From ice cream to mangoes: Summer heat fires up quick commerce sales

As temperatures soar, quick commerce (qcom) platforms are witnessing sharp growth in categories linked to cooling, hydration, and seasonal food

As India swelters under rising temperatures, quick commerce (qcom) firms are reporting a surge in demand for hydration, skincare and summer staples.

 

Swiggy Instamart reported a nearly four-fold week-on-week rise in top seasonal product sales during the final week of March. Cold coffee and mangoes recorded nearly 10 times growth.

 

A company spokesperson said ice cre­am, cold drinks, watermelon and man­goes are selling well too, while dahi rem­ains a staple in summer shopping baskets.

 

Bengaluru alone accounts for over 14 per cent of Instamart’s national ice cream sales; meanwhile, beverages are seeing strong demand — led by colas — while niche options like jeera masala soda are scaling rapidly, nearly tenfold.

 

The seasonal surge in mango consum­ption is notable. Again, Bengaluru contri­butes nearly a third of total mango orders on Instamart, followed by Chennai and Hyderabad. Smaller cities such as Kozhi­kode, Madurai and Thiruvananthapuram are also clocking strong sales growth, the spokesperson said.

 

According to the India Meteorological Department’s forecast, the number of heat wave days will increase across many parts of the country as minimum (night time) temperatures rise nationwide.

 

Zepto, another qcom platform, said there is strong demand for summer essentials such as ice creams, skincare, cold drinks, and hair care. “Products such as kulfi, sunscreen, instant drink mixes, hydration water and talcum powder are gaining popularity, while fans and umbrellas are becoming everyday essentials for staying cool and sun-protected on the move,” a company spokesperson said. Zepto said the national capital region and Bengaluru lead demand for cold drinks, juices, ice creams and skincare products.

 

Flipkart Minutes, the qcom arm of ecommerce company Flipkart, said demand has surged for hand fans (up 44 times since April 2025), hydration drinks (up 12 times) and swimwear (eight times). Aerated drinks’ sales grew 2.5 times.

 

“Beyond refreshments, demand is also picking up strongly across everyday summer essentials, particularly in personal care categories, with insect repellent orders more than doubling, while personal care products like deodorants and sunscreen have grown 1.8 times and 1.7 times, respectively,” a spokesperson for Flipkart Minutes said.

 

Amazon Now, the qcom platform of Amazon, said it is seeing a strong momentum this summer. The platform has expanded its selection, introducing a range of ice creams, early-season mango varieties like Alphonso, Kesar, and Banganpalli, as well as summer essentials including swimming gear, ceiling and smart fans, and smoothie blenders.

 

“Seasonal categories such as ice creams, cold beverages, fresh fruits, and everyday essentials are witnessing a clear surge in demand. This strong customer response reinforces our focus on delivering a wide selection with great value and ultra-fast delivery speed,” an Amazon India spokesperson said.

 

Tata group’s qcom platform BigBasket said that ice cream is emerging as the fastest-growing summer category, with over 100 per cent year-on-year growth in sales. Buttermilk, lassi, and soft drinks are also registering strong double-digit increases, while fans have seen similar triple-digit growth of 100 per cent.

 

“Fans have seen a similar surge, growing by more than 100 per cent compared to last year.  Coolers are showing encouraging traction, this being their first year on the platform. Additionally, tender coconuts and mangoes continue to record robust double-digit growth over last year,” said Seshu Kumar Tirumala, chief buying and merchandising officer of BigBasket.