Walmart-owned Flipkart is rapidly strengthening its position in India’s quick-commerce market, with its two-year-old service, Flipkart Minutes, now handling an estimated 1.1 million to 1.2 million orders per day.

The growth puts Minutes within reach of Swiggy’s Instamart, which processes about 1.4 million daily orders, according to people familiar with the operations. Flipkart’s expansion marks a significant shift in a market that has been led by established players such as Blinkit, Zepto and Instamart.

Flipkart Minutes Expands Its Quick-Commerce Footprint

Launched in August 2024, Flipkart Minutes entered the quick-commerce sector after competitors had already built substantial customer bases and delivery networks.

The service has since increased its daily order volume from roughly 390,000–400,000 in November to more than 1 million currently. Its rapid growth has been supported by an aggressive expansion of micro-fulfillment centers, which allow orders to be processed closer to customers.

Flipkart Minutes now operates approximately 1,020 to 1,050 micro-fulfillment centers, compared with around 600 in January and about 340 a year earlier. The company is reportedly adding close to 100 facilities each month and is targeting approximately 1,500 locations by the end of 2026.

Blinkit and Zepto Continue to Lead

Despite Flipkart’s gains, the company remains behind the two largest quick-commerce platforms by daily order volume.

Recent market estimates put Blinkit at approximately 3.4 million to 3.6 million daily orders, while Zepto is estimated to handle between 2.4 million and 2.6 million. Instamart follows with about 1.4 million daily orders.

Swiggy has also reported that Instamart serves more than 14 million monthly transacting users through more than 1,200 dark stores across over 130 cities.

Customer Engagement Supports Flipkart’s Growth

Beyond expanding its physical infrastructure, Flipkart is seeing stronger customer retention on Minutes. Around 65% to 70% of monthly customers are estimated to be repeat buyers.

Transactions per customer have also increased by roughly 50% to 60% compared with the previous year. Average spending is estimated at about ₹400 to ₹500 per order, with categories such as fruits and vegetables, dairy, meat and household staples among the growing segments.

Flipkart is also broadening its product selection with premium grocery, organic and artisanal products, potentially allowing the platform to increase the value of individual orders.

Delivery speed has improved as well. Average delivery times have reportedly fallen to approximately 11 minutes from around 13 minutes a year earlier.

India’s Quick-Commerce Competition Intensifies

The rise of Flipkart Minutes comes as instant delivery becomes increasingly important to India’s online shopping market. Consumers who have become accustomed to receiving groceries and everyday products within minutes may be less willing to return to conventional scheduled delivery for certain purchases.

That shift is also attracting Amazon, which is expanding its Amazon Now quick-commerce service in India. The company has said the service is its fastest-growing business in the country, with orders doubling every quarter since launch.

Amazon has outlined plans to expand Amazon Now to more than 300 cities and establish more than 1,000 micro-fulfillment centers.

Existing E-Commerce Networks Offer an Advantage

Flipkart’s established e-commerce customer base could provide an important advantage as it scales its instant-delivery operations. The company has spent years building a large consumer network, giving Minutes access to shoppers who are already familiar with the Flipkart platform.

For Flipkart and Amazon, entering quick commerce is not only about capturing new demand. It is also increasingly about protecting existing e-commerce transactions as consumers shift toward faster purchasing options.

With Flipkart Minutes approaching Instamart in daily order volume and continuing to expand its delivery infrastructure, India’s quick-commerce market is entering a more competitive phase. The next stage of the sector is likely to depend not only on delivery speed, but also on network density, customer retention, product selection and the economics of operating thousands of local fulfillment facilities.