Flipkart builds standalone food delivery app, bypassing ONDC to own customer and data
Flipkart is entering food delivery through its own app rather than the ONDC network, choosing control of customer, merchant and data over speed to market. The delayed launch aims to add a high-frequency consumer business ahead of its planned IPO, directly challenging Zomato and Swiggy in a market valued at $9 billion and projected to reach $25 billion by FY30.
What happened
Flipkart will enter food delivery via a standalone app rather than ONDC, prioritizing ownership of customer, merchant and data over speed. The delayed launch
Key facts
- $9 billion market
- $25 billion by FY30
Why this matters
Flipkart's decision to build rather than ride ONDC signals appetite for owning full-stack food-delivery infrastructure, opening acquisition or partnership angles around logistics, restaurant aggregation, and last-mile capacity.
What to watch
- Launch city rollout and initial merchant count disclosures
- Reported burn rate and take-rate structure vs Zomato/Swiggy
- IPO prospectus framing of food delivery as growth vs cash-drain segment
- CCI or ONDC policy statements on data ownership and interoperability
- Zomato/Swiggy defensive commission cuts or exclusivity deals
- Flipkart aggressively recruits restaurant partners with sub-market commissions and exclusive onboarding incentives
- Bundling food delivery into Flipkart Plus/Super loyalty and Minutes to drive frequency and cross-sell
- Zomato and Swiggy pre-empt with loyalty lock-ins (Gold/One) and metro delivery-fee defenses
- Aggressive rider fleet acquisition, likely poaching from quick-commerce and existing platforms