Flipkart strengthens its kirana delivery ahead of Big Billion Days

New Delhi: Walmart-owned Flipkart on Wednesday said it has bolstered its delivery network with more than one lakh 'Kirana' (neighbourhood stores) partners from across the country ahead of its Big Billion days sale and upcoming festive season.

"With a 100,000-strong Kirana delivery network which doubled from last year, Flipkart is further strengthening its last-mile network and reach, especially in pin-codes and towns that are difficult to reach and creating opportunities for digital upskilling as well as additional income for kiranas," a statement said.

Last year, more than 10 million deliveries were made by these specially trained Kirana partners across the country during the festive season, it added.


Flipkart had started the programme in 2019 to onboard local stores and shops as delivery partners and has since then, invested consistently to get these businesses ready for making deliveries.

The Kirana delivery programme accounts for nearly one-third of Flipkart's deliveries made in a month. In the past year, its Kirana partners have registered a nearly 30% increase in the delivery income, it said.

Flipkart senior vice-president (supply chain) Hemant Badri said the company is committed to creating value for all its stakeholders including sellers, micro, small & medium enterprises (MSMEs), artisans, customers, and kiranas.

"Being one of the oldest retail formats in India, kiranas form the premise of modern retail in India, and Flipkart endeavours to bring seamless assimilation of both forms of retail to bring customer delight and create a shared value. Through a combination of their hyperlocal presence and innovations by Flipkart, the Kirana delivery programme has become a great enabler in strengthening the Kirana ecosystem in the country," he added.