Flipkart may soon be ready to add another category to its fast-expanding consumer ecosystem: online food delivery.
According to a report by The Economic Times, the Walmart-owned e-commerce major is evaluating a pilot launch in Bengaluru between May and June this year. If the experiment delivers promising results, a wider rollout could follow by late 2026 or early next year.
The move, if finalised, would mark Flipkart’s formal entry into India’s fiercely competitive $9 billion online food delivery market, a space currently dominated by Zomato and Swiggy.
Not A First Attempt At Food
This is not Flipkart’s first brush with the idea of food delivery. Nearly two years ago, the company explored entering the segment through the government-backed Open Network for Digital Commerce (ONDC). Similar to earlier explorations by Ola and Paytm, those discussions, however, did not progress beyond the initial stages.
This time, the company appears to be approaching the opportunity with a more structured plan. As per the report, Flipkart is evaluating whether to build a standalone food delivery app or integrate a buyer-side service linked to ONDC. Both options are reportedly under consideration, and hiring for the project has already begun.
A Market Too Big To Ignore
India’s online food delivery sector is currently valued at approximately $9 billion and is projected to expand rapidly to nearly $25 billion by FY30, according to brokerage firm Jefferies.
Despite the presence of dominant incumbents, the market remains dynamic. Zomato and Swiggy together command the bulk of the market share. Yet, the competitive landscape is evolving.
New formats and alternative models are steadily emerging. Rapido has rolled out its Ownly platform, while several smaller players are leveraging ONDC to tap into niche consumer demand.
Even as overall growth has moderated in recent quarters, leading platforms continue to post strong operational numbers. Zomato’s gross order value rose over 21 per cent year-on-year in the October–December quarter, while Swiggy recorded a similar increase of around 20 per cent during the same period, according to the news report.
These figures suggest that demand remains resilient, even as competition intensifies.
Quick Commerce Synergies
Flipkart’s possible entry into food delivery aligns with its broader push into quick commerce. Its ‘Minutes’ service already operates more than 800 dark stores, and the company plans to significantly expand this network in the coming months.
The infrastructure created for rapid grocery and essentials delivery could potentially complement a food delivery expansion, offering logistical advantages and improved fulfilment efficiencies.
Industry observers note that timing may also be strategic. Flipkart is preparing for a public listing, and expanding into adjacent consumer services could strengthen its growth narrative ahead of an IPO.
Competition Heating Up
The food delivery market has seen shifting business models in recent years. Rapido’s Ownly platform, which has expanded across Bengaluru following a six-month pilot, operates on a zero-commission model. Restaurants are not charged listing or onboarding fees, and customers pay a flat delivery fee of Rs 30 per order.
Developed in collaboration with the National Restaurant Association of India (NRAI), Ownly aims to address longstanding concerns from restaurants, including high commissions, heavy discounting and restricted access to customer data on larger platforms.
Such alternative structures reflect growing dissatisfaction within the ecosystem and signal that room may exist for new entrants with differentiated models.
A Sector With A History Of Exits
India’s food delivery space has not always been kind to new players. Uber exited the market by selling Uber Eats to Zomato in 2020. Ola wound down multiple food ventures, including Foodpanda and Ola Dash. Amazon, too, experimented with food delivery before scaling back its efforts.
These exits underscore the capital intensity and operational complexity of the segment.
