Flipkart prepares to challenge India's food-delivery duopoly

The Indian food-delivery market is seeing increased competition as Walmart-owned Flipkart prepares to challenge the existing duopoly held by Zomato and Swiggy. Flipkart is currently testing an internal food-delivery service, expanding its trial to over 8,000 employees in Bengaluru. The service utilizes a dedicated rider fleet through its logistics arm, Ekart, and draws from both direct restaurant partnerships and the government-backed ONDC network.

Meanwhile, Swiggy is working to balance growth with profitability. While its food-delivery business reported an adjusted EBITDA of approximately Rs. 292 crore in Q1FY27, its quick-commerce arm, Instamart, continues to navigate the balance between expansion and losses. In contrast, Zomato has shown strong financial performance, with its food-delivery adjusted EBITDA reaching Rs. 606 crore in the same period.

Industry analysts estimate the Indian food-delivery market is growing at an annual rate of 18% to 20%. Although Zomato and Swiggy dominate with an estimated 85 million to 95 million annual paying customers, the broader online delivery sector still represents only about 15% of India’s total food-services industry, suggesting significant room for new entrants.