Walmart-owned Flipkart is reportedly planning to limit the expansion of its quick commerce arm, Flipkart Minutes, to just six to eight major cities to reduce cash burn as it prepares for a public listing. Sources told ET that over 90% of quick commerce demand is concentrated in top metros like Delhi NCR, Mumbai, and Bengaluru, where Flipkart will now focus its efforts.
This strategic shift contrasts with CEO Kalyan Krishnamurthy’s April statement about expanding Minutes’ dark stores to 800 by 2025. The change reflects Flipkart’s belief that quick commerce is a “metro-centric” market, primarily appealing to affluent consumers in larger cities.
The company is now targeting 500–550 dark stores ahead of its Big Billion Days sale. Currently, Flipkart Minutes operates across 14 cities with over 300 dark stores. However, competitors like Blinkit, Swiggy Instamart, and Zepto continue aggressively expanding despite short-term losses.
The scale-back is seen as part of Flipkart’s strategy to reduce its monthly cash burn—estimated at $40 million—as it gears up for an IPO. Recently, it received a capital infusion of ₹3,249 Cr from its Singapore-based parent and is in the process of shifting its domicile to India. Meanwhile, senior leadership exits have added to the company’s ongoing transformation.
