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How the 12 grapes trend gave quick commerce platforms a marketing opportunity

The trend wasn't just a social media moment; it became a case study in how quick commerce platforms can turn viral trends into business opportunities.

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Payal Navarkar
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At the stroke of midnight on New Year's Eve, when the world welcomed 2025, one group of people wasn't popping champagne or setting off fireworks. They were under their dining tables, scarfing down 12 grapes in under a minute.

This year again, the ‘12 grapes" tradition has taken over the internet. The trend became so massive that grapes were sold out in most areas on December 31st. But this wasn't just a social media moment; it became a case study in how quick commerce platforms can turn viral trends into business opportunities.

Online delivery platforms like Swiggy Instamart, Zepto, and Blinkit didn't just meet the demand; they created special 12-grape packets, launched marketing campaigns, and saw order volumes spike to unprecedented levels in the final hours of 2025.

What is the 12 grapes tradition?

The trend originates from Spain, where eating 12 grapes at midnight on New Year's Eve has been a tradition for over a century. Known as las doce uvas de la suerte (the 12 grapes of luck), each grape represents one month of the coming year. Finish all twelve in time, and you'll have good luck. Fail, and your fortune might not be so bright.

This Spanish custom has been culturally adopted across the globe, with the internet adding its own twist: eating the grapes under a table.

The online world remains divided on the exact method. Some say the grapes must be eaten in exactly 12 seconds. Others insist they should be consumed just before midnight strikes. But everyone agrees on one thing: you need to be under a table while doing it.

The tradition got a cultural boost from an unexpected source: the sitcom Modern Family. In one episode, Gloria tells her husband how eating 12 grapes completely turned her life around, transforming her from a struggling single mom into someone married to a wealthy man.

How Qcomm stayed relevant

India's quick commerce platforms saw the trend building and jumped in with both feet.

In the week leading up to New Year's Eve, Swiggy's Instamart launched a campaign that quickly went viral. They featured a grape man being escorted around Mumbai with Z+ level security personnel. The guards held posters reading, 12 grapes in just 10 minutes, a clever play on the platform's fast delivery promise.

The campaign aimed to capture the absurdity and cultural significance of the moment, racking up millions of views across social media.

Platforms Blinkit and Zepto created specially curated packs containing exactly 12 grapes. This wasn't just convenience; it was smart business. Customers didn't have to count or worry about having too many or too few. The platforms had done the work for them.

Swiggy Instamart shared statistics that revealed the scale of the trend:

  • 235k searches for grapes on Instamart on December 31st alone, just in the first half of the day, shared Kishan Phani, co-founder of Swiggy and Swiggy Instamart
  • Searches began as early as 5 AM, with people planning ahead
  • Grape searches were up by 78x compared to regular days

  • In the final hour before midnight, grape orders spiked 15 times

BlinkIt also saw an upsurge in the grapes order, recording it as the most ordered item.

Quick commerce platforms found themselves in an unprecedented situation. This wasn't just about delivering groceries; it was about delivering time-sensitive ritual items.

Beyond just meeting demand, quick commerce platforms became active participants in the cultural moment. They posted memes around the trend. It was logistics meeting internet culture in real-time.

With the platforms adapting to the trend, some consumers also complained about the price hike of grapes becuase of the trend.

How social media made it go viral

The trend exploded across platforms, creating several distinct content categories:

The 'POV: I ate 12 grapes last year' videos

These testimonial-style videos flooded social media. The format was simple: transition between showing the creator eating grapes under a table on New Year's Eve 2024, followed by major life wins throughout the year, engagements, dream jobs, travel adventures, and finding love.

The hashtags #12grapes, #12grapeschallenge, and #manifestation accumulated thousands of videos.

Another videos showed two types of people on New Year’s Eve showing generational divide perfectly: one half partying, the other half crammed under tables, cheeks stuffed with grapes, racing against time.

When even offline markets failed to keep up

While quick commerce made headlines, the impact on local markets was just as dramatic.

Local vendors knew the trend. That's perhaps the most surprising part. Street fruit sellers in neighbourhoods across cities had heard from customers about the ‘12 grapes wala tradition’ and had stocked up accordingly.

People were seen asking for exactly 12 grapes.

Before midnight on December 31st, grapes were sold out across most retail locations in major cities.

Store employees fielded unusual questions, like Which grapes are best for luck? And do red grapes work, or does it have to be green?

Why this trend matters

The 12 grapes phenomenon seemed to be more than just a viral moment. It represented several converging trends. A centuries-old Spanish tradition travelled across the world and got remixed with internet humour and manifestation culture.

Platforms made efforts to prove they can respond to viral trends in real-time, creating products and campaigns within days.

"It worked for me" videos created a compelling narrative that drove participation across demographics year-on-year.

A social media trend affected offline retail in unprecedented ways, with even local vendors becoming part of the phenomenon.

As we move into 2025, the implications might be clear. Quick commerce platforms are no longer just grocery delivery services; they're cultural participants, trend-watchers, and rapid responders to internet moments.

Whether you believe in luck, the manifestation, or you're just here for the memes, one thing is certain: when the internet decides to adopt a tradition, the entire supply chain feels it. From Spanish custom to social media sensation to sold-out fruit aisles, the 12 grapes trend proved that in 2024-25, viral moments aren't just online, they're everywhere, including under your dining table at midnight.

Zepto Blinkit Quick Commerce Instamart 12 grapes trend