Flipkart, Walmart's Indian e-commerce subsidiary, is testing a food-delivery service internally and has expanded the trial to over 8,000 employees in preparation for a public launch by the end of October, according to two people familiar with the matter. The service, branded "Eat-in by Minutes," appears as a tab on Flipkart's main app alongside its quick-commerce and travel offerings. Riders wearing company jerseys have begun fulfilling orders in Bengaluru, the company's headquarters city.
Flipkart deploys a dedicated rider fleet through its logistics arm Ekart, kept separate from quick-commerce delivery staff. The service draws restaurants from ONDC, a government-backed network connecting buyers and sellers across platforms, as well as restaurants Flipkart signed directly.
The move targets India's food-delivery duopoly of Zomato and Swiggy, which together serve an estimated 85 million to 95 million paying customers annually. Online delivery accounts for just over 15 percent of India's broader food-services industry, according to brokerage firm Bernstein, which estimates the market grows 18 to 20 percent yearly. That gap leaves room for new entrants in a country with over a billion internet subscriptions.
Flipkart's approach differs from failed predecessors. Amazon shut its Bengaluru food service after two years. Google's Areo app failed to gain traction. Uber exited India in 2020, selling Uber Eats to Zomato. Sagar Daryani, president of the National Restaurant Association of India, told TechCrunch that Flipkart's existing quick-commerce and e-commerce operations provide advantages those companies lacked. "Flipkart's quick commerce benefit will get passed on to food delivery, so it will be leaner, more efficient," Daryani said.
Restaurants also see potential cost relief. Flipkart has proposed a base commission of about 10 percent, compared with the 20 to 25 percent Zomato and Swiggy typically charge. Factoring advertising, discounts and promotions, restaurants currently spend 40 to 50 percent of order value on established platforms, Daryani told TechCrunch. He expects Flipkart to keep total costs near 15 to 16 percent. Bernstein estimates new entrants could save customers roughly 20 to 30 cents per order through efficiency gains, though that margin may prove insufficient to overcome incumbent advantages.
Flipkart plans to launch publicly by end of October and expand to five or six cities by year end, Daryani told TechCrunch. Other competitors are also pushing into the space. Ride-hailing company Rapido launched Ownly, a zero-commission food service for restaurants. Swiggy introduced Toing, a separate app targeting customers seeking cheaper meals.