Albinder Dhindsa’s leadership trajectory in the food-tech industry illustrates a strategic and dynamic rise through pivotal roles in pioneering companies. From his early involvement in logistics to spearheading quick-commerce innovations, Dhindsa has been central to shaping India’s evolving food-tech landscape. This article explores his career milestones and his current role as Group CEO of Eternal Food-Tech Group.
Early Career and Entry into Food-Tech
Albinder Dhindsa, known as Albi within Eternal, assumed the role of CEO of the food-tech giant on Wednesday. Eternal encompasses notable brands such as Zomato, Hyperpure, and Blinkit, the latter of which Dhindsa played a key role in creating.
Born in Patiala, Punjab, Dhindsa began his career as a Transportation Analyst at URS Corporation, a firm focusing on engineering, design, and government contracts. Following URS’s acquisition by AECOM, he worked at Cambridge Systematics and UBS Investment Bank. Ultimately, he returned to India to join Zomato, a burgeoning food delivery company at the time.
Growth at Zomato
In 2011, Dhindsa joined Zomato as the Head of International Operations. This period coincided with Zomato’s rebranding from Foodiebay and its rapid expansion across Indian metropolitan areas such as Bengaluru, Mumbai, and Delhi NCR. By the close of 2011, the company ventured into international markets.
Discovering Opportunities in Delivery Logistics
During Zomato’s expansion, Dhindsa connected with Saurabh Kumar, working on the startup Onenumber, initially intended to provide on-demand pick-up and drop-off services for local shops. Facing intense competition, the startup pivoted to address delivery challenges for local retailers.
Recognizing the potential in hyper-local delivery, Dhindsa joined Grofers part-time before transitioning fully from Zomato to lead Grofers.
Grofers to Blinkit: Building a Hyper-Local Delivery Network
By January 2014, Grofers commenced grocery and FMCG deliveries in Gurugram with just four delivery staff. Within 15 months, the operation expanded to 200 delivery partners and over 40 employees across tech, operations, and marketing, with Dhindsa at the helm as CEO.
In 2015, Grofers experienced rapid growth fueled by investments from Sequoia Capital, Tiger Global, SoftBank, and others. By 2019, projections suggested crossing Rs 5,000 crore in gross merchandise value (GMV) for fiscal year 2020, alongside plans to enter 27 additional cities.
Zomato Investment and Blinkit Rebranding
In 2021, the Competition Commission of India approved Zomato’s acquisition of a 9.3% stake in Grofers, reconnecting Dhindsa with his former employer. Zomato invested $100 million, and the company rebranded to Blinkit, pivoting towards quick commerce with an ambitious promise of deliveries within 10 minutes through an extensive rider network.
A year later, Zomato acquired the remaining stake in Blinkit for Rs 4,447.48 crore, and Dhindsa rejoined Zomato to lead its quick commerce operations.
Blinkit’s Market Position and Expansion
“Blinkit’s rapid expansion of micro-fulfilment centers and diversified product delivery under Dhindsa’s leadership has solidified its dominant share in India’s quick-commerce market.”
By late 2025, Blinkit commanded an estimated 45% to 50% market share in India’s quick-commerce sector, contending with competitors such as Swiggy’s Instamart and IPO-bound Zepto.
Following the acquisition, Dhindsa oversaw a substantial increase in micro-fulfilment centers, commonly known as “dark stores,” growing from 383 to over 1,800 locations by late 2025, with a target of 3,000 stores by early 2027.
Additionally, Dhindsa spearheaded Blinkit’s evolution from solely a grocery delivery app to a platform offering diverse products including electronics, beauty items, home appliances, clothing, and even ambulances, all with a commitment to delivery within 10 minutes.
New Leadership at Eternal Group
In a recent shareholder letter, Eternal’s Founder and CEO, Deepinder Goyal, announced his decision to step down as Group CEO, appointing Dhindsa as his successor.
Goyal stated that operational decision-making authority will now rest with Dhindsa, who will oversee daily priorities and strategic business decisions. He commended Dhindsa’s role in making Blinkit profitable, crediting him with building the team, culture, supply chain, and operational rhythm. Goyal highlighted Dhindsa’s founder-like spirit and strong execution capabilities, expressing confidence in his capacity to lead Eternal as Group CEO.
Furthermore, Goyal emphasized that Blinkit remains Eternal’s most significant growth opportunity and will continue to be Dhindsa’s primary focus going forward.
