We Have Empowered Regional Brands To Reach Masses: Dinkar Ayilavarapu

Can you provide an overview of the current organisational structure of Flipkart Wholesale and how it supports your strategic goals? 
Flipkart Wholesale, part of the Flipkart Group, is a digital B2B marketplace with the primary goal of transforming India’s kirana retail ecosystem by leveraging its homegrown technology and innovation capabilities. Our vision is to provide a one-stop access to an extensive selection of products to kirana owners, SMEs and wholesalers, by providing them with data-driven recommendations for relevant stock selection, thereby increasing member’s retention and higher profits. Flipkart Wholesale has empowered various regional brands to reach the masses and given them access to national markets by helping them transcend the regional boundaries. Our focus on better visibility for companies and retailers, regional selection, growth of street business, and credit services has been critical to our growth.

How does Flipkart Wholesale prioritise sourcing from SMEs and MSMEs, and what initiatives are in place to support these businesses?
Flipkart Wholesale has an omnichannel approach to drive both topline and bottom-line growth. This includes in-store, ecommerce, and assisted formats (reseller channel focusing on unserved and underserved retailers and institutional channel which services HoReCa, institutions, key and large accounts, etc.) with loyalty programmes like SaveEazy available to members across all channels. Technology is vital in dynamically managing its product mix and maintaining a viable business model. This approach provides opportunities for kirana members to expand their customer base and sustain themselves in the competitive market. Flipkart Wholesale prioritises a sustainable business model that benefits all retailers and adds value to their businesses. We focus on maintaining the right mix of categories, optimum and wide selection, and the best possible credit solutions for the customers along with seamless delivery and customer experience. The company is committed to offering beneficial initiatives to help small retailers add value to their businesses. Currently, the company has all relevant regional brands on its platform and will continue to add more.

What are the key market challenges Flipkart Wholesale is currently facing? 
Underserved niches: While distribution is getting better, identifying and effectively serving underserved niches can still be a challenge. It's essential to ensure that the products and services offered meet the unique demands of these segments.

Digitising the base and cost efficiency: Digitisation can indeed reduce costs, but the challenge lies in effectively implementing digital solutions across all aspects of the business. This includes optimising internal operations, leveraging data analytics for decision-making, and adopting efficient digital platforms for customer interaction and transaction processing. On an initial level, this will incur cost to the company, however, in the later stages, the cost savings from digitisation can ideally be passed on to customers, making your offerings more competitive

Credit facility for formal economy: Being a bridge between the formal and informal economies requires navigating regulatory complexities and building trust with both segments. It involves offering tailored solutions that cater to the needs of small businesses and informal sellers while adhering to formal market standards and regulations. Many businesses in the informal economy may not have access to formal credit due to lack of credit history or documentation. For their personal consumption (informal) they can be offered credit but not for their businesses. This poses a challenge when trying to integrate them into the formal economy. Flipkart Wholesale is continuously trying to recognise alternative credit assessment models or working together with fintech companies that specialise in microfinance that could help bridge this gap and expand our customer base.

What opportunities do you see for growth in the near future?
As India's economy grows and consumer purchasing power increases, there is an increasing demand for newer and richer products. This presents B2B companies like Flipkart Wholesale with an opportunity to expand their product offerings to cater to the evolving preferences of kirana owners. By staying attuned to market trends and consumer insights, introducing a diverse range of products can be considered that appeal to the business owners. 

Expansion opportunities for smaller brands: There is a significant opportunity for smaller brands to expand their market presence. These brands often face challenges in reaching a wider audience due to limited resources and distribution capabilities. B2B companies like Flipkart Wholesale can provide these smaller brands with access to a larger customer base, robust logistics infrastructure, easy credit facility and digital marketing support, thereby enabling them to scale their businesses more effectively.
Collaboration with big brands for new product introductions: Partnering with big brands presents an opportunity for B2B players to introduce new and innovative products to the market. Big brands bring established credibility and consumer trust, while companies like Flipkart Wholesale offer a platform for reaching a broader audience quickly. This collaboration can drive product innovation and differentiation, attracting more business owners and enhancing the overall product assortment.

How is Flipkart Wholesale leveraging technology and artificial intelligence to enhance operations and customer experience?
At Flipkart Wholesale, while putting every effort in product development, we focus on one fundamental tenet: members' convenience. And one of the significant components of the same is a robust supply chain. Therefore, through regular tech developments and market advancements, we continuously work towards furthering our commitment of ‘Business Banaye Aasaan’ for our kirana members. The primary focus is to address the needs of our members, spanning credit facilities, language barriers, and so on. For instance, shopping through an online application has resolved the issue of going to stores, thereby reducing the waiting period and enhancing the members’ experience. Additionally, to help address the credit requirement of kiranas, we have partnered with several organisations to give our members access to features such as Buy Now Pay Later. 

That said, being a part of the Flipkart Group gives Flipkart Wholesale a competitive advantage because we can leverage our homegrown technology capabilities, extensive experience in the ecommerce segment, and strong supply chain infrastructure to reach kiranas and MSME across the nation. Our focus continues to provide value and achieve higher operational productivity by assisting the members in expanding faster.

Can you share details about the current number of stores and distribution centres, and what are your plans for expansion over the next few years?
The company has 26 stores across India, and a strong online presence. Over 1.2 million kiranas and MSME members have enhanced their reach using Flipkart Wholesale’s robust platform, which eases supply chain challenges and offers various value-based products.

What has been Flipkart Wholesale’s revenue growth in India over the past year, and what factors have contributed to this growth?
We have witnessed positive growth in the past year and in terms of quarterly growth this year. We are confident that this momentum will continue into the upcoming quarters as we work with more business owners across the country. The growth observed mainly arises from three critical offerings by Flipkart Wholesale: wide assortment of stock, credit terms and benefits, and the convenience ensured by the omnichannel offerings.

What significant investments has Flipkart Wholesale made recently, and what are your future investment plans to drive further growth?
The current investments by Flipkart Wholesale are through the stores and fulfillment centres along with our digital convenience. We are able to meet the requirements of customers by offering a one-stop solution for all B2B wholesale needs. Expansion and future investments will depend on changes to this scenario, which we closely monitor using our data-led approach.