Delhivery is expanding its services by introducing dark stores and in-city delivery solutions to capitalise on the growing demand for faster deliveries in India. Unlike competitors that focus on 15-20 minute deliveries, Delhivery’s dark stores will cater to 2-4 hour delivery windows. This strategic shift means that services like Zepto, Blinkit, and Swiggy’s Instamart, which specialise in ultra-fast delivery, are not expected to be among Delhivery’s customers.
CEO Sahil Barua explained in a recent post-earnings call with analysts that Delhivery’s dark stores will support multiple companies, allowing them to share resources and reduce costs. “Standalone dark stores would be quite expensive. The goal is to help companies manage their costs effectively while significantly boosting our revenue,” Barua noted.
As demand for rapid deliveries surges in India, traditional ecommerce and logistics companies are also exploring quick commerce solutions. Flipkart is preparing to enter this space, while SoftBank-backed Xpressbees is pursuing similar opportunities through partnerships with ecommerce players.
Delhivery’s dark stores will complement its existing logistics network, which includes mother warehouses for quick commerce. Barua highlighted that these stores will enhance last-mile connectivity and are particularly suited for products like mobile phones.
In its recent financial results, Delhivery reported a profit after tax of Rs 54 crore for Q1 FY25, a notable turnaround from a loss of Rs 89 crore in Q1 FY24. Revenue from services grew by 12.6% to Rs 2,172 crore in Q1 FY25, up from Rs 1,930 crore in the same period last year.
