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Food safety officials in Hyderabad raided a warehouse owned by Blinkit, the quick commerce arm recently acquired by Zomato, uncovering significant violations and expired food items. The Commissioner of Food Safety, Telangana, shared details of the raid on X (formerly known as Twitter), highlighting the concerning state of the facility.
During the raid, which took place on June 5, officials discovered numerous hygiene violations at Blinkit’s warehouse in Devar Yamjal, Medchal Malkajgiri District. This incident raises serious questions about the safety protocols in place amidst the rapid growth of the quick commerce sector, which is revolutionizing online grocery shopping.
The raid revealed a lack of basic hygiene protocols, including:
- Disorganized and unhygienic premises: Storage racks were found to be dusty and the overall environment was unsanitary.
- Absence of Fostac trainee: No trained personnel were available to ensure food safety compliance.
- Inadequate protective gear for food handlers: Food handlers were working without headgears, gloves, and aprons.
- Missing medical fitness certificates: No medical fitness certificates were available for the food handlers.
- Improper storage: Cosmetic products were stored alongside food products.
- Licensing issues: The license of Whole Farm Congruence Trade and Services Pvt Ltd did not comply with the FSS Act regarding the address mentioned on the label.
Expired products manufactured by Kamakshi Foods were seized during the raid, including:
- Suji (semolina)
- Raw peanut butter
- Maida (refined flour)
- Poha (flattened rice)
- Besan (gram flour)
- Bajra (pearl millet)
These expired items, worth Rs 30,000, were seized, and Rs 52,000 worth of suspected infested whole finger millet flour and pigeon peas were sent for laboratory testing.
In response to the findings, a company spokesperson for Blinkit stated, “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 from the findings.”
The inspection also highlighted the overall disorganized and unsanitary environment of the warehouse, raising concerns about the operational standards of quick commerce platforms.
Blinkit, a competitor to Swiggy Instamart and Tata Group-owned BBNow, operates in various cities across India, promising deliveries within 10 minutes. These deliveries are fulfilled through dark stores—warehouses located in residential areas, typically sized between 2,500 and 3,500 square feet. Orders are processed solely by in-house staff within these closed facilities, which are not accessible to the public and are situated in secluded areas with lower rent costs.
