Flipkart, the Walmart-owned Indian e-commerce giant, is testing a food delivery service aimed at competing with market leaders Zomato and Swiggy. The Bengaluru-based company has expanded its internal trial from a few hundred employees to over 8,000, preparing for a public launch. Flipkart has deployed a dedicated fleet of riders through its logistics arm, Ekart, to support the new service, according to techcrunch.com.
The food delivery option appears as a separate tab on Flipkart’s main shopping app, alongside its quick-commerce and travel booking services. It sources restaurants through ONDC, a government-backed network connecting buyers and sellers across platforms, as well as directly signed restaurants. Riders branded with “Eat-in by Minutes” have started fulfilling orders in Bengaluru, Flipkart’s headquarters city, signaling a gradual rollout beyond the internal trial.
Flipkart’s move enters a highly competitive Indian food delivery market dominated by Zomato and Swiggy, which together hold the majority share. The sector is growing at an estimated 18% to 20% annually but online delivery still accounts for just over 15% of India’s overall food services industry, according to brokerage firm Bernstein. Previous attempts by Amazon and Google to break into this space have not succeeded, highlighting the challenge Flipkart faces.
Flipkart’s food delivery service is currently limited to Bengaluru, with the company expanding its trial to more employees and deploying a dedicated rider fleet. The next key milestone will be the public launch date, which Flipkart has not yet announced, as it tests operational capabilities and customer demand in the city.