Flipkart launches online grocery store ‘Supermart’ in Mumbai

Indian ecommerce company Flipkart on Wednesday announced the launch of its online grocery store, Flipkart Supermart, in Mumbai. This is the fifth city Supermart is live in after Bengaluru, Chennai, Hyderabad and New Delhi. 

The Indian ecommerce major first formally announced the launch of Flipkart Supermart last August after it was acquired by US retailer Walmart. However, it has been building the category for quite some time.

Back in November 2017, Flipkart launched its grocery segment in Bengaluru with the service then available only to its employees.

Also read: Flipkart launches grocery store, will offer deep discounts and open-box delivery

Flipkart’s groceries portfolio currently includes staples, FMCG and dairy products, with a private label offering Supermart Select, which also offers staples.

With this announcement, the company now delivers in 91 pincodes in Mumbai - almost 75 percent of the city’s serviceable pincodes. These cover the western and central suburbs, and up to Navi Mumbai, said the company.

By launching Supermart in western India, Flipkart expects to collaborate with farmers, produce organisations and local MSMEs to create a sustainable ecosystem, add jobs to the economy and bring a superior experience to customers.

In addition to this, the company also set up a separate supply chain for groceries in the city, including fulfilment centres and a last-mile delivery network custom designed to solve some of the unique challenges the city poses. 

As part of the launch, Flipkart Supermart promises free delivery on orders above Rs 600 with Select customers having the option of ‘Flipkart Buy Now Pay Later’, where they can keep on buying groceries and pay by the 10th of the next month.

Customers can also opt for next day deliveries and an ‘open box delivery’, which allows users to verify products at the time of delivery, allowing customers to return individual products from the basket.

Speaking on the new store launch, Manish Kumar, Head of Grocery at Flipkart, said,  

“With Flipkart Supermart, we see tremendous potential for us to leverage our expertise in logistics and technology to give our customers the maximum savings, convenience, quality, and breadth of selection. Our grocery business has grown phenomenally over the last year, making this the right time for us to bring our seamless shopping experience to Mumbaikers. We are constantly working to improve our offerings and are looking forward to excelling in this space.”

The category can be accessed through Flipkart’s Android and iOS mobile apps, as well as its desktop and mobile websites.

The company claims it is ensuring stringent quality as per FSSAI norms with regular checks at warehouse and storage areas, as well as during inwarding and outwarding of products.

According to estimates, India’s grocery market is currently pegged at $400 billion, with ecommerce accounting for just 0.5 percent of that. As a result, analysts have pegged the grocery space as the next phase of growth for the ecommerce industry as a whole due to its potential for new customer acquisition and repeat purchases.

Also read: Flipkart to invest over Rs 3,000 crore to expand logistics operations across India