Flipkart quietly launches Flipkart Minutes in Gurugram: Report

E-commerce giant Flipkart has quietly launched its quick commerce service, Flipkart Minutes, for users in Gurugram and other parts of the NCR region.

Though the company has not made an official announcement, a report by Entrackr suggests that Flipkart Minutes is now available in areas such as Unitech Cyber Park, Sector 39, Sector 40, The Millennium City Centre (Sector 29), and Golf Course Road (Sector 54) in Gurugram.

The report also noted that the service is visible to some users in Mumbai, indicating that Flipkart is testing the service ahead of a full-scale rollout.

What is Flipkart Minutes?

Flipkart Minutes is a quick commerce service that offers deliveries of groceries, electronics, smartphones, and other products in the time ranging from 10-16 minutes. 

The service was launched after Flipkart reportedly dropped its plan to acquire significant stake in Aadit Palicha-led Zepto.

In April, ET had reported that Zepto chose to seek a financial round rather than a strategic sale, focusing on a valuation increase and preparing for an initial public offering (IPO).

Meanwhile, several media reports are indicating that Zepto has initiated talks with Wall Street bankers Morgan Stanley and Goldman Sachs, as well as Axis Capital, to explore the potential IPO, which is anticipated to take place in the second half of 2025.

Flipkart Minutes' market presence

The service was launched by Flipkart last month in some parts of Bengaluru, such as HSR Layout, Gunjur, Bellandur, and Kadubeesanahalli. Notably, these neighborhoods have seen a significant surge in demand for quick commerce services.

The launch also positioned Flipkart to compete directly with players like Zepto, Zomato-owned Blinkit, and Swiggy Instamart, which have already captured a significant share of the market, drawing sales away from Flipkart and Amazon.

While Flipkart already offers same-day delivery across multiple categories, users are increasingly gravitating toward quick commerce due to faster delivery and convenience. However, quick commerce may not be rolled out in every city.

Hari Kumar G., Vice President and Head of Grocery at Flipkart, previously noted that both quick-commerce and next-day delivery models can coexist and the company will explore providing quick-commerce services based on demand in specific locations across the country.

Zomato's take on Blinkit expansion

As of January 2024, Zomato-owned Blinkit dominates the quick commerce market, while Zepto has significantly increased its market share from 15% in 2022 to around 30% in 2024, driven by substantial funding raised over the past year.

Blinkit CEO Albinder Dhindsa previously revealed plans to continue expanding the company's operations, with the aim to increase the number of dark stores from the current 639 to 2,000 by the end of 2026.

Meanwhile, Zepto is also aiming to double its dark store network to 700 by March 2025.