Flipkart and Ace Turtle Partner with WHP Global to

 Flipkart and Ace Turtle Partner with WHP Global to Launch Toys
“R”Us® and Babies“R”Us® in India

Flipkart Group’s’ wholesale entity in India and Ace Turtle, India’s leading omni-channel enablement platform, announced today that a joint venture company set up by them has secured licensing rights for Toys“R”Us (TRU) and Babies“R”Us (BRU) in India through a strategic arrangement with WHP Global, the controlling shareholder of Toys“R”Us. With this arrangement, the world’s most loved and trusted toy and baby brands, Toys“R”Us and Babies“R”Us, will now be available to consumers online through sellers in India.

Flipkart will utilize its unmatched reach and expertise in technology and customer experiences, coupled with Ace Turtle’s omni-channel technology enabling buy-online and ship from store/pick up from store, endless-aisle, and other technological innovations. The collective expertise of Flipkart and Ace Turtle establishes them as the partner of choice for Toys“R”Us’s business growth in India. This launch will strengthen Toys“R”Us’s brand presence and business, and further contribute to India’s growing toy sector.

Over the last few years, the selection of products under the Toys & Games category on Flipkart has grown enormously. In 2020, the platform recorded growth of close to 100%, with consumers shopping online for their toys and baby care needs as they continue to stay indoors. 

Commenting on this partnership, Kalyan Krishnamurthy, Chief Executive Officer, Flipkart Group, said, “As a homegrown platform, we are constantly striving to build meaningful partnerships that are centred around the needs of our users. We are focused on ensuring that our users across India have access to a wide range of quality products made available by brands and sellers on our platform. With the Toys“R”Us global standard of quality, Indian consumers will now have access to many toys and babycare products. This partnership with Ace Turtle and WHP Global will see both firms bringing the best of their domain knowledge and expertise to innovate and provide customer-centric product selections that have value and quality at the core. In addition, we believe this partnership will encourage efforts to grow the toy manufacturing industry in India.”

Speaking on the partnership, Nitin Chhabra, CEO, Ace Turtle, said, “Toys“R”Us is the world’s leading toy brand and has been bringing joy to millions of children across the globe. Something which the Indian consumers need right now. The Flipkart group, India’s leading omni-channel enablement platform – Ace Turtle and the world’s leading toy brand, Toys“R”Us, are coming together to deliver future-ready consumer experience across online to offline. It’s a win-win for Indian consumers.” 

Yehuda Shmidman, Chairman & CEO at WHP Global and Toys“R”Us stated, “We are excited by the tremendous potential of this new partnership, as India is one of the fastest growing consumer markets in the world with real spending power among a rapidly growing population. We look forward to working closely with Flipkart and the Ace Turtle team to build Toys“R”Us and Babies“R”Us into the leading destination for toy and baby products in India.”

For more than 70 years, Toys"R"Us has been a global leader in the toy category celebrating the joys of childhood with kids of all ages, and Babies"R"Us has been the trusted destination for all new and expecting parents.  Geoffrey the Giraffe, the beloved mascot of Toys"R"Us for more than 50 years, is adored by millions of kids and their families around the world. This brand power remains as Toys"R"Us and Babies"R"Us generate more than US$2 billion in global retail sales annually through nearly 900 branded stores and e-commerce businesses in 25+ countries.

According to industry data, India’s toy industry is predominantly unorganized, comprising ~4,000 small and medium enterprises. The exports for this sector are limited to about US$100 million, leaving massive opportunities for local manufacturing to thrive. Earlier this year, the Government of India had organised a toy fair intending to make India a global hub for the production and the sourcing of toys, in turn boosting the economic engines for the sector.  This strategic arrangement will endeavour to create new and exciting growth opportunities for local toys’ manufacturers/sellers in India including MSMEs.

Flipkart to acquire Cleartrip, a leading

 Flipkart to acquire Cleartrip, a leading
online travel technology company

Flipkart, India's homegrown e-commerce marketplace today announced the proposed acquisition of Cleartrip, a leading online travel technology company. Flipkart will acquire 100% of Cleartrip’s shareholding, as the company further enhances its investments to strengthen its digital commerce offerings for customers.    

Under the terms of the agreement, Cleartrip operations will be acquired by Flipkart. Cleartrip will continue to operate as a separate brand, retaining all employees while working closely with Flipkart to further develop technology solutions to make travel simple for customers.    

Kalyan Krishnamurthy, CEO, Flipkart Group, said, “The Flipkart Group is committed to transforming customer experiences through digital commerce. Cleartrip is synonymous with travel for many customers, and as we diversify and look at new areas of growth, this investment will help strengthen our wide range of offerings for customers. We welcome the Cleartrip team with their deep industry knowledge and technology capabilities to the Flipkart Group and look forward to providing deeper value and travel experiences for customers together.”                    

Stuart Crighton, CEO and co-founder of Cleartrip, said, “Cleartrip has been a pioneer in capitalising on technology to simplify the travel experience for our customers. This product-driven focus has enabled us to become the preferred travel partner of choice for consumers in a wide range of markets in the region. We are delighted to be part of the Flipkart family and are excited about the positive impact this collaboration can have for our customers and the travel industry in general."

The deal closing will be subject to applicable regulatory approvals.   

Flipkart Group and ABFRL enter into a

Flipkart Group and ABFRL enter into a strategic partnership

Aim to strengthen omni-channel capabilities and enhance the consumer fashion experience

  The Flipkart Group and Aditya Birla Fashion and Retail Limited (“ABFRL”) today announced a new strategic partnership aimed at enhancing the consumer fashion experience. Through an investment of INR1,500 crores, Flipkart Investments will acquire a ~7.8% stake in ABFRL, as the companies partner to leverage synergies in the fashion segment.

 ABFRL will use this capital to strengthen its balance sheet and propel its growth ambition with renewed vigour. The company plans to scale-up its play in emerging high-growth fashion categories viz. innerwear/ athleisure, casual wear and ethnic wear, establishing these as the new engines of growth for the company. Furthermore, ABFRL will accelerate the execution of its large-scale digital transformation strategy that will deepen its consumer connect and augment its backend capabilities; positioning it amongst the most comprehensive omni-channel fashion players in the country. 

Through this partnership, the Flipkart Group will strengthen the range of brands offered on its e-commerce platforms Flipkart and Myntra, deepening its relationship with ABFRL, and enhancing the range of premium international and Indian brands on offer. Flipkart’s technology prowess will enhance ABFRL’s omni-channel capabilities, enriching customer experiences while continuing to provide access to premium loyalty programs and affordability constructs for which Flipkart is known.

 Speaking on this development, Kalyan Krishnamurthy, CEO, Flipkart Group, said, “At the Flipkart Group, we are focused on building new partnerships that will help us meet the demands of the discerning Indian consumer who seek quality and value. Through this partnership with ABFRL, we will work towards making available a wide range of products for fashion-conscious consumers across different retail formats across the country. We look forward to working with ABFRL and its well established and comprehensive fashion and retail infrastructure as we address the promising opportunity of the apparel industry in India.”

Commenting on the deal, Mr. Ashish Dikshit, MD of ABFRL, said, “We look forward to this partnership with Flipkart Group, and our collective journey to delight customers of a young and aspirational India. Given the complementary strengths of ABFRL and Flipkart Group, this partnership has the potential to dramatically accelerate the growth of the apparel industry in India and reshape apparel commerce. This deal also provides a tremendous opportunity to build scale of existing brands and expand its brand portfolio into emerging consumer segments.”

 The Transaction is subject to regulatory approvals.

Walmart and Flipkart Group make additional investment in

 Walmart and Flipkart Group make additional investment in Ninjacart

Walmart and the Flipkart Group today announced a fresh round of investment in Ninjacart, the innovative startup disrupting India’s fresh produce market with its made-for-India business-to-business (B2B) supply chain infrastructure and technology solutions. This follows the investment made by Walmart and the Flipkart Group in December 2019, as the companies continue to focus on ensuring access to high quality fresh produce for consumers and retailers while creating economic opportunities for farmers through the continued use of technology. 

For Ninjacart, this further deepens the partnership with Walmart and the Flipkart Group to improve its offerings and enhance customer experience. Ninjacart continues to attract world-class backers such as Tiger Global, Accel, Tanglin, Steadview, Syngenta, Nandan Nilekani and Qualcomm among other prominent investors.

During the COVID lockdowns, Ninjacart demonstrated agility and innovation by launching a series of initiatives such as apartment delivery, including a ‘Farm to fork’ pilot with Flipkart, customer delivery through food delivery apps, ‘Harvest the Farms’ initiative, etc. in a week's time to help both customers and farmers. Also in an Industry-first move, Ninjacart launched ‘FoodPrint’ — a 100% traceability platform for its products during the COVID lockdown to improve the food safety.

This second round of funding demonstrates Walmart and the Flipkart Group’s continued commitment to invest in India’s agriculture & food supply chain and strong confidence in Ninjacart. The follow-on investment further validates Ninjacart’s strong execution capabilities and its ability to innovate in the challenging fresh food supply chain space.

As Flipkart grows its Supermart (grocery) and Flipkart Quick (hyperlocal business), Ninjacart will continue to play a key role in providing fresh produce to consumers across the country as they increasingly look at e-grocery to meet their needs.

Ninjacart has developed many indigenous solutions that work for India at scale — it has built India’s low-cost last-mile network using an innovative network model coupled with data science. It’s less-than-12 hours connectivity from farm to store helps avoid the need for control temperature supply chain for perishable goods.

Kalyan Krishnamurthy, CEO, Flipkart Group, said, “The e-grocery market in India has seen tremendous growth over the past several months as people have increasingly taken to ordering groceries and fresh produce online. At the Flipkart Group, we are focused on ensuring that we continue to work towards developing new and innovative ways to meet our customers' needs in this space through the growth of Supermart and the recent launch of Flipkart Quick. We will continue to make investments to offer the best produce to our customers and support livelihoods and sustainable growth for local farmers, producers and the supply chain ecosystem. Our pilots and current business engagement with Ninjacart have been encouraging as we leverage technology to address changing consumer behaviour across the country.”

Commenting on the announcement Thirukumaran Nagarajan, CEO & Co-founder of Ninjacart said, “The fresh set of investments from Walmart and the Flipkart Group takes us one step closer to our vision of making food safe and accessible for the billion people and changing the way food reaches our plate. We are excited to have Walmart and the Flipkart Group show confidence in our capabilities around growth and profitability. We will continue to invest in areas that impact the lives of Customers and Farmers positively.”

In the coming months, Ninjacart will use the capital to expand to new markets and build new offerings and supply chains for emerging customer segments, while continuing to innovate on the supply chain to make it more efficient, reliable, and profitable.

The transaction is expected to close by the end October 2020.

Flipkart pledges 100% transition to

Flipkart pledges 100% transition to electric vehicles by 2030; commits to the Climate Group’s EV100 initiative

-    First Indian e-commerce marketplace to join the Climate Group’s EV100 initiative

-      Commits to the electrification of logistics fleet across Flipkart Group of companies, integrating charging infrastructure and encouraging uptake by its

staff

Demonstrating a commitment to long-term sustainability across its e-commerce value chain, Flipkart, India’s homegrown e-commerce marketplace today announced its commitment to transition to electric vehicles (EVs) by joining the Climate Group’s global electric mobility initiative, EV100. EV100 brings together forward-looking companies committed to accelerating the transition to electric vehicles (EVs) and making electric transport the new normal by 2030.

As a part of this commitment and to support wider adoption of EVs, Flipkart is committing to a phased integration of electric vehicles into its entire fleet (directly owned or leased corporate fleets) by 2030. This will be done through placing requirements in service contracts, installing charging infrastructure close to its 1,400 supply chain premises, conducting awareness programs and incentivizing delivery executives towards the use of electric vehicles. Evangelising EVs across the breadth of its ecosystem of employees, delivery partners and workers, Flipkart will spearhead the sector’s sustainability transformation, and support India’s ambition of ensuring 30% electric mobility by 2030.

Kalyan Krishnamurthy, CEO, Flipkart Group, said, “As a homegrown company, we always pride ourselves in making e-commerce more inclusive, progressive and impactful for all our stakeholders, which also includes communities and the planet. We have been applying this ethos to the indigenous market to serve our consumer’s needs responsibly and consciously. Our commitment to the Climate Group’s EV100 initiative ties in with this larger vision of environmental sustainability and allows us to learn from the most forward-thinking global perspectives as part of the EV100 ecosystem. With our scale & scope and intense focus on Sustainability agenda, we believe we can play a significant role in not just fast tracking the adoption of electric vehicles but also making clean mobility mainstream.”

Flipkart has a strong vision towards sustainability and has proactively and successfully adopted several sustainable practices across its business operations. Electrification of its entire logistics fleet is a key part of Flipkart’s larger sustainability goal and the EV100 commitment is in line with that. Over the past year, Flipkart has worked towards creating a wide network of ecosystem partners across charging providers, regulators, policy makers, skill development agencies, aggregators and OEMs to work on various areas. These include designing and the manufacturing of EVs optimized for e-commerce while supporting market demand for EVs to emerge as a mainstream mobility solution.

Divya Sharma, India Executive Director, Climate Group, said, “The Climate Group is thrilled to see Flipkart signing up to EV100 and step up to lead the adoption of electric vehicles in the e-commerce sector in India. Flipkart will play a significant role in fostering innovation in technology and exchanging knowledge on e-mobility within our global network of committed

businesses. To help make swift emissions cuts and improve air quality for the long-term, we urge more Indian companies to follow suit, sending a powerful signal of support to policymakers wishing to see a faster roll-out of EVs.”

As the first e-commerce player in India to join the globally recognized EV100 initiative, Flipkart is uniquely placed to further EV100’s goal of catalyzing corporate leadership for Electric Vehicles uptake in India. This will also be an opportunity to learn from over 70 forward-looking companies from across the globe, committed to accelerating the transition to electric vehicles (EVs).

Flipkart is focused on fostering sustainable practices across its business and value chain. The company has been driving several initiatives towards its vision of sustainable growth. Flipkart has committed to reducing single-use plastic packaging in its supply chain and has already achieved a 51 per cent reduction in consumption of plastic packaging. Flipkart is also the only e-commerce company to have an industry-first EPR authorization where we have committed to collecting back the entire weight of the packaging that we use. Flipkart has also been focused on resource efficiency within its operations by increasing the use of renewable energy for its power needs and introducing projects to increase the overall energy productivity, as well as encouraging zero liquid discharge of wastewater in its warehouses. Its strategic facilities have received an ISO 14001 certification, a crucial benchmark for the preparedness to prevent environmental pollution in the workplace. Flipkart’s data centre in Hyderabad runs largely on renewable energy and many of its large warehouse projects are being constructed in line with IGBC's Green Building Guidelines.

Flipkart launches its startup accelerator program

                                   Flipkart launches its startup accelerator program 

‘Flipkart Leap’ to build innovative disruptions in
technology and consumer-internet space

• Flipkart Leap is beginning with a call for entries, starting today, and will identify innovative startups to promote the vibrant startup ecosystem & support ‘Start-up India’
• Shortlisted startups will undergo a 16-week mentorship program and win an equity-free grant of $25,000

Flipkart, India’s homegrown e-commerce marketplace, today announced the launch of ‘Flipkart Leap’ -- the company’s first startup accelerator program to help new and upcoming startups grow, scale, navigate challenges and in turn contribute to India’s growing entrepreneurial ecosystem and boosting ‘Start-Up India’. With the call-for-entries beginning today, Flipkart Leap will identify B2C and B2B startups and help them scale through an intensive 16-week virtual program. Throughout the program, Flipkart’s leadership from  Business, Operations, Product and Technology will mentor the selected startups and share best practices, in addition to master class sessions hosted by industry experts.

The program aims to provide tools, framework, knowledge and an ecosystem to help startups create world-class value-driven products by supporting them in building market-ready solutions. With the help of technology and deep industry expertise of Flipkart’s top-notch mentors, startups will gather insights and learnings to stay competitive in the dynamic technology market. Flipkart Leap has identified five themes to shortlist relevant high-potential startups. These include Design & Make for India, Innovation in Digital Commerce, Technologies to Empower the Retail Ecosystem, Supply Chain Management & Logistics and Enabling Relevant Deep Tech applications. These themes have been identified to tap into the most innovative solutions in the Technology and Consumer Internet space, uniquely built for Indian consumers. The focus is on bringing digitization and tech advancement in these thematic areas, including any startups that will be working on disruptive solutions that have the potential to transform the landscape of e-commerce in the next five years.

Commenting on the launch, Kalyan Krishnamurthy, Chief Executive Officer, Flipkart Group said, “The journey for Flipkart, from its launch to becoming one of the most-loved homegrown brands, has been a true harbinger of the potential of the startup ecosystem in India. With innovations and disruptions in the field of technology coming about each day, we want to be at the forefront of driving scalability and helping these startups bring value to the industry as well as Indian consumers. Flipkart Leap is aimed at unlocking this potential and nurturing new ideas that bring innovation, curiosity and unconventionality to the local entrepreneurial ecosystem, while boosting the government’s ‘Start-Up India’ initiative.”

Further, Jey Venugopal, Chief Product and Technology Officer, Flipkart, added, “The transformation of the startup ecosystem in India over the years has paved the way for the country to become home to some of the best startup journeys. There is a growing talent pool of entrepreneurs who are going above and beyond to bring their solutions to the market. As a company that has undergone that phase and built its own success playbook, we wanted to utilize our network to build a program that helps startups in these early stages to evolve and become successful brands in future.”

The program has been designed and will be managed by Flipkart’s Product Strategy & Deployment team led by Naren Ravula. The team is responsible for shepherding innovation within the Flipkart commerce companies (Flipkart & Myntra) and the broader ecosystem.

With the focus on bringing innovation to not just India but Bharat users (primarily based out of Tier 2 and 3+ cities), the 16-week program curated in partnership with Zinnov, will open opportunities for startups to prepare their innovative solutions to be market-ready and allow them to win an equity-free grant of $25,000. The startups applying for Flipkart Leap should be based out of India and should have a working prototype with early adoption metrics. Post the completion of the program, the final participants of Flipkart Leap will pitch their successful model to investors, corporates and other ecosystem players on the demo-day and may also be considered for funding by Flipkart.

India currently has the 3rd largest startup ecosystem in the world, with consistent annual growth of 12-15%, according to industry reports. In fact, as per the report, there are 2-3 tech startups born in India every day. The booming ecosystem has given rise to some of the best startup journeys in the last few years. With growing Governmental support - both at the Central and State levels and an improving regulatory environment for starting up, the segment is well-poised to effectively tap into the next billion consumers.

For more information on Flipkart Leap, and to apply, please visit: https://www.flipkartleap.com/

Flipkart Group announces the launch of

Flipkart Group announces the launch of Flipkart Wholesale

aimed at transforming the kirana retail ecosystem

Acquires a 100% interest in Walmart India, which operates the Best Price cash-and-carry business to strengthen capabilities and business-to-business service offering;

Will leverage talent, strong technology backbone, deep merchandising expertise and logistics infrastructure to accelerate growth and prosperity for kiranas and MSMEs

The Flipkart Group, India’s homegrown e-commerce group, today announced the launch of Flipkart Wholesale, a new digital marketplace that will help transform the kirana retail ecosystem in India by leveraging cutting-edge and locally developed technology. As part of this launch, the Group also announced the acquisition of 100% interest in Wal-Mart India Private Limited, which operates the Best Price cash-and-carry business, to leverage the strong wholesale capabilities of the company and enable growth and prosperity for kiranas and MSMEs.

Kiranas and MSMEs are central to India’s retail ecosystem and Flipkart Wholesale will focus on meeting their needs by providing small businesses a wide selection at significant value, powered by technology to make their lives easier. Whether in grocery, general merchandise or fashion, these businesses will have one-stop access to an extensive selection of products with attractive schemes and incentives, supplemented with data-driven recommendations for stock selection, delivered through a fast and reliable network to drive greater efficiencies and better margins.

In addition, kiranas and MSMEs will benefit from access to easy credit options and opportunities for new income generation through various Flipkart initiatives, creating new ways to catalyse growth. These opportunities are especially relevant at this time as kiranas and MSMEs work towards achieving scale and profitability following the impact on business due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

Flipkart Wholesale will leverage Flipkart’s strong homegrown technology capabilities, extensive leadership in the consumer e-commerce segment, and a unique understanding of the industry in India. The business will also utilise the Flipkart Group’s vast supply chain infrastructure to reach kiranas and MSMEs across the country. Flipkart Wholesale will draw on the merchandising experience of the Walmart India team, its strong relationships with brands, deep DNA of servicing kiranas and 12+ years of operating Best Price stores. One of India’s largest cash-and-carry businesses, Best Price currently supports more than 1.5 million members, including kiranas, horecas and other MSMEs, and has long-standing supplier diversity and development programs. Flipkart Wholesale will continue to develop technology tools, and ecosystem partnerships to help Indian commerce unlock its potential.

Top Indian brands, local manufacturers and sellers have partnered with Flipkart Wholesale to ensure the availability of an exhaustive range of products and merchandise for kiranas and MSMEs. At the same time, partners will benefit from broader reach across the country, micro-market insights to enable effective inventory planning and new product development, and cost-effective distribution.  

Kalyan Krishnamurthy, Chief Executive Officer, Flipkart Group, said, “As the e-commerce pioneer in India, the Flipkart Group has transformed the shopping experience for millions of Indian consumers. With the launch of Flipkart Wholesale, we will now extend our capabilities across technology, logistics and finance to small businesses across the country. The acquisition of Walmart India adds a strong talent pool with deep expertise in the wholesale business that will strengthen our position to address the needs of kiranas and MSMEs uniquely. With this development, the Flipkart Group will further build upon the synergies across its businesses to drive greater value and choice for end-consumers and businesses alike.”

Judith McKenna, President and Chief Executive Officer, Walmart International, said, “For over a decade, we’ve been committed to India’s prosperity by serving kiranas and MSMEs, supporting smallholder farmers and building global sourcing and technology hubs throughout the country. Today marks the next big step as Walmart India’s pioneering cash-and-carry legacy meets Flipkart’s culture of innovation in the launch of Flipkart Wholesale. By leveraging each other’s strengths and unique expertise, this combined team will break new ground in their shared mission to help Indian businesses grow and succeed. We look forward to a bright future for Flipkart Wholesale.”

Flipkart Wholesale will launch its operations in August 2020 and will pilot services for the grocery and fashion categories. It will be headed by Adarsh Menon, a veteran at Flipkart. Sameer Aggarwal, Chief Executive Officer at Walmart India, will remain with the company to ensure a smooth transition, after which time he will move to another role within Walmart.

Adarsh Menon, Senior Vice President and Head - Flipkart Wholesale, said, “Flipkart Wholesale will further deepen and build on Walmart India and the Flipkart Group’s commitment to kiranas and MSMEs over the last several years. Thousands of kiranas have already partnered with Flipkart to enhance their business and income streams. I am excited to be part of this new initiative that allows us to expand opportunities for growth for them and bring further prosperity to their lives. We will leverage the synergies between Flipkart and Walmart India as we stay focused on transforming the wholesale experience for kiranas and MSMEs.”

Sameer Aggarwal, Chief Executive Officer, Walmart India, said, “This move recognises the critical role that kiranas and MSMEs play towards India’s economic prosperity and growth, and the coming together of Walmart India with Flipkart Wholesale will provide an opportunity to build upon the 12+ year legacy of the Best Price brand serving kiranas across India.”

With the acquisition of the Walmart India business, its employees will join the Flipkart Group and the home office teams will integrate over the next year. The Best Price brand will continue to serve its 1.5 million+ members via its omnichannel network of 28 stores and e-commerce operations.

Flipkart Announces the Appointment of Sriram Venkataraman as

Flipkart Announces the Appointment of Sriram Venkataraman as Flipkart Commerce (Flipkart and Myntra) CFO

Company thanks Emily McNeal for her commitment and leadership as she transitions to pursue an external opportunity  

Flipkart, India’s homegrown e-commerce platform, today announced the appointment of Sriram Venkataraman as Chief Financial Officer (CFO) for Flipkart Commerce (Flipkart and Myntra). This appointment will be effective immediately. In his new role, Sriram will be responsible for key finance operations and functions at Flipkart and Myntra, including Tax, Risk Management and Treasury. He will also be responsible for Corporate Development at Flipkart, while Procurement, Planning and Analytics and Decision Sciences will continue to report to him.

Emily McNeal, who held the role of Flipkart Group CFO since September 2018, has decided to return to the US to pursue a career opportunity outside the Walmart Group. 

Speaking on this change, Kalyan Krishnamurthy, Chief Executive Officer, Flipkart Group, said, “We thank Emily for her leadership and guidance in strengthening the governance process and financial reporting at Flipkart post the Walmart investment. She has been instrumental in driving key investments that have enhanced our hyperlocal and fresh food capabilities, and has been a strong partner in our organisation’s Diversity and Inclusivity journey. 

“Sriram has consistently demonstrated his expertise managing several diverse functions at Flipkart and is well poised to take on the responsibilities as Flipkart Commerce CFO. I wish both Emily and Sriram the best for their future endeavors.”

Sriram will begin reporting to Chris Nicholas, Executive Vice President and CFO, Walmart International.

Dawn Marie Ptak, Vice President and Group Controller continues to be responsible for the Group controllership and the divisional controllership functions for Flipkart, Myntra and PhonePe reporting to the International Controller in Walmart International. Dawn will take on the responsibility of the Flipkart Group Corporate Level responsibilities for Tax, Treasury, Risk Management, Financial Planning and Analysis, and Internal Audits. 

Flipkart partners with Meru to deliver

Flipkart partners with Meru to deliver everyday essentials & groceries to consumers

  Meru to deliver essential goods to Flipkart customers in Ozone sanitized cabs across Delhi NCR, Bengaluru and Hyderabad through safe & sanitized supply chain

-           Help provide income opportunities to driver-partners

Flipkart, India’s homegrown e-commerce marketplace, and Meru, India’s trusted app-based ride-hailing cab operator in which Mahindra & Mahindra Ltd holds a majority stake, have partnered to provide people access to grocery & essential items as people stay indoors supporting ‘social distancing during the ongoing lockdown. This partnership will help deliver grocery & essential items to Flipkart customers at their doorstep across Bengaluru, Delhi NCR and Hyderabad through the safe & sanitized supply chain.

This partnership is a continuation of Flipkart’s efforts to create innovative models of collaboration to serve citizens during this unprecedented crisis. It also supports the government’s efforts to keep Indians at home to contain the spread of COVID-19. The synergies between both organisations will ensure that essential supply chains are functional while supporting driver-partners with income opportunities.

Kalyan Krishnamurthy, CEO, Flipkart Group, said, “Flipkart Group is committed to customers as India fights this unprecedented battle. This partnership with Meru is a result of our teams exploring new, innovative ways to drive value for our ecosystem of sellers, brands, partners, and customers to ensure the safe and swift availability of grocery & essential goods. We have a very secure & safe supply chain where we follow SOPs diligently. We stand by the nation in this fight against COVID-19 as we prioritize the well being and safety of all including our customers & employees.”

Speaking on this partnership, Neeraj Gupta, Founder and CEO at Meru Mobility Tech Pvt. Ltd. said, “This is a unique initiative which we are undertaking with Flipkart which will benefit consumers immensely. Meru will use its fleet to ensure the timely and safe delivery of essentials to Flipkart’s large customer base in a hassle-free manner. This service will also offer our driver-partners an additional earning opportunity during this challenging time.”

In line with the government guidelines, Meru is providing its Ozone Sanitized fleet to help Flipkart with their deliveries. The dispatch hubs have been installed with ‘Ozone Air Purifier’, encouraging all driver-partners to sanitize their cabs, thus maintaining high standards of hygiene. Meru driver-partners will undergo Flipkart’s training module for a better understanding of its processes for safe and timely delivery of the grocery items,
while Meru is educating and updating its driver-partners on various preventive measures like using
alcohol-based sanitizers and wearing face masks to curb the spread of the virus.

Flipkart joins hands with GiveIndia to foster inclusivity

Flipkart joins hands with GiveIndia to foster inclusivity and spread the joy of giving ahead of the festive season

●     Six social causes will be highlighted over six days

●     Flipkart’s 160-million-plus consumers will be able to contribute towards the causes close to their hearts 

Flipkart, India’s leading e-commerce marketplace, and GiveIndia, one of the country’s largest and most trusted donation platforms, have come together for the first time for Daan Utsav and Giving Tuesday India, a one of a kind giving initiative, to encourage people to perform acts of kindness by contributing to a cause they believe in.

To be held between October 5-10 on the Flipkart platform, Daan Utsav 2019 will highlight the various causes citizens can contribute to from the Flipkart platform. These range from sustainability, women empowerment, equality for the differently-abled, menstrual hygiene, animal welfare, and children empowerment. These causes are supported by various non-profit organisations including Magic Bus, Goonj, Haritika, Charlie’s Animal Rescue Centre, and Uma Educational & Technical Society.

The partnership will take the concept of ‘everyday giving’ a notch higher by bringing charity to the fingertips of millions of Flipkart users. Every donor will be able to view periodic impact reports that will show them how their donation is being utilized.

The partnership will enable over 160 million Flipkart customers, lakhs of sellers, and Flipkart employees to contribute to any of the six social causes. 

Commenting on the partnership, Kalyan Krishnamurthy, CEO of Flipkart Group, said, “As we gear up to celebrate the festive season, our goal is to ensure that we reach out to the underserved and work towards the promise of a better nation. By identifying a unique cause for each of the six days of Daan Utsav, we hope to bring together our users and stakeholders for a cause that they feel strongly about. In essence, this initiative is aimed at contributing to nation-building, as we work towards bridging the gap between India and Bharat, the privileged and the underserved.”

Atul Satija, CEO, GiveIndia said, “GiveIndia is a pioneer in bridging the gap between donors and trusted non-profits. Daan Utsav or the Joy of Giving Week is a great platform for us to boost our mission of alleviating poverty by enabling the world to ‘Give’. Through this alliance with Flipkart, we are accelerating towards our aim to simplify giving at scale. Not only are we supporting Flipkart in their giving journey by connecting them with trusted non-profits but we are also reaching out to their millions of users and contributing towards the building of an everyday philanthropy ecosystem.”

 Celebrating its 11th year, Daan Utsav is an annual festival which encourages selfless giving among citizens. What started with a handful of volunteers has now become a national phenomenon that takes place every year from October 2-8.. During Daan Utsav, people perform various acts of kindness by contributing meaningfully to a cause they believe in and society at large.

Last year’s Daan Utsav saw the participation of more than six million participants from over 200 towns, cities and villages across the country

Flipkart’s ‘The Big Billion Days’ Is Back

Flipkart’s ‘The Big Billion Days’ Is Back

India’s most awaited sale will kick off from September 29th

The sale event will bring exciting offers from lakhs of sellers, artisans to millions of customers

The Big Billion Days begin from midnight Sept 29th, with 4-hour Early Access for Flipkart Plus consumers, and will run until Oct 4th The 6-day event will see lakhs of sellers, artisans & brands of India bringing the biggest offers with exciting  deals and discounts across their entire selection 10% instant discount on Axis Bank debit and credit cards and ICICI Bank credit cards Widest selection and a host of new offerings across mobiles, gadgets, TVs, appliances, fashion, personal care, furniture and more Consumers can avail multiple loan options ranging from Cardless Credit and Flipkart PayLater to No-Cost EMIs on leading bank debit and credit cards Expanded supply chain in preparation for The Big Billion Days means increased reach and access for consumers and sellers Flipkart has tied up with India’s biggest superstars, including Amitabh Bachchan, Deepika Padukone, Alia Bhatt, Virat Kohli, MS Dhoni, Puneeth Rajkumar, Dulquer Salman and Mahesh Babu  to light up the festive season Flipkart has partnered with almost 30,000 kiranas to help consumers with navigating online shopping, and boosting their livelihood

Flipkart, India’s leading e-commerce marketplace, today announced that it will kick off the country’s festive season with its biggest flagship event, The Big Billion Days (TBBD), from September 29th to October 4th. There will be a 4-hour Early Access for Flipkart Plus consumers. To make shopping easier and more accessible for consumers this festive season, Flipkart has partnered with Axis and ICICI Banks to design special offers for cardholders.

Categories will open to consumers as follows:

●     29th September: Fashion, TVs & Appliances, Home & Furniture, Beauty, Sports, Toys, Books, Smart Devices, Personal Care Appliances, Travel & more

●     30th September: Mobiles and Electronic Devices & Accessories

This year, more than ever, the Big Billion Days will be celebrated all across India, from metros to Tier IV markets and beyond. Over the last few months, Flipkart has scaled up its supply chain considerably, both in first- and last-mile delivery, largely in underpenetrated parts of the country to cater to the needs of consumers and sellers. The company has more than doubled the number of pincodes where it offers pick-up capabilities to sellers and has added around 30,000 kiranas to its network to handhold consumers through their online purchase journey.

During the Big Billion Days, consumers will have access to the widest selection of brands and products across categories from lakhs of sellers, brands and artisans. With deals to watch out for in key categories such as mobiles, gadgets, TVs, appliances, fashion, personal care, furniture and more - there will be something for every consumer across India on Flipkart this festive season. For the first time, consumers will also now be able to buy insurance for appliances during the Big Billion Days. To maximise value for consumers, there will be new  and exciting offers every single hour by our seller partners, for the entire 144-hour event.

Over the past year, Flipkart has worked closely with brands to share insights and has co-created products tailored to the unique needs of Indian consumers. Flipkart has also scaled up the selection available under its Private Brands, with 10,000+ products under 200 categories specially designed for consumers. In addition, this year for the first time, India’s community of artisans, weavers, and craftsmen will be able to participate in this landmark festive event through Flipkart Samarth.

Affordability is one of the key pillars for the Big Billion Days, with a focus on empowering consumers to fulfill all their shopping aspirations without compromising on their budgets. This year, over 50 million Indians will have access to some form of credit, through Flipkart’s various loan options, including Cardless Credit, Flipkart PayLater and No-Cost EMIs on leading bank debit and credit cards. There will also be 10% instant discount for Axis Bank debit and credit card holders and ICICI Bank credit card users.

Speaking about this year’s Big Billion Days, Kalyan Krishnamurthy, CEO - Flipkart Group, said, “Every year, The Big Billion Days marks the beginning of India’s festive season and every year we set out to deliver the best possible experience for our consumers and our lakhs of sellers. This year, more than ever, we are partnering with brands, MSMEs, sellers, and artisans to deliver unparalleled selection and user experience to our consumers. The Big Billion Days is a time for the whole country to come together and celebrate, without worrying about budgets or constraints. At Flipkart, we’ve worked hard over the past year to prepare for The Big Billion Days and we look forward to collaborating with the whole ecosystem to deliver the best festive season yet.”

This Big Billion Days, Bharat’s favourite festive event will engage a large ecosystem of partner brands with exciting engagements for consumers at various touchpoints. For the Big Billion Days 2019, Flipkart has partnered with India’s favourite Bollywood and sports superstars, including Amitabh Bachchan, Deepika Padukone, Alia Bhatt, Virat Kohli, and MS Dhoni, among others.

NEW IN the Big Billion Days 2019: 10% instant discount + 5% unlimited cashback for Flipkart Axis Bank cobrand card customers Exciting new games and contests with rewards upto Rs. 100 crore to be won Shoppers will be able to buy Complete protection plans for appliances, in addition to mobiles 100+ Partner offers for SuperCoins and 4X Coins on all partners such as Ola, OYO, PhonePe, UrbanClap, 1mg SuperCoins will unlock a host of special celebrity experiences, 4x earning on SuperPartners, Exclusive Rewards and free flight offers during the BBD BBD Specials: Launch of innovative products from top brands specially for the 6 days of Big Billion Days This will be the first-ever Big Billion Days for artisans and weavers, who will be getting the opportunity to sell to the entire country