WalMart India

A significant turning point in its operational strategy occurred in 2018 when Walmart Inc. acquired a 77% controlling stake in the Indian e-commerce company Flipkart for $16 billion. This move signaled a major pivot towards a holistic ecosystem combining e-commerce and wholesale. Further consolidating its operations, in July 2020, the Flipkart Group acquired 100% of Walmart India and its Best Price cash-and-carry business. This integration led to the launch of 'Flipkart Wholesale,' a digital marketplace aimed at transforming the retail ecosystem for kiranas (small neighborhood stores) and Micro, Small, and Medium-sized Enterprises (MSMEs). The existing 28 Best Price stores continued to operate, serving their 1.5 million members, but now under the Flipkart Group's umbrella.

The core business of the entity revolves around a business-to-business (B2B) model, serving registered members including kirana stores, hotels, restaurants, caterers (HoReCa), and other MSMEs. Revenue is generated from the sale of a wide assortment of goods at wholesale prices through its network of physical cash-and-carry stores and the Flipkart Wholesale digital platform. The product range includes groceries, general merchandise, apparel, and electronics, sourced from top Indian brands and local manufacturers. The model provides small businesses with one-stop access to an extensive selection of products, attractive schemes, and data-driven recommendations to improve their efficiency and margins. Following the acquisition by Flipkart, Sameer Aggarwal, who was appointed CEO of Walmart India in April 2020, remained with the company to ensure a smooth transition before moving to another role within Walmart.