Amazon Seller Services Pvt. Ltd, the Indian unit of Amazon, plans to expand its Kirana Now initiative into a full-fledged business, reports Live Mint. Amazon soft-launched Kirana Now, (named after the Hindi word kirana for grocery), last March in a few neighborhoods in Bangalore.
The orders will be delivered by Amazon’s own logistics services in order to ensure consistency in delivery. The company has hired hundreds of delivery men, and plans to expand to up to 10 cities in India this year, three people with this information, but who did not want to be identified, said.
Amazon, with its logistics expertise and deep pockets, will be a formidable opponent for hyperlocal start-ups, said Harish H.V. a partner at consultant Grant Thornton India.
“Groceries is a massive market but very difficult to crack as well. That’s why you’re seeing start-ups try various business models. I think there’s space for more than one firm in this and Amazon isn’t unbeatable. But their entry will shake things up and put pressure on start-ups to up their game,” he said.
Last updated: December 26th, 2025
