Rise of modern convenience in India with founders of New Shop
India’s retail landscape is changing rapidly, and one fast-growing chain is working to define what modern convenience looks like for a new generation of consumers.
On this week’s Future of Convenience podcast episode, New Shop Co-Founders Aastha Almast and Mani Dev Gyawali shared how their company is building a national convenience store brand designed specifically for India’s young, mobile population.
New Shop takes on India’s growing retail market
Founded in 2019, New Shop has grown quickly. The company now operates more than 300 stores across 55 cities, serving roughly 10 million customers and processing 60,000 orders each day. Locations range from neighborhoods and gas stations to railway stations, airports and corporate parks. Each store focuses on quick, on-the-go food, beverages and everyday essentials while also offering services such as courier pickup and electric vehicle charging.
The idea for the business came from the founders’ own experiences living abroad and noticing that India lacked a widespread convenience retail format like what exists in many other countries.
“Rather than waiting for an international chain to yet again enter India and organize a convenience retail format, we just wanted to be the ones who do it as consumers and as a great business opportunity,” said Almast.
India presents a unique opportunity. The country’s retail market is expected to reach $2 trillion by 2030, and it remains dominated by small, independent shops. At the same time, a young and increasingly urban population is looking for faster, more modern retail experiences.
New Shop’s approach blends centralized technology with local entrepreneurship through a franchise model. The company aims to empower 10,000 entrepreneurs by 2030 while building a network that reflects local tastes across India’s highly diverse regions.
Technology and innovation is the backbone for New Shop
Technology plays a critical role in that strategy. New Shop built its own integrated cloud-based platform that handles store deployment, pricing, inventory forecasting and supply chain management. The system helps stores operate quickly and consistently while reducing manual decision making.
“The idea was to build a fully integrated cloud-based platform and do what tech does best, which is making operations repeatable, measurable, and less reliant on human judgment,” said Gyawali.
The company is now developing an AI-powered system designed to support franchise operators with automated insights, audits and performance recommendations.
While New Shop has global ambitions, the founders say the immediate opportunity lies at home. With millions of traditional retailers navigating a changing market, the company sees room to help modernize convenience retail across India.
Be sure to also read the article, “A new era for Indian convenience: the tech-smart rise of New Shop,” from September 2025 to read and see more about New Shop.
Be sure to subscribe to The Future of Convenience on your favorite podcast platform. New episodes are released every other Tuesday and can be found wherever you find your favorite shows.
Be sure to subscribe to The Future of Convenience on your favorite podcast platform. New episodes are released every other Tuesday and can be found wherever you find your favorite shows.
