Reliance retail scales up dark stores, enhances 30-minute hyper-local deliveries via Jiomart

Reliance Retail, the retail arm of billionaire Mukesh Ambani-led Reliance Industries, is aggressively expanding its network of dark stores across India to strengthen its position in the burgeoning quick commerce segment. The company has already operationalised over 600 dark stores and plans to open more in select locations to improve coverage for deliveries under 30 minutes.

Addressing analysts after the quarterly results, Reliance Retail CFO Dinesh Taluja highlighted that JioMart is uniquely positioned in the hyper-local delivery market due to its combination of a vast physical store network and strategically placed dark stores. _“We continue to invest in dark stores to amplify our capabilities in quick hyper-local deliveries, ensuring timely service even in areas where Reliance Retail stores cannot deliver within 30 minutes,”_ Taluja said.

Rapid Growth in Hyper-Local Deliveries :

JioMart, Reliance Retail’s e-commerce platform, has witnessed remarkable growth in its hyper-local operations. The platform recorded a 42% quarter-on-quarter increase and more than 200% year-on-year growth in average daily orders. Its operations now cover 5,000 pin codes across India, supported by over 3,000 stores in more than 1,000 cities up from 4,000 pin codes just six months ago in the March quarter.

Expanding beyond groceries, JioMart has also introduced quick hyper-local deliveries for electronics and accessories, promising 30-minute delivery across 10 major cities. The platform added 5.8 million new customers in the quarter, reflecting a 120% quarter-on-quarter growth. In addition, its seller base grew 20% year-on-year, while the live catalogue selection was expanded to provide customers with more variety and choice.

Leveraging the Physical Retail Network :

Reliance Retail operates a network of 19,821 stores covering 77.8 million sq ft across India. The JioMart app strategically uses this existing store network to deliver within a three-kilometre radius. However, to meet demand in high-volume pockets where delivery within 30 minutes from retail stores is not feasible, Reliance is setting up dark stores with small, warehouse-like facilities stocked with popular products for faster delivery.

Financial Performance Reflects Strong Growth :

The September quarter results for Reliance Retail Venture Ltd (RRVL) reflect robust growth. Gross revenue rose 18% to Rs 90,018 crore, while profit after tax increased 21.9% to Rs 3,457 crore. For the financial year 2024-25, the company reported a gross revenue of Rs 3.30 lakh crore, underscoring its dominance in the Indian retail market.

With rapid expansion of dark stores and the continuous scaling of its hyper-local delivery network, Reliance Retail aims to strengthen JioMart’s position as India’s leading quick commerce platform, competing with established players like Blinkit, Swiggy Instamart, and BigBasket. The strategy reflects a clear focus on convenience, speed, and an enhanced customer experience, leveraging the synergy between online and offline retail assets.