Grape expectations as new year luck goes viral on Instamart

MUMBAI: Some traditions travel quietly. Others arrive with a scroll, a meme and a shopping cart. As the clock ticked towards midnight on New Year’s Eve, India found itself gripped by an unlikely ritual: eating 12 grapes under the table to manifest luck, love and good fortune in the year ahead.

What began as a Spanish superstition turned viral social media challenge quickly spilled into real life, sending demand for grapes soaring on quick-commerce platforms. According to data from Instamart, searches for grapes surged 22x last New Year’s Eve, while orders jumped a staggering 40x in Delhi alone, with Mumbai and Bengaluru close behind. Once a humble fruit, grapes emerged as one of the most unexpected New Year essentials of the night.

Sensing a cultural moment ripening in real time, Instamart leaned into the trend with a playful on-ground activation in Mumbai. A giant grape, escorted by four “bodyguards” carrying Instamart bags, was spotted cruising through Bandra and Carter Road, instantly turning heads and cameras. The visual joke was clear: grapes had officially achieved VIP status.

The internet, unsurprisingly, ran with it. Within hours, the grape convoy was everywhere across meme and troll pages. Jokes ranged from grapes getting Z-plus security to last-ditch attempts at manifesting luck before 2025 arrived. One post quipped, “2026 mein duniya khatam ho jaaye, par luck toh le lo,” while another declared New Year prep officially incomplete without grapes.

Commenting on the phenomenon Swiggy head of Brand Mayur Hola said culture often reveals itself not through announcements, but behaviour. “Last New Year’s Eve, we saw grapes move from fruit bowls to shopping carts in cities like Delhi, Mumbai and Bengaluru. India gave the 12-grape ritual its own twist, and we decided to have a little fun with it. When a moment becomes a movement, Instamart wants to be right there delivering it.”

Crowds stopped to snap photos, social feeds filled up fast, and a viral superstition became a shared cultural wink. By blending real-time data, street-level humour and internet energy, Instamart once again underlined its growing role beyond convenience as a mirror to how India shops, celebrates and scrolls its way into the new year.

After all, if luck comes in dozens, it helps when they arrive in minutes.