Flipkart adds one lakh kirana store partners to network ahead of Big Billion Days sale

By

Isabelle Crossley

Published
Sep 9, 2021

On September 8, e-commerce giant Flipkart announced that it has expanded its delivery network and added one lakh new kirana store partners to boost its logistics capacity ahead of its Big Billion Days sale. 

 
“With a 100,000-strong Kirana delivery network which doubled from last year, Flipkart is further strengthening its last-mile network and reach, especially in pin-codes and towns that are difficult to reach and creating opportunities for digital upskilling as well as additional income for kiranas,” Flipkart said in a statement, the Press Trust of India reported.
 
Around a third of Flipkart’s monthly deliveries are made through its kirana store programme, according to the business. The programme guides participating kirana stores through logistics knowledge, expertise, experience, and technology enable them to deliver Flipkart orders. 

“Being one of the oldest retail formats in India, kiranas form the premise of modern retail in India, and Flipkart endeavours to bring seamless assimilation of both forms of retail to bring customer delight and create a shared value,” said Flipkart’s senior vice president for supply chain, Hemant Badri, the Press Trust of India reported.

“Through a combination of their hyperlocal presence and innovations by Flipkart, the kirana delivery programme has become a great enabler in strengthening the kirana ecosystem in the country.”
 
Some of there areas where kirana stores have signed up with Flipkart include Khammam in Telangana, Junagarh in Odisha, and Bareilly in Uttar Pradesh. As over 10 million Flipkart deliveries were made through the business’ kirana store partners during the festive season in 2020, Flipkart is expecting similarly high numbers this year.