Blinkit to Double Dark Store Network to 3,000 by 2027

Blinkit, the quick commerce arm of Zomato, seems to be doubling down—literally—on India’s love for instant gratification. The company is now gearing up to expand its dark store network from around 900 today to nearly 3,000 stores by 2027, signalling one of the boldest growth pushes in the sector.

If you’ve noticed Blinkit’s bright yellow bags zipping across your city lately, you’re not imagining things. The platform’s hyperlocal presence has grown quietly but steadily, especially across top metros. And now, the company seems ready to go all-in to ensure that your order of milk, detergent, or cold coffee arrives before your TV ad break ends.

Building for the Future of Urban India

According to industry insiders, Blinkit’s strategy isn’t just about more stores — it’s about smarter, better-placed ones. The plan reportedly includes deeper penetration into Tier 1 and Tier 2 urban clusters, focusing on localities where consumer demand for fast delivery is not just high but frequent.

Currently, most of Blinkit’s dark stores (micro-warehouses built exclusively for fast delivery) are concentrated in metros like Delhi-NCR, Mumbai, Bengaluru, and Pune. By 2027, the company wants to cover newer urban pockets, including cities such as Lucknow, Jaipur, Chandigarh, and Coimbatore — all of which are seeing rising disposable incomes and a taste for convenience.

A Zomato executive (who requested anonymity) shared that the company’s next growth phase is built on “density-driven economics.” In simple terms, more stores closer together reduce delivery time and cost per order, improving both user experience and profitability.

The 10-Minute Delivery Game Isn’t Going Away

There was a time not too long ago when critics dismissed 10-minute delivery as a marketing gimmick. But Blinkit, along with its rivals like Swiggy Instamart and Zepto, has proven otherwise. The category isn’t just surviving—it’s thriving.

Consumers have quickly developed a habit for instant deliveries. From forgotten onions during dinner prep to urgent baby diapers at midnight, the “I need it now” mindset has become part of urban life.

And Blinkit has been particularly clever about tapping into this behavioural shift. By streamlining its assortment (focusing on fast-moving consumer goods and essentials) and optimising store layouts, the company has managed to push its delivery times below the 12-minute mark in key cities.

A few years back, such speeds would’ve sounded absurd. Now, it’s the benchmark.

How Blinkit’s Growth Fits into Zomato’s Bigger Picture

Blinkit’s aggressive store expansion isn’t happening in isolation. It’s part of Zomato’s broader ambition to become India’s go-to app for food, grocery, and convenience.

After acquiring Blinkit in 2022 for around $568 million, Zomato has been gradually integrating its operations, payments, and even delivery fleets. The results are beginning to show.

In its recent earnings report, Zomato mentioned that Blinkit’s contribution to its overall revenue has been growing steadily. Analysts believe Blinkit could soon rival Zomato’s core food delivery business in both scale and profitability, especially as basket sizes increase and operational efficiencies kick in.

Interestingly, Zomato has also hinted that Blinkit could go public in the next few years — but only after the unit achieves sustained profitability. If that happens, it would mark one of the first IPOs from India’s quick-commerce segment, potentially setting the tone for others.

Behind the Scenes: Technology and Local Partnerships

Blinkit’s ability to expand rapidly has a lot to do with its tech infrastructure. The company uses predictive analytics and heat maps to identify demand zones before opening new stores. This data-driven approach helps minimise risk and ensures new locations hit operational efficiency fast.

Additionally, Blinkit has started collaborating with local vendors and regional brands to enhance product availability. This not only adds variety but also helps reduce logistics costs, something that’s critical in a business where margins are razor-thin.

There’s also a renewed focus on sustainability. Many of Blinkit’s new dark stores are being designed with energy-efficient layouts, and some even run partly on solar power. It’s a small but meaningful step toward reducing the environmental footprint of 10-minute deliveries.

Competition Remains Fierce

Of course, Blinkit isn’t alone in this race. Rival Zepto has been on a tear, too — reportedly planning to expand to over 1,000 dark stores by next year. Swiggy Instamart and BigBasket’s BB Now are also actively expanding, each trying to carve out its own delivery niche.

In such a crowded market, differentiation becomes critical. Blinkit seems to be betting on consistency, tech efficiency, and product reliability — three things that have helped it maintain a loyal user base even as competitors throw heavy discounts around.

That said, challenges remain. Operating thousands of dark stores means massive real-estate costs, supply chain complexity, and the constant need to maintain delivery quality across diverse geographies. As one analyst put it, “Scaling speed is easy. Scaling consistency isn’t.”

The Road Ahead

If all goes according to plan, Blinkit’s 3,000-store network could transform it into India’s most extensive quick-commerce infrastructure by 2027. But that’s a big “if.”

Execution will be key. As consumer expectations rise and operational costs climb, Blinkit will need to balance speed, affordability, and profitability — a tricky trio in any industry.

Still, given the brand’s track record and Zomato’s deep pockets, few would bet against them.

In many ways, Blinkit’s journey mirrors the evolution of Indian e-commerce itself: fast, experimental, and unapologetically customer-obsessed. What started as a grocery delivery app is now a cultural habit. And if Blinkit plays its cards right, by 2027, it won’t just be delivering groceries — it’ll be delivering a new definition of convenience for urban India.

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