Ekart scales unified network for Flipkart’s 10-minute and two-day deliveries

Flipkart’s logistics arm is linking Flipkart Minutes dark stores with its e-commerce network, while expanding franchise outlets for MSMEs and brands. Ekart targets more than 1,000 franchise outlets by end-2026 and 80-90% fulfilment-centre automation next year.

— Source publishedWed, 29 Jul, 2026, 06:01 IST·First seen Wed, 29 Jul, 2026, 06:06 IST·Source Mint · Companies

What happened

Ekart is integrating Flipkart Minutes dark stores with its existing e-commerce network to support 10-minute and two-day delivery. It is expanding a franchise

Key facts

  • Ekart shipment volumes for Flipkart and Myntra grew 25-30% year-on-year
  • Flipkart Minutes has expanded to over 1,000 dark stores across 130 cities in under two years
  • Flipkart had 85 million daily active users; Myntra had 21 million, according to Bank of America
  • Flipkart e-commerce GMV share estimated at 50-60%
  • Annual shipment capacity exceeds 3 billion units with roughly 95% pin-code coverage
  • Ekart has roughly 300 external clients, contributing 5-7% of revenue
  • Ekart launched 300+ franchise outlets and targets more than 1,000 by end-2026
  • Fulfilment-centre automation is 60-70%, targeting 80-90% next year
  • Unit costs have fallen roughly 40% over the past few years
  • Quick-commerce viability requires sufficient orders within a 2-km radius

Why this matters

The franchise-led expansion creates partnership and acquisition opportunities in last-mile delivery, MSME enablement, dark-store operations and warehouse automation as Ekart integrates quick commerce with its core e-commerce network.

What to watch

  • Pace of franchise-outlet additions versus the stated 1,000-plus target by end-2026.
  • Whether Ekart publicly reports lower delivery cost, improved on-time delivery or higher utilisation from shared quick-commerce and e-commerce capacity.
  • Expansion of Flipkart Minutes into new cities, especially beyond top metros, without a proportional increase in dark-store ownership.
  • Adoption of franchise outlets for returns and seller parcel acceptance, which would indicate a broader logistics-platform strategy.
  • Automation rollout progress toward 80-90% of fulfilment centres and any associated workforce or throughput disclosures.
  • Changes in Flipkart's delivery promises, shipping fees, seller fulfilment programs or assortment availability across Minutes and standard e-commerce.
  • Deploy common order-routing and inventory-allocation systems across Flipkart Minutes dark stores, Ekart fulfilment centres and franchise outlets.
  • Position franchise outlets as multi-service nodes for parcel pickup, returns, seller onboarding and MSME shipping rather than delivery-only points.
  • Increase automated sorting, packaging and returns processing at fulfilment centres to absorb higher order fragmentation from quick commerce.
  • Use fast-delivery coverage as a marketplace lever, offering selected sellers preferential placement or conversion benefits for inventory positioned in Ekart-linked nodes.
  • Expect competitors including Amazon, Meesho, Delhivery, Shadowfax and quick-commerce platforms to expand hybrid dark-store, pickup-point and partner-led last-mile models.

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