales next year, with a focus on summer launches like Kulfi.
  • Chaayos and Chai Point: Both are leveraging tea-focused products, with Chaayos reporting double-digit sales growth on quick commerce channels.
  • Boba Bhai and Blue Tokai: Offering pre-packaged bubble tea, ice creams, and ready-to-drink coffee solutions to tap into the convenience market.

Strategic Considerations

  • Quick Gains: Brands like Wow Momo and Chaayos are prioritizing product customization and seasonal launches to capitalize on the quick commerce trend.
  • Cost Efficiency: Quick commerce channels drive 30-50% of online sales for FMCG companies, compared to traditional e-commerce's 6-10%.

Apple’s Supply Chain Expansion

Key Moves

  • Partnerships: In discussions with Wipro Enterprises and Lakshmi Machine Works (LMW) to expand its supply chain in India.
  • Existing Partners: Tata Group, Motherson Group, and Bharat Forge are already part of Apple's supplier network.

Strategic Benefits

  • Risk Mitigation: Local partnerships reduce logistical risks and operational costs.
  • Government Incentives: Proposed Indian government incentives for electronic components could further lower costs.
  • Diversification: Strengthening supply chain resilience by reducing reliance on China.

Alphabet’s Cloud Expansion

Key Deal

  • Acquisition: Alphabet (Google’s parent company) is in talks to acquire Wiz, a cybersecurity startup, for $32 billion—a record deal.

Strategic Impact

  • Cybersecurity Growth: The acquisition will bolster Alphabet's position in the cybersecurity market and expand its cloud infrastructure business, which generated over $43 billion in revenue last year.
  • Winners: Founders of Wiz stand to gain $3 billion, while investors like Index Ventures and Sequoia Capital could realize significant returns.

Industry Implications

  • AI Disruption: Wiz’s AI-driven solutions are disrupting the cybersecurity landscape, prompting major tech players like Baidu, Tencent, and Alibaba to accelerate their AI efforts in China.
  • Record Exit: The deal marks the largest exit for an Israeli company, surpassing Intel's $15.3 billion acquisition of Mobileye in 2017.

Long-Term Effects

  • Quick Commerce Dominance: The trend toward quick commerce is expected to reshape the FMCG and QSR industries, with brands prioritizing convenience and speed.
  • Supply Chain Resilience: Apple’s diversification strategy highlights the importance of reducing reliance on single markets like China, aligning with global supply chain trends.
  • Tech Mergers: Alphabet’s acquisition underscores the growing importance of cybersecurity in cloud computing, driving long-term growth in the tech sector.

Regulatory Impact

  • India’s Role: Apple’s partnerships with Indian suppliers could be influenced by government incentives, shaping the electronics manufacturing landscape in India.
  • Cybersecurity Regulations: The focus on AI-driven solutions may prompt regulatory scrutiny and policy changes in cybersecurity and data protection.