Flipkart Minutes surges past 1,000 micro-centers in India

Flipkart Minutes – Walmart-backed Flipkart says its Minutes quick-commerce service has reached a network of 1,000 micro-fulfillment centers, aiming for 1,500 by the end of 2026 as Amazon expands Amazon Now across Indian cities. Flipkart also reports big shifts in what customers

The moment Flipkart started scaling Minutes, it wasn’t just building warehouses—it was trying to change how quickly India shops.

On Wednesday, Walmart-backed Flipkart said its Minutes service has reached a network of 1,000 micro-fulfillment centers, small, strategically placed warehouses designed for deliveries in minutes. The milestone arrives less than two years after the service launched.

Flipkart didn’t stop there. It plans to push the network to 1,500 micro-fulfillment centers by the end of 2026. The math is simple: the faster the infrastructure expands, the harder it becomes for rivals to catch up in India’s quick-commerce rush.

The race is already crowded. Flipkart is moving while Blinkit, Zepto, Swiggy Instamart, and Amazon compete to add infrastructure and customers. Blinkit, owned by food-delivery company Eternal, operates 2,243 micro-fulfillment centers, according to a recent note by Jefferies. Zepto and Swiggy Instamart are also expanding their networks.

Flipkart’s expansion is happening as the market itself grows more intense. India has emerged as one of the world’s fastest-growing quick-commerce arenas. where companies race to build networks capable of delivering everything from groceries and beauty products to electronics in minutes. In that landscape, Flipkart is presenting Minutes as more than a convenience add-on.

The shift shows up in customer behavior. Minutes launched in August 2024. and Flipkart says demand is moving beyond groceries into categories such as electronics. beauty. and personal care products. Kunal Gupta, head of Flipkart Minutes, told TechCrunch that orders on the platform have grown about 400% from a year earlier. He also said customer retention has increased 20% year-over-year—figures the company provided and that could not be independently verified.

Gupta framed it as a change in habit, not just a volume increase. “What began as a way to fulfill everyday essentials has evolved into a fundamentally new shopping habit for millions of Indians,” he said. “Customers are not just ordering more; they are ordering differently.”

Flipkart said it has expanded Minutes to more than 130 cities and 8,000 postal codes. It also pointed to growth increasingly coming from smaller cities outside India’s largest metropolitan areas. Those markets recorded more than 4,000% growth from a year earlier, aided by expansion into 90 new cities, according to the company.

Gupta connected that spread to how quickly markets mature once they launch. He cited Patna. Guwahati. and Siliguri as examples where new stores are ramping up faster than expected. and described Lucknow as one of Minutes’ best-performing markets even though the company has not yet covered the entire city with its network.

Amazon is pushing hard in parallel. The company has accelerated the rollout of Amazon Now. which is currently available in more than 15 cities and operates over 500 micro-fulfillment centers. Amazon said it plans to expand Amazon Now to 100 cities. with more than 1. 000 micro-fulfillment centers. while broadening its assortment beyond groceries into categories such as apparel. electronics. and home products.

Demand beyond major metros is part of Amazon’s story as well. The company told TechCrunch that 70% of new Prime members come from smaller markets. and that it remains on track to double its Prime membership base from 2023 levels by year-end. Amazon also added that everyday essentials now account for one in every two units shipped on Amazon.in. with Amazon Now increasing shopping frequency among customers.

There’s also a key distinction Flipkart is trying to make. Gupta told TechCrunch that customers are using Minutes alongside Flipkart’s main e-commerce platform rather than as a replacement. In his view. the coexistence is driving more frequent purchases and helping Flipkart expand into categories such as fresh produce and daily essentials. Flipkart said average order values for fruits and vegetables rose 30% year-over-year.

Flipkart said it plans to continue opening between 75 and 100 micro-fulfillment centers a month while expanding into additional cities across the country.

All of this comes as quick commerce keeps broadening its ambition—from fast delivery of essentials to a more general shopping platform. Bernstein said the country already has more than 5. 500 dark stores. and industry analysts expect that number to rise to about 7. 500 by 2030 as companies expand into smaller cities and widen their product offerings.

Gupta closed with a clear message about how Flipkart sees the next phase: “We will continue to expand rapidly, will not slow down after 1,000 stores as well, and we are going all in.”

Flipkart Minutes quick commerce micro-fulfillment centers India e-commerce Amazon Now Walmart-backed Flipkart Blinkit Zepto Swiggy Instamart dark stores Kunal Gupta