Zepto Meat CEO Chandan Rungta Quits
Quick commerce unicorn Zepto is grappling with significant senior leadership churn, confirming the departure of Chandan Rungta, the Chief Executive Officer of its meat vertical, Relish.
Chandan, who joined Zepto in December 2024 to spearhead the ambitious private-label initiative, resigned less than a year into his tenure, with his last working day confirmed in September.
This high-profile exit is part of a broader exodus of senior executives at the fast-growing company, coming just weeks after Zepto successfully secured $450 million in funding, valuing it at a staggering $7 billion, and as it looks to accelerate its long-term IPO plans.
Churn Amidst Strategic Shifts and Growth
Chandan’s short tenure coincides with a period of intense strategic activity in the meat vertical.
The company initially leaned heavily on its in-house brand, Relish, to drive growth and achieve higher margins.
However, sustaining momentum in the high-stakes meat category required a strategic pivot.
Zepto recently had to relist popular premium brands like Licious to cater to premium consumers while continuing to promote Relish for the mass premium segment.
The strategic challenge facing the business remains significant: The fresh meat category demands a high degree of consumer trust, complex cold chain logistics, and high inventory risk, often clashing with the speed-first model of quick commerce.
Despite these difficulties, Zepto confirmed that the Relish brand has seen substantial growth, generating monthly revenues of approximately ₹50-60 crore recently, with annual projections exceeding ₹500 crore.
Zepto Senior Exodus and Transition
Chandan’s departure adds to a string of key senior exits that have occurred in recent months, signaling a period of potential internal restructuring or “conscious directional changes.”
Other executives who have recently moved on include Apoorv Pandey (SVP of Strategy), Chandresh Dedhia (VP and Head of IT), and Shashank Shekhar Sharma (CXO of Zepto Cafe).
These departures have been noted to sometimes align with the executives’ ESOP vesting cycles.
To manage the immediate transition, Zepto President Vinay Dhanani has taken over the leadership of the Relish division.
Vinay is expected to oversee both the meat vertical and the company’s wider private-label operations, providing experienced oversight during this crucial restructuring phase.
As Zepto attempts to harmonize its strategic ambition with operational execution on its path toward a public listing, stabilizing the leadership structure will be paramount.
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