Vinay Mundhe

A Software Developer Writing on Tech, Money, and Life

Author: Vinay Mundhe

  • Zomato Just Replaced 600 Employees With an AI Agent

    Zomato Just Replaced 600 Employees With an AI Agent

    Last night, I opened Zomato to order dinner. Something went wrong with the delivery, classic Friday chaos! I tapped “Support,” expecting a long wait or an endless chatbot loop. Instead, I was done in under two minutes.

    No human, no hold music… just a smooth conversation with what felt like a very, very smart AI. And I thought to myself: Damn, this bot’s got game.

    Then today, I saw the headline:
    Zomato lays off 600 customer support employees.

    Why?
    Because automation is stepping up. And its name is Nugget.

    So… what is Nugget?

    Built over the last 3 years as an internal tool, Nugget isn’t your average “Hi! How can I help you today?” kind of bot. It’s been quietly powering over 15 million support conversations every month across Zomato, Blinkit, and Hyperpure.

    Now it’s out of stealth mode.
    Now it’s public.
    Now it’s replacing jobs.

    Harsh? Maybe. But here’s the kicker…

    Nugget resolves up to 80% of queries autonomously, learns and adapts in real-time, and requires zero code to integrate. No dev team needed. No clunky workflows. Just seamless, customizable automation that actually works.

    90% of companies who’ve tried it signed up.

    Check it out here: nugget.com

    What’s happening behind the scenes?

    Let’s call it what it is… a shift.
    Zomato didn’t just randomly decide to cut 600 jobs. They replaced people with software. Efficient, scalable, tireless software. And they did it because they could.

    I’ve personally seen it in action. As a regular customer, I’ve reached out to Zomato’s support multiple times. From missing items to refunds… Nugget handled it better than most humans would. Fast. Precise. Polite. No attitude. No errors.

    This isn’t just cost-cutting. It’s efficiency at scale.

    And that’s the part no one’s talking about enough.

    But here’s the real question:

    Is this the future of customer support?

    If your business still relies on a bulky support team, long ticketing systems, and manual resolution queues, Nugget is your wake-up call. It’s not just an AI tool. It’s a glimpse of what tomorrow looks like.

    The same way Zomato disrupted food delivery, it’s now disrupting customer support.

    It’s bittersweet.
    600 people lost their jobs. That’s not a small number. But it also signals a massive shift in how tech companies operate. A shift towards leaner ops, AI-first thinking, and internal innovation.

    Nugget isn’t just a support tool.
    It’s Zomato’s first product from Zomato Labs… their innovation incubator.

    The future’s not coming.
    It’s already here.
    And apparently, it’s called Nugget.

  • Budget and the Stock Market

    Budget and the Stock Market

    The budget is out, and it’s clear that government is playing to the masses. More tax benefits, more subsidies, and more money in the hands of the middle class and lower-income groups.

    What does that mean for the stock market?

    Today’s market reaction gave us a preview:

    • PSU stocks (defense, green energy, railway) dipped.
    • Consumption, FMCG, and real estate stocks rallied.

    This isn’t just a one-day trend, it’s a theme that could last months or even years.

    Why Consumption Stocks Will Run

    When people have more disposable income, they spend—it’s basic economics. Think about it:

    • More money saved from tax cuts? → More dining out, ordering food, and shopping. (Zomato, Nestle, ITC, HUL win.)
    • Extra cash flow? → More home upgrades—new ACs, refrigerators, TVs. (Voltas, Havells, Whirlpool benefit.)
    • A stable economy? → More real estate demand. (DLF, Godrej Properties, Macrotech boom.)

    The market is already reacting as Zomato surged 7% today, and FMCG stocks were up 3-4%.

    Now, How to Play This Market?

    The playbook is simple:
    ✅ Stay bullish on FMCG, consumption, and real estate.
    ✅ Look for companies that benefit from rising consumer spending.
    ✅ Avoid PSU-heavy themes unless there’s a policy push.

    Modi government will most likely priorities keeping the masses happy in his third term.

    Play accordingly.

    And if you are a long term investor with a 5-10 years view-point, and you are a chad long term investor, you better keep investing in the companies with good fundamentals, irrespective of the sector.

    As, in the end, India will do well anyhow in the long run.

    We are survivors.

  • How I Pick Stocks Without Overcomplicating It

    How I Pick Stocks Without Overcomplicating It

    Have you heard about the KISS theory?

    KISS stands for “Keep It Simple, Stupid.”

    And honestly, that’s exactly how I approach investing in stocks. No drama, no overthinking, just straightforward logic.

    Speaking of overthinking, have you seen this meme?

    It perfectly sums up the chaos that happens when you complicate what should be simple!

    And believe it or not, ‘The chad long term investor’ is the one who makes a lot of money in stock market.

    So here’s how I keep it simple while choosing a stock:

    1. Data-Driven Decisions: I always base my investment choices on solid data. One of my go-to resources is Screener.in, which offers a lots of data for the Indian stock market. This platform provides various metrics that guide my decisions.

    2. Invest in Transformative Companies: I once heard Jeff Bezos’ philosophy, he said, “Invest in the companies that you think will change the world.”

    This mindset helps identify long-term winners.

    3. Choose Promising Sectors: It’s crucial to invest in sectors poised for significant growth in the next 5-10 years. This forward-thinking approach ensures your investments align with future trends.

    For now I think Renewable energy, EV, Semiconductor, AI, Data centers, Space – are some of the new-age sectors that can be huge in coming years.

    Do your own research on this, but don’t overcomplicate.

    Key Metrics I Focus On:

    • Sales Growth and Net Profit: I examine quarterly results, focusing on sales growth and net profit. I look for companies that have doubled their sales in the last 3 to 4 years, indicating strong growth potential. Net profit is equally important – it shows if a company is not just growing but also profitable.
    • Balance Sheet: I always check reserves and borrowings. Increasing reserves signal a company is setting aside funds for the future, while low long-term debt indicates financial stability.
    • P/E Ratio: This is my starting point. If a stock’s P/E ratio is over 100, it’s often a red flag, unless it’s a new-age company like Zomato, where higher P/Es are more common. Comparing the stock’s P/E with the industry average can provide more context.
    • PEG Ratio: This ratio is crucial. A PEG ratio below 1 often means the stock is undervalued, making it a potentially great buy. But often, I have bought companies having a less than 3 PEG ratio, as the future seemed promising.
    • EPS (Earnings Per Share). It’s a quick way to see how much profit a company is making per share and whether it’s worth my attention. It’s like checking the foundation before building anything fancy—essential and often overlooked.
    • Compounded Growth: I also pay attention to compounded sales and profit growth, along with the stock’s CAGR. Consistent growth over 5 or 10 years is a good indicator of a company’s performance.

    And most importantly, Don’t buy at an all time high.

    Stock market opens everyday (well, almost!). You always get a chance to buy your favorite stock at a better price.

    Investing is all about making informed choices. By focusing on these metrics and selecting sectors with promising futures, you can identify growth-oriented companies with strong potential.

    Be a chad long term investor!

  • Why Zomato Will Be a Multibagger

    Why Zomato Will Be a Multibagger

    I’ve been adding Zomato stock to my portfolio ever since it reported its first-ever quarterly profit in 2023. I continue buying more shares at every dip in its upward trend, bringing my average buying price to around ₹206.

    If you follow CEO Deepinder Goyal or other team members on X, their rapid-fire execution and visionary acquisitions should convince you they’re on track to become a true market giant.

    Here’s a quick look at why this food delivery powerhouse has impressed me so much and why I believe it’s poised to be a multibagger stock:

    Fast, Continuous Execution
    Zomato Gold, the Blinkit ambulance, food-order scheduling, and ongoing app improvements show how CEO Deepinder Goyal and his team move at lightning speed.

    Swiggy and other competitors seem to lack this kind of out-of-the-box thinking and rapid rollout, which means they’ll likely stay in catch-up mode.

    Buying Businesses & Scaling Them (District, Blinkit from Grofers)

    1. Blinkit Acquisition: Zomato acquired Blinkit for $600 million in 2022, and it’s now worth more than $13 billion—one of the most successful acquisitions ever. Blinkit could soon be Zomato’s primary revenue magnet. Its recent numbers are insane:
      • Average order value jumped from INR 582 to INR 625 within a year.
      • Each store earns 10 lakhs a day (up from 6 lakhs a year ago).
      • The top 50 stores earn a staggering 18 lakhs a day.
      • Quick Commerce (QC) is already 40% of their food delivery business.
    2. District: After buying Paytm’s ticketing biz for 2,100 Cr just under a month ago, Zomato sold 700 Cr worth of Coldplay tickets in 60 minutes and 20,000 Diljit Dosanjh tickets in 30 seconds. Now, it’s listing IND vs ENG cricket match tickets. Deepinder Goyal views District as a huge opportunity because he believes the “going-out” and experience economy is next in line for massive growth. Zomato already have Zomaland, a festival that combines food, music, and entertainment.

    Hyperpure (B2B Business)
    Over 30% of Zomato’s revenue comes from Hyperpure, which delivers raw grocery items to restaurants.

    Commitment to Profitability
    Zomato isn’t fooling around with investors’ money. They’re taking real responsibility to make the business profitable, and it’s paying off. This dedication from the CEO and core team is evident.

    Market Valuation & Future Growth

    • Zomato (Public): USD $20–25 billion market cap.
    • Flipkart (Private): ~USD $37.6 billion (July 2021, backed by Walmart).

    Blinkit alone could match Flipkart’s valuation, translating to a 1.5x–2x jump from Zomato’s current value. And that’s without factoring in the food business, District, or Hyperpure.

    Given Deepinder and team’s startup mindset, they’ll keep venturing into any lucrative opportunity they see.

    Are you investing in Zomato, or do you see more promise elsewhere? Let me know in the comments!

  • Navigating a Crazy, Distracted World

    Navigating a Crazy, Distracted World

    Lately, I’ve been grappling with an inability to focus, often finding myself lost in a foggy, unclear mind. This struggle led me to realize just how crucial focus is in our daily lives.

    In today’s distracted world, attention is one of the most valuable resources. Social media platforms and influencers are one of the highest paid people coz they are capturing our attention – a scarce commodity. Yet, while everyone is working their ass off for our attention, our ability to focus can become our biggest advantage.

    We should always look for things that are scarce, and right now, the ability to focus is one of them. Just by being able to focus, you will outperform 90% of the people in the world. It’s a skill that not only enhances productivity but also helps you stay ahead in a world where distractions dominate.

    I’ve also discovered the importance of good sleep. When I manage to get a solid 7 to 8 hours, my mind feels refreshed, and my ability to focus significantly improves.

    So to truly regain your focus, the following things can help you big time:

    • Simplify Your Life: Reduce distractions from your phone and social media. Instagram can be a pain, IYKYK 😉
    • Focus Time: Set aside specific periods for focused work without interruptions.
    • Prioritize Sleep: Ensure you get 7 to 8 hours of quality sleep for mental clarity. Sleep like a baby!
    • Focus on What Matters: Zero in on your passions and priorities, and train your mind to stay on track.

    I feel that focus not only improves productivity but also paves the way for betterment in all aspects of life. In a world full of noise, being able to focus is your superpower. Start small, stay consistent, and watch yourself thrive.