Ecommerce marketplace Flipkart, which entered the fast-growing 10-minute grocery delivery segment in late 2024, is now evaluating a move into another intensely competitive space—online food delivery, according to people familiar with the discussions. As part of this effort, the Walmart-owned company is targeting a pilot programme in Bengaluru between May and June, with a broader rollout likely by the end of this year or early next year, these people said.
Meanwhile, one of the sources explained the company’s thinking, stating, “Flipkart is evaluating the food delivery market while trying to identify a differentiated positioning in the space.”
Earlier, nearly two years ago, Flipkart—alongside consumer internet peers Ola and Paytm—outlined plans to enter food delivery through the government-backed Open Network for Digital Commerce (ONDC). However, that proposal failed to move beyond the planning stage.
At the same time, India’s food delivery market, valued at approximately $9 billion in fiscal 2025, is expected to expand sharply to $25 billion by FY30, according to estimates from brokerage firm Jefferies. Currently, Eternal-owned Zomato and Swiggy dominate the segment, while Rapido’s Ownly and smaller ONDC-based platforms continue to compete for market share.
Against this backdrop, Flipkart’s potential entry comes as competition in food delivery continues to intensify. Notably, 10-minute café-style delivery models are gaining traction even as overall market growth shows signs of moderation.
Meanwhile, the company has already started building a dedicated team to support the initiative.
After operating at the lower end of their guided 18–22 percent medium-term growth range for several quarters, food delivery leaders Zomato and Swiggy reported signs of improved demand during the October–December quarter. During this period, gross order value increased 21.3 percent year-on-year for Zomato and 20.5 percent for Swiggy.
At the same time, Flipkart—currently preparing for a public listing later this year—has increased investments in its quick commerce vertical, Minutes. According to people familiar with the developments, Minutes now operates more than 800 dark stores and plans to aggressively expand its network of micro-warehouses in the coming months.
In parallel, e-commerce majors, including Flipkart, have stepped up discounting in quick commerce to challenge established players such as Blinkit, Zepto, and Swiggy’s Instamart, as competitive intensity rises.
Overall, Flipkart’s push into new initiatives comes as the broader e-commerce sector shows early signs of recovery following a prolonged slowdown. Under the leadership of group CEO Kalyan Krishnamurthy, the Flipkart Group narrowed losses across most entities in FY25 by reducing expenses, even as revenue growth remained subdued.
Despite these challenges, Flipkart’s core marketplace business recorded a 14 percent increase in revenue, reaching Rs 20,493 crore in FY25, underscoring steady progress as the company advances toward its IPO plans.
