Flipkart Launches First Grocery Fulfilment Centre In Bhubaneswar To Expand Service

Walmart-owned Flipkart has launched its first grocery fulfilment centre in Bhubaneswar in Odisha to expand its grocery services.

The new centre will help the ecommerce giant cater to its online grocery customers across cities like Asika, Basta, Bhadrak, Cuttack, Dhanekal, Jagatsinghpur, Puri and Talcher within 24 hours.

Flipkart said that the new centre is expected to generate over 300 employment opportunities while providing nationwide market entry for numerous local sellers, MSMEs and small and medium farmers in the region.

“Odisha’s socio-economic progress is gaining momentum, and the role of e-commerce in our overall development is pivotal. In alignment with our state’s vision, Flipkart’s inaugural grocery fulfilment centre marks a significant stride toward the rapid advancement of local MSMEs and farmers,” said Odisha’s micro, small and medium enterprises minister Pratap Keshari Deb. 

He added that the initiative will enable the state’s MSMEs to access the pan-India market and establish stronger connections with consumers across the country. 

The new facility spans over 1.35 Lakh square feet, with a dispatch capacity of over 2.09 Lakh units a day. The facility is designed to cater to 16,000 orders a day, with a wide range of products belonging to both regional brands and popular brands from other states.

“As a homegrown company, we are dedicated to advancing technology and innovation to create a positive ripple effect across the Digital India landscape. As Flipkart ventures into the heart of Odisha with our first-ever grocery fulfilment centre, we recognize the state’s dynamic growth,” said Rajneesh Kumar, chief corporate affairs officer, Flipkart Group. 

Flipkart currently has 24 grocery fulfilment centres catering to more than 1,800 cities and 10,000 PIN codes across India.

In the grocery delivery segment, Flipkart competes directly with Amazon Fresh, Big Basket, Blinkit, Zepto, among others. 

The Walmart-owned company halted its grocery segment operations for a brief period in October due to high user traffic during the festive season sale. 

The latest development comes at a time when rival Amazon is also stepping up its grocery play. Earlier this year, Amazon Fresh said it has increased its presence to across 50 citie in India from just 22 cities a year ago.