Flipkart’s quick-commerce arm, Minutes, reports a 25-fold customer surge in smaller Indian cities. As it expands its network to 1,200 dark stores, the platform is testing a standalone app to sharpen its identity ahead of the festive season.
Flipkart Minutes, the quick-commerce division of Walmart-owned Flipkart, is seeing rapid expansion beyond India’s major metropolitan areas. Recent data shows that the customer base in smaller urban markets has grown nearly 25 times compared to the previous year. This growth is part of a broader expansion strategy that has seen the quick-commerce service grow fourfold since its inception two years ago.
The company now operates a network of approximately 1,200 micro-fulfillment centers, or dark stores, across more than 150 cities. By pushing into markets such as Siliguri, Ambala, and Bhagalpur, Flipkart is attempting to replicate the demand patterns seen in larger metros while testing a more aggressive geographic footprint.
Diversifying Beyond Grocery
To improve the economics of its delivery network, the company is moving beyond low-margin daily essentials. While staples were the initial focus, the platform is now seeing strong demand for gourmet foods, premium personal-care items, electronics, and lifestyle products. Data suggests that consumers in smaller cities are increasingly purchasing high-value items, including international food brands and electronics, which typically carry better profit margins than basic household goods.
This trend is supported by a younger demographic, specifically Gen Z users, whose activity on the platform has risen nearly fivefold over the past year. This segment is increasingly using the service for purchases in categories like gaming, health, nutrition, and beauty, which helps increase the average value per order.
Strategic Shifts and Market Competition
Flipkart is reportedly testing a standalone app for its Minutes service, with a rollout expected before the October festive sales. Currently, the service is embedded within the main Flipkart app. A dedicated app would allow the company to position Minutes more clearly as a distinct quick-commerce platform, potentially helping it improve user experience and visibility against competitors.
Investors and market observers should note that Flipkart is a private subsidiary of Walmart and is not listed on any Indian stock exchange. Therefore, there is no public share price or exchange-filed financial data for this specific business unit. However, the quick-commerce sector remains highly competitive, with rivals such as Zomato-owned Blinkit, Swiggy Instamart, and Zepto competing for market share.
The success of this expansion will depend on the company's ability to manage the high operational costs associated with running a massive dark-store network. Quick commerce is notoriously capital-intensive, and achieving sustainable profitability remains a significant challenge for all players in the industry. The next key monitorable will be the performance of the standalone app and whether the company can maintain these growth rates in smaller cities while balancing the rising costs of logistics and delivery density.