Flipkart Wholesale begins grocery operations to cater to kiranas, small retailers

Flipkart Wholesale, which went live with the fashion category in September last year, will now also offer grocery options on its app.

Flipkart Wholesale, the digital B2B marketplace of India’s homegrown Flipkart Group, today announced the strengthening of its commitment towards growth and prosperity of kiranas and MSMEs by boosting supply chain infrastructure and enhancing employment opportunities.

Flipkart Wholesale, which went live with the fashion category in September last year, will now also offer grocery on its app with an aim to provide kiranas and small retailers one-stop access to a wide selection of products at their fingertips using technology.

In line with the company’s commitment to the speedy delivery of quality products, Flipkart Wholesale will operate a 1 lakh square feet fulfilment centre in Bilaspur, Gurugram to better serve kiranas with delivery directly to their shops.

With this, Flipkart Wholesale today supports over 6,500 employment opportunities pan-India, since its launch in September, and will continue to boost job creation this year as well. As a start, the grocery category will be available to retailers in Gurugram who can order products from the Flipkart Wholesale app.

The expansion to other parts of the National Capital Region and subsequently other cities will take place over the next few months. Using the app, retailers will be able to order staples, personal care, beverages, cleaning & laundry, snacks & biscuits and packaged food products across over 350 brands which include products from leading companies such as HUL, P&G, Coca-Cola, Pepsi, ITC, Nestle, Dabur, among others.

Devender Singh, Additional Chief Secretary, Agriculture, Public Health and Irrigation, Government of Haryana, said, “Haryana has made great strides for ease of doing business, boasts of world-class infrastructure, is home to headquarters of large domestic and global companies and also enjoys a long-standing relationship with the Flipkart Group. This Fulfilment Centre in Gurugram will create new jobs and opportunities for the people of Haryana and the launch of grocery on the Flipkart Wholesale app will help kiranas, which are the lifeline of our state and our nation, reap the digital dividend. We are happy that the group has yet again chosen our state to invest in, and we look forward to a mutually beneficial relationship in the times to come.”

Adarsh Menon, Senior Vice President and Head - Flipkart Wholesale, said, “We are very excited to add the grocery category on our platform and believe this will be a game-changer for kiranas and small retailers who can now leverage technology to order products online with convenience and grow their businesses. With this launch, we will also boost MSME suppliers and give regional grocery brands a fillip through a pan-India supply chain integration. By leveraging the strong merchandising experience and brand relationships of our Best Price cashand-carry business, we are confident that Flipkart Wholesale will prove to be a catalyst in the growth and prosperity of kiranas and MSMEs who are the backbone of India’s retail ecosystem.”

Flipkart Wholesale’s Best Price cash-and-carry business has been serving kiranas, offices and institutions (O&Is) and hotels, restaurants and cafeterias (HoReCa) best-in-class quality merchandise, enabling their growth and prosperity for the last 12 years.

Over 95% of merchandise sold across 29 Best Price cash-and-carry stores is locally sourced, enabling the development of the local supplier ecosystem.

Flipkart Wholesale handholds and develops smallsized businesses into compliant and efficient manufacturers, thereby strengthening the supply chain, boosting the local economy and providing suppliers with the opportunity to become part of the national supply chain.

Flipkart Wholesale customers will have access to an easy credit facility to manage cash flow, a wide range of Flipkart assured quality products, simple and convenient order returns and speedy product delivery directly to their shops with an easy order tracking facility.

They will also be able to leverage micro-market level B2B and B2C insights from the Flipkart ecosystem to better understand customer demands specific to their area so that they can buy and sell the right products. Flipkart Wholesale app currently offers clothing and footwear across 23 cities in the country.