Walmart-owned Flipkart is preparing to enter India’s online food delivery market, with a pilot launch expected within the next month, signalling its latest move to challenge established players such as Zomato and Swiggy while expanding beyond traditional e-commerce.
Confirming the development, Flipkart Group CEO Kalyan Krishnamurthy said the company will begin with a limited pilot before deciding on a nationwide rollout.
“Food delivery is another customer use case within our broader e-commerce platform. We will begin with a pilot, learn from it, and decide how to scale across the rest of the country,” he said.
The move marks another step in Flipkart’s broader strategy of building a comprehensive digital commerce ecosystem. Rather than viewing the food delivery market as saturated, Krishnamurthy believes there is still room for disruption through a compelling value proposition and disciplined execution.
The planned entry follows reports earlier this year that Flipkart was evaluating multiple approaches to the business, including a Bengaluru-based pilot, a standalone food delivery platform and an ONDC-based buyer application. The company has also been building a dedicated team to support the initiative.
Flipkart’s foray comes at a time when India’s online food delivery industry is entering its next growth phase. According to Jefferies, the market, valued at around US$9 billion in FY25, is projected to nearly triple to US$25 billion by FY30, driven by rising consumer adoption, greater affordability and faster delivery models.
The sector is currently dominated by Zomato and Swiggy, while newer challengers such as Rapido’s Ownly and ONDC-based platforms are seeking to expand their presence. The emergence of ultra-fast food delivery formats—including Swiggy Bolt, Blinkit’s Bistro and Zepto Cafe—has further intensified competition.
Flipkart has already established a significant presence in quick commerce through Minutes, which has expanded aggressively and now operates hundreds of dark stores nationwide. The company plans to enter food delivery, which we expect will complement this ecosystem and strengthen its position in India’s rapidly evolving convenience commerce market.
Krishnamurthy maintained that market timing is less important than execution, suggesting that new entrants can still succeed despite the dominance of incumbent platforms. If the pilot proves successful, Flipkart could emerge as the latest major contender in one of India’s fastest-growing digital consumer markets.