Telangana’s Food Safety Department on Wednesday, June 5, conducted a raid on a Blinkit warehouse in Devar Yamjal, Medchal Malkajgiri district.
The inspection revealed several food safety violations, prompting immediate action from the authorities.
In a detailed post on X, the Commissioner of Food Safety, Telangana, reported that the task force found the Blinkit warehouse to be “disorganised, unhygienic and dusty.”
The department highlighted multiple issues including the absence of a FoSTaC-trained food safety supervisor and food handlers working without necessary protective gear such as headgears, gloves, and aprons.
Furthermore, medical fitness certificates for the food handlers were not available, raising significant concerns about worker health and safety.
One of the most alarming discoveries was that cosmetic products were stored alongside food items, posing a risk of contamination.
The department seized edible items worth INR 82,000 from the premises that either did not comply with food safety norms or had expired licenses.
Specifically, products from Kamakshi Foods, including Suji, Raw Peanut Butter, Maida, Poha, Besan, and Bajra worth INR 30,000, were seized due to expired licenses.
Additionally, suspected infested Whole Farm Ragi flour and Toor Dal worth INR 52,000 were confiscated, with samples sent to the lab for further testing.
The inspection also revealed non-compliance with labeling norms under the Food Safety and Standards Act 2006 by Whole Farm Congruence Trade and Services Pvt Ltd. Notices will be issued to the concerned parties regarding these violations.
The authorities have announced that further actions will be taken based on the findings of the inspection.
Meanwhile, Blinkit has stated that it is working closely with the food safety department to implement corrective measures.
A Blinkit spokesperson commented, “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.”
For the uninitiated, quick commerce platforms like Blinkit operate through strategically located warehouses or dark stores.
These facilities are typically 2,500-3,500 square feet in size and are situated near residential areas to facilitate rapid deliveries. Within these warehouses, multiple handlers operate to pack and dispatch items for delivery.
This incident adds to the challenges faced by Blinkit, which has recently been scrutinized for its ’10 minute’ delivery claims by the Central Consumer Protection Authority (CCPA) and has been involved in a trademark infringement case.
Additionally, Blinkit faced service disruptions last month due to a strike by its delivery executives demanding a new pay structure.
Despite these challenges, Blinkit has been scaling up operations and reported a significant revenue increase to INR 769 Cr in the fourth quarter (Q4) of the financial year 2023-24 (FY24) from INR 363 Cr in the year-ago quarter.
The company’s adjusted EBITDA loss also improved to INR 37 Cr in Q4 FY24 from INR 203 Cr in Q4 FY23, demonstrating progress towards profitability.
