Billionaires Mukesh Ambani And Mark Zuckerberg Deepen Ties With Grocery Delivery On WhatsApp

Reliance Industries’ Jio Platforms and Facebook parent Meta Platforms are rolling out a grocery delivery app using Meta’s WhatsApp messaging service as billionaires Mukesh Ambani and Mark Zuckerberg deepen their ties to expand their digital footprint across India.

The collaboration enables shoppers to browse through JioMart’s groceries, place orders and make payments without leaving WhatsApp, the partners said on Monday. The partnership dates back to 2020 when Facebook invested almost $6 billion for a minority stake in Jio Platforms.

“Our vision is to propel India as the world’s leading digital society,” Ambani, chairman and managing director, of Jio Platforms’ parent Reliance Industries, said in a statement on Monday. “When Jio Platforms announced our partnership in 2020, Mark and I shared a vision of bringing more people and businesses online and creating truly innovative solutions.”

Reliance Industries is expanding the group’s e-commerce platform, while building its mobile infrastructure across India. Reliance Jio Infocomm—the country’s No. 1 mobile carrier with over 380 million users—plans to invest 2 trillion rupees ($25 billion) to roll out 5G services in the world’s second most populous nation, Ambani told shareholders on Monday.

Ambani, 65, is actively building his business empire even as he gradually hands the baton to his children. In June, he stepped down from his position as chairman and director of Reliance Jio. While his eldest son, Akash, 30, took the helm at the mobile carrier, Ambani remains chairman of Jio Platforms, the parent company of Reliance Jio which owns all Jio digital services brands.

With annual revenue of $105 billion, Reliance Industries was ranked at No. 54 in the Forbes 2022 Top Global 2000 list. Starting out as a small textile manufacturer, the company’s businesses have grown to span petrochemicals, oil and gas, telecom, retail, materials, entertainment and digital services. Lately it has been expanding its overseas footprint, such as the acquisition of the Mandarin Oriental hotel in New York. Having a net worth of $94.3 billion, Ambani is India’s second-richest tycoon, according to Forbes’ real-time data.