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Shantanu Deshpande, CEO of Bombay Shaving Company, has raised the alarm over India’s growing addiction to fast food delivery, calling it a health epidemic in the making.
In a strongly worded post on LinkedIn, Deshpande criticized the reliance on processed and ultra-processed foods that dominate the menus of delivery platforms, often packed with palm oil and sugar.
“Our addiction to junk food, fueled by Rs 49 pizzas, Rs 20 energy drinks and Rs 30 burgers, is taking us down the path of the US and China, without the economic safety net for healthcare,” wrote Deshpande, calling out the food delivery giants. like Zomato, Swiggy and Zepto to rethink their approach.
“Zomato, Swiggy and Zepto, please don’t do it. And if you are so interested, make the product tasty. I would love for us to innovate and be able to offer decent and non-stale food in 10 minutes. Mass unlock. But no I think we’re still close to that.”
Deshpande shared his surprise at the industry’s race to deliver meals in record time.
“Cooking time: 2 minutes. Delivery time: 8 minutes. A founder of ‘qcom for food’ told me this and I lost my mind,” he wrote. The CEO also criticized the use of frozen ingredients disguised to appear fresh, transported by delivery drivers who speed through traffic to meet unrealistic deadlines.
The startup’s founder argued that India’s obsession with convenience foods poses a serious threat to long-term public health. “The intestine is the epicenter of your existence. “YOU ARE WHAT YOU EAT,” he warned.
Deshpande addressed his message not only to companies and investors but also to regulators and consumers. He called on regulators to ensure better oversight of food quality, even within the 10-minute delivery framework.
For consumers, his advice was simple: cook. “No one is too busy to spend 10 minutes making dal chawal, a smoothie, a salad or a sandwich. It’s an adult skill. Learn it,” he urged, warning that dependence on fast foods could lead to serious long-term health problems.
Deshpande’s post struck a chord with many on social media. While some echoed their concerns, others suggested regulatory reforms to separate food preparation time from delivery time to ensure quality.
