CityMall CEO Angad Kikla: Reimagining Retail for 500 Million Underserved Indians

CityMall, the fast-growing e-commerce platform, is setting its sights on transforming retail for the next 500 million Indians in small towns, cities, and villages, said CEO and co-founder Angad Kikla in an interview. The company aims to build a more inclusive and affordable digital retail experience for “Bharat”—a term often used to describe India’s vast, underserved population outside metro cities.

“India’s food and grocery market is a $600 billion opportunity, but over 93% of it is still controlled by unorganised kirana stores,” Kikla said. “We’re not just making e-commerce accessible to Bharat—we’re making it the most affordable way to shop for daily essentials.”

A Model Tailored for Small-Town India

CityMall’s approach differs from traditional e-commerce and quick-commerce players by focusing on a hyper-local, tech-driven supply chain supported by community leaders—entrepreneurs who act as ‘virtual kirana’ stores in their neighborhoods. These partners serve as trusted intermediaries between the platform and customers, enabling low-cost delivery and improved access to essential goods.

“Our community leaders help us deliver affordability and trust,” said Kikla. “We batch orders, deliver in bulk, and reduce supply chain costs to below ₹60 per order—about 40% less than our competitors.”

Built for Bharat, Not Metro India

Kikla explained that most e-commerce platforms have failed to crack the grocery sector in non-metro areas because they were designed for urban consumers. “Quick commerce is built for speed, not cost. But in small towns, the consumer needs low prices, small basket sizes, and trust. That’s what CityMall delivers.”

With less than 2% of India’s grocery purchases happening online, Kikla believes there’s massive room for growth. CityMall’s model—low overheads, digital consolidation, and grassroots distribution—fills this gap.

Rapid Expansion Across India

In just 60 days, CityMall doubled its city presence, entering 31 new Tier 2 and Tier 3 markets. The expansion required meticulous logistics planning and a structured onboarding program for new community leaders.

“We designed modular tech and a robust training system to scale quickly without disruption,” said Kikla, highlighting the importance of adaptability and local engagement in CityMall’s strategy.

Sustainable Growth Over Discounts

Unlike other startups that burn cash to gain users, CityMall’s community-first, low-cost approach offers a path to profitability. “We don’t rely on deep discounting,” Kikla said. “Our unit economics work, and our repeat purchase rates are high because our customers have real relationships with our community leaders.”

CityMall’s model is proving that sustainable, inclusive growth is possible—even in one of the most complex retail markets in the world.

“We’re not just building an e-commerce company,” Kikla concluded. “We’re building a new way for Bharat to shop—affordable, accessible, and built with trust.”