Flipkart Minutes, the fast-delivery arm of Walmart-backed Flipkart, seems to be steering in a direction that could reshape the quick commerce narrative in India. With a sharp focus on boosting profitability and lifting average order values (AOV), the company is now expanding its product offerings and scaling up its dark store footprint. It’s a bold pivot from the usual essentials-focused playbook, and perhaps a timely one.
India’s quick commerce market has surged dramatically—from just $0.3 billion in FY21 to somewhere around $6-7 billion by 2024. Yet, for all this growth, many players are still deep in the red. Flipkart Minutes is clearly taking stock of the situation. Delivering only low-ticket grocery items? That model doesn’t always add up, financially speaking. So, now the company is looking to tap into Flipkart’s broader catalog to bring in more high-value, diverse items.
Dark Store Expansion and Strategic Focus
Right now, Flipkart Minutes runs 400 dark stores across 17 Indian cities. The original goal was to double that to 800 by the end of 2025. But recent updates suggest a course correction: the revised target is now 500-550 dark stores by October 2025, with a clear eye on metros like Delhi NCR, Mumbai, and Bengaluru. CEO Kalyan Krishnamurthy confirmed the original plan in April, but it seems the numbers are being re-evaluated, perhaps in anticipation of Flipkart’s rumored IPO in 2026. A more measured approach, sure, but probably a wise one.
Interestingly, over 90% of India’s quick commerce volume comes from just the top eight cities. And a big chunk of that stems from Delhi NCR, Mumbai, and Bengaluru alone. So, Flipkart Minutes isn’t trying to blanket the entire country. Instead, it’s choosing to deepen its roots in markets where demand is already vibrant.
Broadening the Product Horizon
Yes, groceries like veggies and milk still make up the bulk of orders, but there’s a clear push to go beyond. Think fashion, beauty, personal care, even electronics. Kabeer Biswas, Vice-President at Flipkart Minutes, mentioned that these non-grocery categories are seeing more traction.
The beauty of Flipkart’s model is flexibility. With access to a massive existing product catalog, the team can rotate inventory every couple of weeks, test new items, introduce seasonal offerings, and respond quickly to local demand trends. If something flops, it’s out. If it clicks, they double down. It’s that ability to adapt on the fly that could be a game-changer.
Right now, customers can already buy gadgets, home decor, and mobiles through Flipkart Minutes. The strategy is simple: offer more, boost AOV, and make the platform sticky enough that users keep coming back. The hope is that once people realize they can grab a lipstick or a USB cable along with their eggs and bread, they’ll stick around longer and spend more.
The Competition and Profitability Push
Competition in this space is no joke. Blinkit has more than 1,000 dark stores. Zepto is sitting at around 700. And Swiggy Instamart isn’t far behind. These firms have scale, sure, but they’re also burning cash at an aggressive pace.
Flipkart may be late to this particular party, but it’s leveraging its existing strengths—brand recognition, a massive customer base, warehouses, and logistics. And crucially, data. Detailed user data helps pinpoint what sells where, letting Flipkart place dark stores more strategically.
Still, it’s an expensive play. Flipkart reportedly burns around $40 million a month on quick commerce. That’s a hefty tab, but one the company seems prepared to pay—at least for now. Revenue from Flipkart Internet grew by 21% year-on-year in FY24 to ₹17,907.3 crore, and losses shrank by 41% to ₹2,358 crore. Those numbers suggest the broader Flipkart ecosystem is tightening up financially, even as Minutes works toward profitability.
The rest of the sector paints a sobering picture. Blinkit had an adjusted EBITDA loss of ₹103 crore in Q3 FY25. Swiggy Instamart posted a loss of ₹527.7 crore. Zepto’s net loss in FY24? A staggering ₹1,248.64 crore. Clearly, this isn’t a game for the faint-hearted.
Luckily, Flipkart has deep pockets. Its Singapore-based parent recently injected around $382 million (₹3,249 crore) into the business—a large chunk of which is expected to go toward bolstering its quick commerce push.
Zooming out, the bigger trend here is diversification. Essentials alone aren’t enough. By widening their product nets, quick commerce platforms are trying to make each delivery more profitable, more frequent, and more valuable to users. Flipkart Minutes is betting that a more comprehensive, all-you-need offering will help it stand out in this crowded, cutthroat space.
The real test? Whether customers will bite, and whether the math will finally work out. The next few months will be telling.
