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In a move that could reshape India’s food delivery landscape, Magicpin has teamed up with Rapido to bolster the growth of Ownly, Rapido’s recently launched food delivery platform. The partnership positions the two companies to chip away at the long-standing dominance of sector leaders Zomato and Swiggy.
Under the collaboration, Magicpin will plug its nationwide network of restaurants into Ownly, giving Rapido immediate access to more than 80,000 eateries across India once onboarding is complete. The integration is expected to accelerate Rapido’s expansion beyond Bengaluru, where Ownly made its debut in August. In return, Magicpin will be able to leverage Rapido’s delivery fleet in select markets to strengthen its service capabilities.
A Rapido spokesperson told PTI that the company’s merchant acquisition team continues to onboard the bulk of participating restaurants directly, with partners like Magicpin contributing a smaller share of listings. Rapido already works with Magicpin and several other platforms as a logistics provider in multiple cities, offering last-mile delivery through its network of captains. The company reiterated its focus on delivering reliable and affordable end-to-end solutions for merchants while ensuring a seamless experience for both riders and customers.
While the partnership presents an opportunity to introduce real competition in a heavily consolidated market, analysts caution that the road ahead is far from easy. Food delivery remains a notoriously low-margin business, where profitability depends on a delicate balance between rider payouts, delivery costs and customer incentives.
Analysts argue that the alliance will need to deepen ties with restaurants many of which are already stretched across multiple platforms while building brand trust in a market where Zomato and Swiggy enjoy strong loyalty
Industry observers say the increased competition is healthy for the ecosystem, potentially offering better economics and more choices for both consumers and restaurant partners. They also noted the unusual dimension of Zomato owning roughly a 15% stake in Magicpin, even as Magicpin collaborates with Rapido to challenge the incumbents.
The development comes amid shifting alliances in the sector. In September, Swiggy’s board approved the sale of its stake in Roppen Transportation Services, Rapido’s parent company, for around ₹2,400 crore. The decision followed Swiggy’s July announcement that it was reassessing its investment due to a growing conflict of interest, as Rapido pushes further into food delivery.
With the Magicpin Rapido collaboration gaining momentum, India’s food delivery duopoly may be in for its most serious test yet.
This article was originally published by the Franchiseindia.com. To read the full version, visit here 
