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Maharashtra FDA suspends food licence of Blinkit dark store in Pune

Economic Times

Economic Times · 1m ago

Maharashtra FDA suspends food licence of Blinkit dark store in Pune

Maharashtra's FDA has suspended the food licence of Blinkit's Pune facility in Balewadi due to non-compliance with food safety regulations. The June inspection revealed the facility lacked a required licence from the Food Safety and Standards Authority of India, had poor hygiene standards, and stored food improperly. Until compliance under Section 31 (1) of the Food Safety and Standards Act, 2006 is achieved, the licence remains suspended. Similar issues were noted at Zepto's Dharavi facility last week.

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Related News

Blinkit Shuts Down in Pune by FDA for Operating Without License

StartupTalky

StartupTalky · 1m ago

Blinkit Shuts Down in Pune by FDA for Operating Without License

Blinkit's store in Pune, "Energy Darkstore Services," was shut down by the Maharashtra FDA for operating without a valid food license. The FDA's investigation revealed serious irregularities, including poor hygiene, inaccurate food labeling, and a lack of required certifications. Both the owner and store manager face legal threats for violating food safety regulations. The FDA is conducting broader inspections of dark stores in Pune, emphasizing that compliance with the Food Safety and Standards Act is mandatory for operation.

Quick commerce industry's hygiene headache explained

Economic Times

Economic Times · 1m ago

Quick commerce industry's hygiene headache explained

Quick commerce platforms like Blinkit, Zepto, and Instamart have rapidly expanded dark stores to meet demand but face scrutiny over hygiene issues. Inspections in Maharashtra revealed concerns such as improper storage and expired products. Authorities plan increased checks, while industry compliance struggles with rapid growth. Despite having guidelines, some stores lack consistent safety processes. Companies claim to conduct third-party audits, but experts highlight occasional lapses. India's dark store count is projected to reach 5,000-5,500 by FY26.

Zomato to infuse Rs 300 crore in quick commerce unit Blinkit as battle intensifies with Swiggy, Zepto

Economic Times

Economic Times · 1y ago

Zomato to infuse Rs 300 crore in quick commerce unit Blinkit as battle intensifies with Swiggy, Zepto

Zomato is set to invest Rs 300 crore in its quick commerce business Blinkit, bringing the total investment to Rs 2,300 crore since the acquisition in August 2022. The company will also invest Rs 100 crore in Zomato Entertainment Pvt Ltd, its subsidiary running live events and ticketing businesses. This investment comes as the competition in the quick commerce space intensifies, with rivals such as Swiggy Instamart and Zepto. Blinkit reported revenues of Rs 2,302 crore in fiscal 2024 and plans to expand its dark store count to 1,000. Blinkit's contribution to Zomato's market value has surpassed that of its food delivery business.

Dark store count may touch 5,500 by FY26 as competition heats up in quick commerce: HSBC report

Economic Times

Economic Times · 5m ago

Dark store count may touch 5,500 by FY26 as competition heats up in quick commerce: HSBC report

The quick commerce sector is rapidly expanding, with the number of dark stores in India projected to reach 5,000 to 5,500 by FY26, per an HSBC report. Companies like Blinkit, Swiggy, and Zepto are aggressively expanding their dark store networks, aiming for efficiency and profitability. Blinkit exceeded its target with 1,007 stores by December 31, while Swiggy and Zepto plan to expand significantly. The focus will soon shift to optimizing operations and profitability.

Zepto's Food License Axed by Maharashtra FDA in Mumbai's Dharavi

StartupTalky

StartupTalky · 1m ago

Zepto's Food License Axed by Maharashtra FDA in Mumbai's Dharavi

The Maharashtra Food and Drug Administration (FDA) suspended Zepto's food business license in Mumbai's Dharavi due to non-compliance with food safety regulations. The inspection revealed issues such as fungal growth, inadequate storage temperatures, and poor sanitation. Kiranakart Technologies, running Zepto, violated food safety standards. The license will remain suspended until compliance is achieved. Zepto is addressing the issues to resume operations, amid challenges including the closure of Zepto Cafes and delivery strikes.

Zomato, its first full-year profit in pocket, turns focus on Blinkit

Livemint

Livemint · 1y ago

Zomato, its first full-year profit in pocket, turns focus on Blinkit

Food delivery giant Zomato is ramping up its quick-commerce business, Blinkit, with plans to add 100 dark stores by June. Zomato aims to have 1,000 warehouses for Blinkit by the end of the fiscal year, as it sees the potential for the quick delivery business to outperform its core food delivery operations. Blinkit, which Zomato acquired in 2022, turned operationally profitable in March and experienced a doubling of both revenue and gross order value in Q4. The company is focusing its expansion efforts on the top eight cities in India.

How dark stores are powering quick commerce's rise

Economic Times

Economic Times · 1y ago

How dark stores are powering quick commerce's rise

Dark stores, also known as micro warehouses, are the center of a new form of commerce called quick commerce. These stores, operated by companies like Zomato's Blinkit and Swiggy Instamart, store a limited number of high-demand products and aim to pack, dispatch, and deliver orders in minutes. Riders on e-bikes swarm the store, delivering orders with great speed. Dark stores are strategically designed to optimize packing time, with frequently ordered items stored up front. However, the gig workers employed by these companies have often complained about poor work conditions and low pay.

JioMart unlikely to break into quick commerce top tier: BofA

Economic Times

Economic Times · 22d ago

JioMart unlikely to break into quick commerce top tier: BofA

A Bank of America Global Research report suggests Reliance Retail's JioMart is unlikely to become a top player in the quick commerce sector due to its 30-minute delivery model. Unlike Blinkit, Zepto, and Swiggy’s Instamart, which utilize dark stores for faster service, JioMart operates from existing retail locations, limiting its market penetration. The report notes that dark store coverage is expanding, with competitors already capturing 85–90% of the market.

UBS pegs $15.4 billion enterprise value to Zomato's Blinkit biz

Economic Times

Economic Times · 11m ago

UBS pegs $15.4 billion enterprise value to Zomato's Blinkit biz

According to UBS, Blinkit, a quick commerce platform valued at $15.4 billion, is contributing to Zomato's valuation more than its main food delivery business. UBS values Zomato at $32.1 billion, with quick commerce and food delivery both showing strong growth. Blinkit plans to expand its network of dark stores to 2,000 by 2026. UBS also noted increased competition in the quick commerce space, with new players such as Flipkart Minutes entering the market. UBS valued Zomato's food delivery business at $12.2 billion and its going-out business at $1.6 billion.

Blinkit launches Sellers Hub for brands

YourStory

YourStory · 8m ago

Blinkit launches Sellers Hub for brands

Quick commerce platform Blinkit has launched Blinkit Sellers Hub, a platform that allows brands to sell their products directly on Blinkit without intermediaries. The move puts Blinkit in competition with established ecommerce platforms like Amazon and Flipkart. Blinkit's parent company, Zomato, has also recently increased the platform fee on its food delivery platform, signaling its focus on quick commerce growth. During the reporting quarter, Zomato's quick commerce arm doubled in size and added more dark stores and warehouses to support its expansion plans.

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