The Maharashtra Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has flagged a Blinkit dark store in Pune for operating without a mandatory food safety license, as scrutiny of food safety standards among quick commerce firms in India intensifies.

The facility, situated close to Mitcon College in Balewadi and managed by M/s Energy Darkstore Services, underwent an inspection on June 5 following a complaint regarding food safety from a consumer. During the evaluation, FDA officials discovered that the store was currently storing and distributing food items without the necessary license as mandated by the Food Safety and Standards Act, 2006.

The Joint Commissioner (Food) instructed the operator to immediately cease all food-related activities, making it clear that the store could not continue operations until it secured a valid license. The FDA also cautioned against potential legal repercussions if this directive was disregarded. A comprehensive inspection report that accompanied the notice outlined several compliance deficiencies. Although the vendor had submitted a license application, no approval had been issued by the time of the inspection.

Nevertheless, the facility was found to be distributing packaged food, some of which was on bulk storage racks, without any system of traceability. The inspection also revealed that the store was maintaining unsanitary conditions – food debris was present on the floor, and employees were not wearing hair coverings while handling food items.

The facility, which reportedly has around 50 employees, lacked food safety inspection certifications for any staff member, cold storage units for milk and fruits were missing calibration records, and there were no documentation of safety training provided to workers, among other issues.

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M/s Energy Darkstore Services is believed to be one of Blinkit’s partners for last-mile warehousing and fulfillment. This occurs during a period when Blinkit, like many of its competitors, is expanding its quick commerce operations by significantly increasing its dark store presence. Its overall user base is now also nearing the size of its main food delivery business.