Milkbasket to Milkman: India’s dairy delivery disruption has come full circle

Every morning, millions of Indian households wake up to a decades-old routine: a packet or two of fresh milk and the day’s newspaper waiting on their doorstep. While some still rely on the neighbourhood milkman, others subscribe to services like BigBasket’s BB Daily, Milkbasket, or Country Delight.

These platforms banked on this routine to build a subscription-based model.

But despite years of burning cash on user acquisition, these businesses haven’t seen lasting success, both globally and in India. Now, even the last significant player in the space is faltering.