How Thermal Innovation Is Solving Quick Commerce's $7B Infrastructure Challenge

Every day in India, more than a million orders move through a network of dark stores and delivery riders, promising fresh groceries and dairy products at doorsteps within 10 minutes. Quick commerce has transformed from pandemic experimentation into a $7.1 billion industry in just three years, a twenty-four-fold increase since 2022. Companies like Blinkit, Zepto, and Swiggy Instamart have witnessed sales surge by 280%, with quick commerce now accounting for two-thirds of all online grocery purchases in India.

But there's a problem hiding beneath this seamless experience. India loses 15-20% of perishable goods annually to inadequate temperature control, a problem that intensifies when summer temperatures spike above 45°C. For 10-minute delivery, temperature control has become the defining challenge.

The Temperature Crisis No One Talks About

Have you ever considered what happens when a dark store's cooling systems fail, even just for thirty minutes during an Indian summer afternoon? Melted ice creams. Spoiled milk. Wilted vegetables. But the real damage isn’t measured in lost inventory; it’s measured in trust and loyalty. Research shows that 68% of Indian consumers will abandon a quick commerce platform after a single bad experience with spoiled goods.

Traditional cold chain logistics were built for a different era, when deliveries took hours or days, not minutes. Quick commerce demands maintaining consistent cooling across frozen, chilled, and ambient products while navigating traffic-choked streets on two-wheelers.

“In quick commerce, your cold chain is only as strong as its weakest link, and in Indian summers, every link is tested," says Soumalya Mukherjee, Co-founder of Tan90 Thermal.

Why Traditional Cold Chains Can't Keep Up

Quick commerce has outpaced traditional cold chain infrastructure. Over 90% of cold chain logistics remains fragmented with localised, manual-heavy operations, creating an opportunity for integrated thermal solutions built specifically for rapid delivery.

Quick commerce requires a new approach to temperature management. While IoT monitoring systems are becoming more common, the key challenge is using data proactively, turning real-time temperature readings into early warnings that prevent issues during power outages or peak periods.

"Off-the-shelf refrigeration can't address quick commerce's unique demands: hyper-compact facilities, multi-zone requirements, and reliability under extreme conditions," explains Soumalya. "Dark stores must maintain multiple temperature zones 24/7 in cities where summer temperatures reach 45°C."

Engineering Thermal Reliability

Tan90 Thermal approaches the problem differently. Rather than adapting existing cold chain technology, the company engineers quick commerce thermal solutions specifically for India's conditions.

Tan90 provides Cooling-as-a-Service (CaaS) for mid-mile logistics, the critical journey from dark stores to delivery points. The company's lightweight insulated delivery systems and smart thermal packaging maintain temperatures below 5°C even during peak summer heat. Real-time temperature sensors provide continuous monitoring, alerting operations teams to potential issues before they become customer complaints.

Behind the scenes, IoT-enabled systems provide end-to-end visibility. Predictive alerts catch temperature deviations before they compromise product quality, while continuously improving energy efficiency. For regulated categories like pharmaceuticals and dairy, the system automatically generates compliance documentation.

"We engineer thermal reliability that enables quick commerce companies to scale with confidence," says Soumalya. "Temperature failures directly impact customer trust and brand reputation. A single compromised delivery can affect loyalty and word-of-mouth in an industry where trust is everything."

Quick Commerce's Infrastructure Moment

Industry observers increasingly view quick commerce as entering an infrastructure phase, similar to how digital payments infrastructure enabled e-commerce's boom. The sector's trajectory from Rs. 64,000 crore in FY25 to a projected Rs. 2,00,000 crore by FY28 will be defined not by who delivers fastest, but by who delivers most reliably at scale.

Geographic expansion depends on thermal reliability. While metro cities have adequate infrastructure, tier-2 and tier-3 cities face higher ambient temperatures and less reliable power supply. These smaller cities are expected to account for 50% of e-commerce activity by this year, representing the next wave of growth.

"The next phase of quick commerce relies heavily on infrastructure, not just speed," explains Soumalya. "As platforms expand into pharmaceuticals, premium foods, and tier-2 cities, thermal solutions become the foundation that separates sustainable businesses from those that flame out. The difference between a repeat customer and a one-time customer often relies on whether the product stayed intact. In quick commerce, thermal solutions aren't just operational, they're the foundation that validates the entire promise."

About Tan90 Thermal

Tan90 Thermal Solutions is a deep-tech thermal management company focused on energy-efficient cold-chain solutions for food, pharmaceutical, logistics, and healthcare sectors. Headquartered in Chennai, the company originated from research by PhD scholars at IIT Madras. Tan90 Thermal provides Cooling-as-a-Service (CaaS) models and portable cold storage solutions designed for perishable goods and temperature-sensitive supplies.