- Flipkart is piloting a food delivery service internally in Bengaluru among employees
- The company plans to launch the service for consumers in Bengaluru later this month
- Flipkart may offer food delivery via a separate app and on the ONDC platform
Walmart-backed Flipkart has begun testing its food delivery service among employees in Bengaluru, marking the company's first step towards entering India's competitive online food delivery market, according to people familiar with the development.
The service is currently being piloted internally as Flipkart works on the product and operating model ahead of a wider consumer rollout. The company is looking to expand the food delivery service to consumers in Bengaluru later this month, the sources told NDTV Profit.
This follows NDTV Profit's report from July, where sources added that Flipkart is exploring launching the service through a separate app, while also making it available on the Open Network for Digital Commerce (ONDC).
ALSO READ: Flipkart To Launch Food Delivery Service, Starting With Bengaluru, Sources Say
Flipkart is also considering separate branding for the food delivery business, although the final structure is yet to be decided. The company had earlier indicated that its food delivery offering could be available through both a separate app and the main Flipkart platform.
Following the Bengaluru rollout, Flipkart plans to expand the service to Mumbai and Delhi-NCR, according to the sources.
The entry puts Flipkart in a market dominated by Swiggy and Eternal-owned Zomato, even as newer players experiment with alternative models. Rapido, for instance, has entered food delivery with a zero-commission offering, while Swiggy and Zomato have also tested separate formats aimed at different consumer segments.
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