Flipkart may launch standalone app for quick commerce business Minutes

Flipkart is planning to launch a standalone app for its quick commerce vertical Flipkart Minutes ahead of its annual Big Billion Days sale later this year, people aware of the developments told ET. The service is currently available under a tab in the main app.

“The company is targeting a pilot launch of the app around July, with a full-scale rollout before the year-end,” said one person in the know.

Flipkart’s move for a standalone app for Minutes tracks Swiggy which launched a separate app for its Instamart quick commerce vertical in January 2024. Swiggy cofounder and group CEO Sriharsha Majety had attributed this to quick commerce being on track to surpass food delivery in both penetration and scale.


Industry experts said rolling out separate apps is often linked to better visibility and brand recall.

A team in Flipkart’s tech vertical is currently working on the app while the company is also trying to understand consumer preference for such an initiative, the people said. The app's name is yet to be finalised.

Flipkart didn’t respond to ET’s queries.

Walmart-owned Flipkart, which launched Minutes in August 2024, had 750-800 dark stores as of March. ET reported that the company has been adding around 100 stores a month this year, and by June it would reach 1,200 stores, on par with Zepto and Instamart.

Meanwhile, rival Amazon India Thursday announced it will invest Rs 2,800 crore (about $300 million) to strengthen its infrastructure and operations as it plans to double the footprint of its quick commerce vertical Amazon Now.

The adoption of standalone app for digital platforms has been slow, according to brokerage data. Instamart had around 2-3 million daily active users (DAU) so far this month, per a Bank of America (BofA) report issued Thursday. Instamart is also available on Swiggy’s main app, which accounts for most of its quick commerce orders.

Meanwhile, competitors Blinkit and Zepto, which also have standalone apps, have around 14 million and 12 million DAU, respectively, for the same period.

Flipkart meanwhile is preparing for its initial public offering (IPO) next year. In March, it completed its reverse flip, shifting its domicile back to India from Singapore after receiving the government’s approval.

Ahead of its IPO, Flipkart is looking to enter another highly competitive segment, food delivery, as ET reported in February.