---
title: "Flipkart Enters Indian Food Delivery Market with New Service"
url: https://noti.group/flipkart-enters-indian-food-delivery-market-with-new-service/
language: en
publisher: "Noti Group"
section: "Technology"
published: 2026-10-20T02:00:00.000Z
updated: 2026-10-20T10:39:41.285Z
id: 9ff6afa7-9ea1-4c5b-b4bb-8a9b5a280458
source: "TechCrunch https://techcrunch.com/2026/10/19/walmarts-flipkart-is-quietly-building-a-food-delivery-challenger-in-india/"
attribution: "Link to https://noti.group/flipkart-enters-indian-food-delivery-market-with-new-service/ and name Noti Group when you quote or summarize this story."
---

# Flipkart Enters Indian Food Delivery Market with New Service

Flipkart is gearing up to challenge Zomato and Swiggy in India's food delivery market with its new service, which has been tested internally with around 8,000 staff members.

Flipkart, the Indian e-commerce giant owned by Walmart, is gearing up to challenge the dominance of Zomato and Swiggy in the country's food delivery market. This move comes despite previous attempts by Amazon and Google failing to gain significant traction.

The Bengaluru-based company has been testing its food delivery service internally, initially with a small group of employees but now expanding it to around 8,000 staff members. Flipkart has also set up a dedicated fleet of riders through its logistics arm, Ekart, which will handle the new service separately from those who work on quick-commerce deliveries.

A separate tab has been added to Flipkart's main shopping app for the employee-only food delivery service, alongside existing features like Minutes and travel bookings. Restaurants listed through ONDC, a government-backed network connecting online buyers and sellers across different platforms, as well as directly signed-up establishments are providing the menu options.

Riders sporting "Eat-in by Minutes" jerseys have been spotted fulfilling orders in Bengaluru streets. This expansion comes as Flipkart prepares for a public launch of its food delivery service.

The Indian food delivery market is growing rapidly, with Bernstein estimating an 18-20% annual growth rate. However, online delivery still only accounts for about 15% of the broader food services industry in the country.

Zomato and Swiggy's combined customer base stands at around 85-95 million paying users per year, according to Bernstein estimates. This dominance highlights the scope for newcomers like Flipkart to tap into India's vast online food ordering market, which has over a billion internet subscriptions.

The Indian online food ordering market has been dominated by Zomato and Swiggy for some time now, but it seems that this duopoly is under pressure from new entrants. Ride-hailing company Rapido has expanded its own food delivery service, Ownly, which charges restaurants zero commission, in an attempt to disrupt the existing pricing model.

This move reflects growing concerns among restaurants about the high commissions they pay to these dominant platforms. According to Sagar Daryani, president of the National Restaurant Association of India, this duopoly has led to a lack of competition and innovation in the market. He argues that having multiple players would be beneficial for the industry as a whole.

In fact, Flipkart's entry into the food delivery market is not the first attempt by a deep-pocketed company to challenge Zomato and Swiggy's dominance. Amazon launched its own food-ordering service in Bengaluru back in 2020 but eventually shut it down two years later. Google's Areo app also failed to gain traction, and Uber left the market in 2020 after selling its Uber Eats business in India to Zomato.

Daryani believes that Flipkart has a unique advantage over these previous attempts. Unlike Zomato and Swiggy, which built their businesses around food delivery before expanding into quick commerce, Flipkart is leveraging its established e-commerce business and growing quick-commerce operations as a springboard into the food delivery market.

Rapido's expansion of Ownly and Swiggy's launch of Toing, an app aimed at customers looking for cheaper meals, highlight the growing pressure on the industry's existing pricing model. This has created opportunities for new entrants like Flipkart to tap into India's vast online food ordering market, which boasts over a billion internet subscriptions.

Flipkart's proposed commission rate for restaurants is significantly lower than what established players Zomato and Swiggy charge. According to Wow! Momo Foods co-founder and CEO Daryani, Flipkart has offered a base commission of around 10%, which is a substantial reduction from the typical 20% to 25% that restaurants pay on these platforms.

However, commission rates are just one aspect of the costs involved in selling meals online. Restaurants also need to factor in advertising, discounts, and promotional expenses, which can add up to a significant portion of an order's value. Daryani estimates that established players like Zomato and Swiggy can end up taking 40% to 50% of an order's value, while Flipkart's total cost is expected to be closer to 15% to 16%.

This reduced overhead could potentially mean more profit for restaurants partnering with Flipkart. Nevertheless, winning over customers is a different challenge altogether. Analysts estimate that new entrants like Flipkart may only be able to offer customers a saving of ₹20 to ₹30 (approximately 20-30 cents) per order by operating more efficiently.

The question remains whether this savings will be enough to lure customers away from established players Zomato and Swiggy. These companies could potentially respond by offering deeper discounts, which would make it even harder for Flipkart to gain traction in the market.

Flipkart is reportedly planning an aggressive expansion of its food-delivery service, with plans to launch publicly by the end of October and expand to five or six cities by the year's end.

Flipkart's expansion into new business areas continues unabated, despite uncertainty surrounding a long-awaited stock-market listing.

The company's move into food delivery is particularly noteworthy, as it seeks to increase customer engagement and loyalty. This push comes as competition in India's e-commerce market heats up, with quick-commerce platforms expanding their offerings beyond groceries to include discretionary purchases like electronics.

These new entrants are increasingly competing directly with Flipkart and Amazon, forcing the company to adapt and innovate in order to stay ahead. With a growing number of options available to consumers, Flipkart must find ways to differentiate itself and retain market share.

Flipkart's efforts to expand its offerings and reach more customers are being closely watched by industry observers, who are eager to see how the company will navigate this increasingly competitive landscape. The success of these new initiatives will be crucial in determining Flipkart's long-term prospects.

The company's plans for expansion into food delivery are ambitious, with a public launch expected by the end of October and a target of five or six cities by year's end.

Walmart's Flipkart is making significant strides in building its food delivery business in India. The company has been quietly expanding its operations, aiming to launch publicly by the end of October and target five or six cities by year's end.

Flipkart will face stiff competition from established players such as Zomato and Swiggy, but its aggressive expansion plans may help it gain a foothold in the market. With a strong e-commerce presence already established in India, Flipkart is well-positioned to leverage its existing customer base for food delivery services. This strategic move is likely to intensify competition in the Indian food delivery space.

---
Source: [TechCrunch](https://techcrunch.com/2026/10/19/walmarts-flipkart-is-quietly-building-a-food-delivery-challenger-in-india/)  
Published by Noti Group: https://noti.group/flipkart-enters-indian-food-delivery-market-with-new-service/