Peak XV-Backed Apna Mart Trims Workforce by 10% in First Layoff Round; Relocates Tech Operations to Gurugram

Peak XV-backed quick commerce startup Apna Mart has executed its first major workforce reduction, laying off approximately 10% of staff as it consolidates operations in Gurugram. Sources indicate the cuts affected 35 to 40 employees across multiple functions, with some roles rendered redundant due to AI adoption while others resulted from the relocation of the company's product and technology teams from Bengaluru.

The startup, founded in 2022 by Abhishek Singh and Chetan Garg, operates a franchise-led quick commerce model targeting non-metro cities—a strategic positioning that sets it apart from the metro-focused approaches of larger competitors. While the product and technology divisions are being concentrated in Gurugram, operations teams will remain distributed across the cities where the company currently operates. Inc42 has reached out to Apna Mart for comment on the restructuring.

The layoffs represent a notable shift for a company that had previously avoided mass workforce reductions despite the broader funding slowdown affecting Indian startups. The dual pressure of geographic consolidation and AI-driven operational efficiency suggests Apna Mart is recalibrating its cost structure amid a challenging venture funding environment. For a two-year-old startup, the move signals a maturation phase where growth-at-all-costs strategies are yielding to leaner, technology-intensive operating models. The impact on the company's non-metro expansion timeline and franchise partner network remains to be seen.