Telangana: Telangana's Commissioner of Food Safety announced on Thursday that action will be taken following numerous violations discovered at a warehouse near Hyderabad utilized by Zomatos quick commerce platform, Blinkit.
In a post on X (formerly Twitter), the food safety commissioner stated, "A task force team inspected the Blinkit Warehouse at Devaryamjal, Medchal Malkajgiri District The premises were found to be very disorganized, unhygienic, and dusty, particularly at the storage racks."
The post also mentioned that several expired products were found and confiscated. "Suspected infested Whole Farm Ragi flour and Toor dal worth Rs. 52,000 were seized, and samples were sent to the lab for testing," it read.
Furthermore, the commissioner highlighted that cosmetic products were stored alongside food items, and that Congruence Trade and Services Pvt Ltd, one of the manufacturers of the Whole Farm brand, did not possess a licence compliant with the Food Safety and Standards Act.
The inspection also revealed that food handlers were not wearing headgear, gloves, or aprons, and that medical fitness certificates for the food handlers were unavailable.
The commissioner added, "Notice will be issued and further action will be taken accordingly."
Responding to the findings, a Blinkit spokesperson said, "We take safety and hygiene standards very seriously. We are closely working with our warehouse partner and the food safety department to implement corrective actions based on the findings."
This raid occurs amidst a period of rapid growth for the quick commerce sector, which includes competitors like Nexus Venture Partners-backed Zepto, Prosus-backed Swiggys Instamart, and Tata Digital-backed Big Baskets BB Now.
As of March 31, Blinkit operated 526 dark stores, or micro warehouses, across India and plans to increase this number to 1,000 by the end of fiscal 2025. Additionally, it operates several larger warehouses on the outskirts of urban centers to supply the dark stores.
Recently, Blinkit and other quick commerce companies have expanded their product categories to include beauty and personal care, consumer electronics, home decor, apparel, sports goods, and electronic appliances, in addition to their core food and grocery offerings.
