Flipkart’s Bold Move: Hiring Dunzo’s Co-Founder to Boost Quick Commerce
In an exciting development for the quick-commerce industry in India, Flipkart has brought on board Kabeer Biswas, the co-founder of the pioneering delivery startup Dunzo. This strategic hire marks a significant step in Flipkart’s ongoing efforts to enhance its quick-commerce division, aptly named Flipkart Minutes, a source with insider knowledge revealed to TechCrunch.
The timing of this hire is intriguing, especially considering that just last year, Flipkart was contemplating acquiring Dunzo. However, those discussions hit a snag due to complexities within Dunzo’s ownership structure—complicated further by its major backer, Reliance Retail. Interestingly, Reliance has since shifted its focus away from Dunzo.
The concept of quick commerce, which aims to deliver goods within 10 to 15 minutes, hasn’t taken off globally as expected. Yet, it is gaining traction in India. Major players like Swiggy and Nykaa are refining their supply chains to meet this demand for speedier deliveries. Notably, Zomato’s BlinkIt and Swiggy’s Instamart are at the forefront of this market in India, with new entrants like Flipkart and Amazon eager to make their mark.
“Quick commerce is quickly becoming a game-changer in urban India,” noted a Jefferies report. “With over 100 dark stores strategically placed near residential areas, Flipkart is setting the stage for rapid expansion.”
{Jefferies Report}
Flipkart’s quick-commerce expansion includes offering high-value items such as laptops and smartphones on its platform—a move designed to attract urban consumers where Amazon has traditionally had a stronghold.
- Flipkart Minutes launched last year
- Amazon testing quick commerce since last month
- Over 100 dark stores established by Flipkart
Dunzo, founded in 2014 and backed by giants like Google and Blume Ventures, initially aimed to revolutionize India’s e-commerce landscape by delivering essentials within 30 minutes. Despite raising over $500 million, it faced challenges as competition grew fiercer.
Kabeer Biswas’s new role at Flipkart comes after exploring various startup ideas with former colleagues, pitching these concepts to venture capitalists like Peak XV. His expertise could be pivotal for Flipkart as it navigates the competitive quick-commerce waters in India.
This development signifies more than just a personnel change; it’s an indication of the dynamic shifts happening in India’s e-commerce space. With companies racing to deliver faster than ever before, consumers stand to benefit from unparalleled convenience and choice.
