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 wellbeing 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.
