What Retailio does

Retailio, operated by Ayro Retail Solutions Pvt. Ltd, is a B2B pharmaceutical e-commerce platform connecting pharmacies and chemists with distributors, wholesalers, stockists, and manufacturers across India. The platform serves 200,000+ retailers, 15,000+ distributors, and 300,000+ unique SKUs across 500+ cities, processing 150,000+ transactions daily. Retailio is positioned as the B2B distribution arm under API Holdings' Ascent distribution business, which serves 100,000+ pharmacies across 20 states in India and operates 50 warehouses handling over 1.1 million strips per day.

The core product suite includes the Retailio Platform (web-based B2B marketplace), the Retailio Mobile App for self-serve pharmacy onboarding via drug license upload, RioGuarantee (a fulfillment assurance add-on with 99.99% fill rate SLA), and the Retailio Order Portal for distributor order management. Technology infrastructure comprises a proprietary warehouse management system integrated with 100,000+ ERP systems, digital payment processing with cashback incentives, substitute search across stock and schemes, and data-driven demand forecasting for real-time inventory visibility.

The business model is transaction-based: Retailio generates revenue through transaction commissions on B2B marketplace orders, digital payment processing fees (including cashback incentives funded through transaction fees), brand promotions and advertising from pharmaceutical manufacturers, and marketplace commissions on exclusive deals and preferential placement. The go-to-market is product-led growth via mobile app self-onboarding, supplemented by GTM partnerships with major pharmaceutical brands including Abbott, Cipla, GSK, Lupin, ManKind Pharma, and Dr. Reddy's Laboratories. Retailio is a wholly-owned subsidiary of API Holdings, which has raised approximately $1.18 billion in equity funding and operates India's largest outpatient digital healthcare platform spanning PharmEasy and Thyrocare.

Name

Retailio

Legal name

Ayro Retail Solutions Pvt. Ltd

Website

https://retailio.in

Company type

Private

Founded year

2023

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

101–250 employees

Short description

Retailio is a B2B pharmaceutical e-commerce platform connecting 200,000+ pharmacies/chemists with 15,000+ distributors across 500+ cities in India. Operating as the distribution arm of API Holdings under the Ascent business, it offers digital ordering, integrated payments, RioGuarantee fulfillment assurance, and ERP-integrated warehouse management.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Headquarters

HQ city

Pune

HQ country

India

HQ region

Asia

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Digital Commerce or Content

Cost components

Technology or R&D, Operations, Supply Chain, Personnel, Marketing or Sales

Revenue model

1. Transaction Commission: Platform facilitates B2B transactions between pharmacies and distributors, earning commission on each transaction processed through the platform.
2. Digital Payment Processing: Revenue generated from digital payment processing between retailers and distributors, including cashback incentives funded through transaction fees.
3. Brand Promotions and Visibility: Pharmaceutical brands pay for enhanced visibility, product promotion, and advertising to pharmacies across the platform ecosystem.
4. Exclusive Deals and Discounts: Platform offers exclusive deals and discounts to retailers, monetized through arrangements with distributors and brands who pay for preferential placement.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels4 records

Core offering

Retailio operates India's largest B2B pharmaceutical e-commerce marketplace, providing a mobile-first platform where pharmacies and chemists upload their drug license to place real-time digital orders with 15,000+ distributors, process digital payments with assured cashback, and access exclusive deals on 300K+ SKUs. The platform also serves distributors with order intake, payment collection, and lead generation tools, while pharmaceutical manufacturers use it for brand promotion and visibility across the retailer base. The ecosystem processes over 150K transactions per day and spans 500+ cities across India under the API Holdings Ascent distribution business.

Product overview

Retailio is a B2B pharmaceutical e-commerce platform operated by API Holdings (parent of PharmEasy) that connects pharmacies/chemists with distributors/wholesalers/stockists and manufacturers. The platform operates as a unified ecosystem comprising the Retailio Platform (web-based B2B marketplace), Retailio Mobile App (for pharmacies to place digital orders and make payments), RioGuarantee (a fulfillment assurance add-on with 99.99% fill rate), and the Retailio Order Portal (for distributor order management). The ecosystem spans 15,000+ distributors, 300K+ unique SKUs, 200K+ retailers, 150K+ daily transactions, and 500+ cities in India.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Retailio Platform (B2B Pharma Marketplace) India's largest B2B pharma e-commerce marketplace platform connecting pharmacies/chemists, distributors/wholesalers/stockists, and pharmaceutical manufacturers for digital ordering, digital payments with cashback, and brand promotions across 300K+ SKUs, 15,000+ distributors and 200K+ retailers in 500+ cities.
• Retailio Mobile App Mobile application for pharmacies and chemists enabling real-time digital ordering from distributors, digital payments with assured cashback, exclusive deals and discounts, substitute medicine search, payment reminders, and access to priority processing through RioGuarantee.
• Retailio Order Portal Secure web-based order management portal for distributors and wholesalers to receive, manage, and process B2B orders from pharmacy customers, with payment collection and inventory coordination capabilities.

Quantifiable outcome

• RioGuarantee offers 99.99% fill rate assurance
• +3 more outcomes

Named customers3 records

Segments3 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed Yes

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature6 records

Partnerships

Nine partnerships are on record, tiered core, minor and flagship.

• AbbottcoreGTM or Marketing PartnerAbbott is one of the major pharmaceutical brands that trusts and partners with Retailio. The brand leverages Retailio's B2B platform ecosystem to reach over 200,000 pharmacies and retailers across India for product distribution and brand visibility.
• CiplacoreGTM or Marketing PartnerCipla, a leading Indian pharmaceutical company, partners with Retailio to distribute products through the platform's network of 15,000+ distributors and 200K+ retailers across 500+ cities in India.
• GSK (GlaxoSmithKline)coreGTM or Marketing PartnerGSK leverages Retailio's B2B pharma platform ecosystem for product promotion and distribution to pharmacies and retailers across India.
• LupincoreGTM or Marketing PartnerLupin, a major Indian pharmaceutical company, partners with Retailio to enhance brand visibility and reach pharmacies through the digital platform.
• ManKind PharmacoreGTM or Marketing PartnerManKind Pharma collaborates with Retailio to push products and enhance visibility among the platform's extensive network of pharmacies and distributors.
• Dr. Reddy's LaboratoriescoreGTM or Marketing PartnerDr. Reddy's Laboratories (DrR) partners with Retailio for digital distribution and brand promotion across India's largest B2B pharma platform ecosystem.
• ITCminorGTM or Marketing PartnerITC, a diversified conglomerate with pharmaceutical interests, has partnered with Retailio for brand visibility and product distribution through the platform.
• MaricominorGTM or Marketing PartnerMarico, with health and wellness product portfolio, partners with Retailio to reach pharmacies and retailers through the digital B2B platform.
• API Holdings / PharmEasy (Parent Company)flagshipStrategic or Co-development PartnerRetailio operates under API Holdings (parent company of PharmEasy and Thyrocare) as the B2B distribution platform. The platform is part of Ascent, the distribution business under API Holdings, which serves over 100,000 pharmacies across 20 states in India.

Scale indicators12 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• Pharmarack: Indian B2B pharma marketplace connecting distributors and pharmacies with digital ordering — direct competitor to Retailio in the same B2B pharma distribution category.

Broad incumbents

• Tata 1mg: Large Indian digital health platform with B2B and B2C pharma distribution capabilities; broader portfolio including diagnostics and teleconsult, competes for the same pharmacy and distributor relationships.
• PharmEasy: Sister company under API Holdings operating the consumer e-pharmacy arm; comparable pharma distribution infrastructure and overlapping target market of Indian pharmacies and patients.
• Netmeds: India e-pharmacy platform (Reliance-owned) with B2B distribution capability serving pharmacies; comparable in pharma supply-chain digitization and pharmacy network reach.
• MedPlus: Large Indian pharmacy retail chain with growing B2B distribution operations; competes for both the pharmacy customer base and downstream retail demand.
• McKesson: Global pharmaceutical wholesaler and distributor with extensive distribution technology; relevant as an incumbent reference point for B2B pharma marketplace and distribution scale.
• Cardinal Health: Major US pharma wholesale distributor with digital ordering platforms for pharmacies; comparable business model of serving independent pharmacy retailers at scale.

Emerging players

• Truemeds: Indian B2B/B2C pharma platform focused on generic substitution; emerging player with overlapping pharmacy network and pharma distribution overlap.
• HealthKart: Indian health and wellness retailer/distributor serving pharmacies and consumers with nutraceuticals and OTC; overlapping distribution channel and pharmacy network.
• SastaSundar: Indian digital health platform with B2B distribution to pharmacies and franchise network; comparable in targeting fragmented Indian pharmacy retail with technology-led distribution.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Retailio