Health, fitness products fly off the shelves at D2C, quick commerce

Direct-to-consumer (D2C) brands and quick commerce platforms are experiencing surging demand for health and fitness-focused products in the New Year propelled by a growing focus on fitness and personal wellbeing by consumers.Unilever Ventures-backed startup Healthify, a provider of services such as nutrition tracking, calorie monitoring and fitness coaching, said it earned around Rs 2.5 crore in revenue on New Year’s Eve and New Year’s Day combined. This is a sharp rise from the company’s average daily revenue of Rs 65-70 lakhs.

“New Year resolutions prompt many customers to immediately take up digital health and fitness services like Healthify…This year, we have noticed people adopting their resolutions even earlier before New Year,” Tushar Vashisht, cofounder of Healthify told ET.

Boldfit, a bootstrapped D2C brand offering fitness products, saw the highest traction for categories like fitness accessories, yoga mats, and activewear during this period.

“We expect this momentum to sustain well into the first quarter of 2025, as the fitness industry continues to grow rapidly. With awareness around health and wellness at an all-time high, we are projecting a 30-40% overall growth in revenue for FY25,” said Boldfit founder Pallav Bihani.

Startups have also raised capital from venture capital firms over the past few months. Healthify raised $20 million in October from Khosla Ventures and LeapFrog Investments, while Boldfit secured about $13 million from Bessemer Venture Partners in November.

The fitness wearables category is also facing increased demand. Noise, a homegrown wearables brand, attributed the festive gifting season and New Year resolutions to a 20% increase in sales of its products such as smartwatches and smart rings.“The spike in sales of such devices during the festive season reflects a growing mindset shift—consumers are not just setting resolutions but are actively using technology to make them a reality,” said Amit Khatri, cofounder of Noise.

Quick commerce platforms are playing a major role in driving demand for fitness and wellness products.

For instance, Swiggy Instamart clocked a 123% jump in orders for protein-based items between January 2 and January 1.

“Looking at January compared to last month, orders for gym accessories have skyrocketed by 290%, while orders for energy drinks have seen a remarkable 186% increase on Swiggy Instamart,” said a spokesperson for the quick commerce firm.

According to industry executives, Tier II and Tier III cities are increasingly contributing to the demand surge, a trend that contrasts with previous years.

Meanwhile, Mumbai-based Tego Fit, specialising in fitness accessories and equipment, noted a 20% rise in demand from Tier II and Tier III geographies.

The overall surge in fitness and wellness demand signals a growing commitment among consumers to prioritise their health. Companies believe this trend, coupled with the growing accessibility of digital platforms, quick commerce services, and technological products, indicates a sustained shift towards healthier lifestyles across both urban centres and smaller cities.