Zomato grabbed attention throughout 2024 with its bold moves and new ventures, showing how it’s evolving from a food delivery service into a broader consumer platform.

The year kicked off with Zomato Live expanding into ticketing for big-name concerts featuring global stars such as Dua Lipa and Diljit Dosanjh, adding a fresh dimension to its offerings.

The company didn’t stop there. It launched District, building on the success of its earlier event, Zomaland. This new initiative aimed to create lively community spaces that combined food, entertainment, and social experiences, strengthening its appeal across different markets.

But while these efforts showcased Zomato’s ambition, the company also faced its fair share of controversies, stirring public debates and criticism.

Pure veg mode and fleet controversy
In March 2024, Zomato launched ‘Pure Veg Mode’ and ‘Pure Veg Fleet’ to cater specifically to vegetarian customers. The idea was to offer a curated list of restaurants serving only vegetarian food.

However, the move sparked criticism, with many calling it exclusionary. Some argued it could discriminate against non-vegetarian options and even unfairly affect delivery workers based on their dietary preferences.

Deepinder Goyal, the CEO of Zomato, clarified that the initiative was not intended to support any religious or political agenda, and assured that it would be reconsidered if it caused serious backlash.

In response to public outrage, the company scrapped its plan to have delivery riders wear green uniforms for vegetarian orders, opting to keep the standard red attire for all.

Hyperpure warehouse raid
On October 29, 2024, food safety officials raided Zomato’s Hyperpure warehouse in Hyderabad, accusing the company of food safety violations. During the inspection, they found mushroom packets with incorrect labels showing future packaging dates.

Goyal clarified that it was a manual error made by a vendor and had already been flagged by Zomato’s quality control team before the items were added to the inventory. He also criticised the media for highlighting the incident, claiming it was an unfair attempt to harm the company’s reputation.

Analogue paneer backlash
In October 2024, Zomato faced backlash for selling “Analogue Paneer,” a product made with vegetable fats instead of the traditional milk fat. Although the product was correctly labelled, many customers felt misled, accusing Zomato of using confusing marketing that could harm health and erode trust. The controversy raised questions about food safety and transparency in sourcing.

Job posting controversy
In November 2024, Goyal faced criticism for a job listing that required candidates for a chief of staff role to donate Rs 20 lakh to Feeding India during their first year of employment. Many people called the move elitist and unethical, questioning the fairness of making such a large donation a condition for the job.

Author: Abhishek Kahar