April 30: Nationally, Instamart’s Summer Trends 2026 report captures exactly how India orders its way through the heat, not just what’s trending, but what’s ritual. As temperatures climbed through March and April, demand in India surged sharply across categories, with top products growing up to 300% week-on-week. Fruits, cold coffee, fizzy drinks, and popsicles saw rapid spikes, while cooling appliances like fans grew over 280% and sunglasses recorded a massive 650% YoY growth.
Chennai’s summer carts are dominated by muskmelon and watermelon, highlighting a strong reliance on hydrating fruits to combat the intense heat. The city’s consumption is rooted in practicality, with a clear preference for cooling, water-rich staples.
- India’s summer ritual is set: ice cream peaks at 9 PM every night; Chocolate remains the undisputed favourite, making up 1 in 4 ice cream orders (28%)
- Bangalore leads India’s ice cream consumption, contributing 14% of national demand
- Dahi tops the chart ahead of colas and ice cream
- Kozhikode (+358%) and Madurai (+231%) emerge as the fastest-growing tier 2 mango markets
- Jeera masala soda is having a moment, growing 900% month-on-month
India’s Scorchingly Big Summer Baskets
- Hyderabad’s biggest summer cart crossed ₹11K with ice cream, mangoes, cool drinks, and buttermilk
- Bengaluru’s top summer spender crossed ₹11K on cold coffee, buttermilk, mangoes, ice cream, and dahi
- Guntur’s summer superfan spent ₹15,005, powered by energy drinks and rechargeable mini fans
- A Central Goa user spent ₹11,672 stocking up on coconut water, kulfi, mangoes, and cool drinks
- Kolkata’s top summer shopper spent over ₹10,600 on coconut water, mangoes, yogurt, and ice cream
Summer 2026 trends in quick commerce:
- Doodh ka Doodh, Dahi ka Dahi: Dahi is dominating summer baskets, nearly matching cold drinks and ice cream. Six of the top 10 items are curd-based, while watermelon, muskmelon, and other fresh produce continue to surge.
- The 9 PM Ice Cream Ritual: 9 PM is India’s biggest ice cream moment, with demand more than doubling between 6–9 PM and rising further on weekends. Family-sized tubs lead the category, while chocolate accounts for nearly 1 in 4 ice cream orders.
- Beyond Metros, the Real Ice Cream Lovers Emerge: Bengaluru leads national ice cream consumption, followed by Mumbai, Hyderabad, Chennai, and Pune. Smaller cities like Central Goa, Thrissur, Thiruvalla, Nagercoil, and Manipal are seeing some of the highest orders per user.
- Aam Paglu Season Is Here: Sindhu is currently India’s most-ordered mango variety, ahead of Banganapalli and raw mangoes. Fastest growth is coming from Kozhikode, Madurai, Trichy, Vizag, and Nellore, while Bengaluru leads overall mango demand.
- From Cola to Craft: Jeera masala soda, cold coffee, and café-style coolers are moving mainstream. Jeera soda grew 900% in March, while cold coffee rose nearly 700%. Coconut water, buttermilk, lassi, and milkshakes also saw strong growth, with beverage demand peaking between 6–9 PM.
