Flipkart may soon expand beyond e-commerce and quick commerce into online food delivery, according to Zee Business sources. The Walmart-owned company is said to be considering a pilot launch in Bengaluru between May and June this year, with a wider rollout likely by late 2026 or early 2027, depending on the outcome of the initial phase.
If the plan moves ahead, Flipkart would be entering India’s highly competitive food delivery market, currently dominated by Zomato and Swiggy.
This is not the first time Flipkart has explored the segment. Around two years ago, the company had evaluated entering food delivery through the Open Network for Digital Commerce (ONDC), similar to earlier attempts by players such as Ola and Paytm. However, those discussions did not progress beyond exploratory stages.
India’s online food delivery market is currently valued at around $9 billion and is projected to grow to nearly $25 billion by FY30, according to estimates by brokerage firm Jefferies.
The sector is largely controlled by Zomato and Swiggy, which together account for the bulk of market share. At the same time, newer models are gaining traction. Rapido has rolled out its Ownly platform, while several smaller players are leveraging ONDC to cater to niche demand.
Zee Business sources said Flipkart is weighing whether to launch a standalone food delivery app or create a buyer-side service linked to ONDC. Both options remain under active consideration, and the company has reportedly begun hiring talent for the initiative.
Rising competition and evolving consumer trends
Competition in the food delivery space has intensified in recent months, driven by the rise of quick, cafe-style delivery formats promising orders within minutes. Even as overall growth has moderated, demand showed improvement in the October–December quarter.
Zomato reported a year-on-year increase of over 21 per cent in gross order value, while Swiggy posted growth of around 20 per cent during the same period, sources said.
Quick commerce push and IPO backdrop
Flipkart’s potential foray into food delivery comes alongside its expanding quick commerce footprint. Presently, its Minutes service operates more than 800 dark stores, with future plans for a more significant scale-up in the coming months.
The company is also planning for a public listing, and expanding into adjacent consumer services that could help its growth narrative ahead of an IPO.
Rapido’s Ownly and earlier exits
Rapido has scaled up its Ownly food delivery platform across Bengaluru after completing a six-month pilot. The service operates on a zero-commission model, with no onboarding or listing fees for restaurants, while customers are charged a flat Rs 30 delivery fee per order.
Built in partnership with the National Restaurant Association of India (NRAI), Ownly seeks to address long-standing concerns of restaurant partners, including high commissions, heavy discounting and limited access to customer data.
India’s online food delivery sector has also witnessed multiple exits over the years. Uber exited the segment in 2020 by selling Uber Eats to Zomato, while Ola shut down several food-related ventures, including Foodpanda and Ola Dash. Amazon, too, had experimented with food delivery in India before later scaling back its presence.
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