E-commerce giant Flipkart has forayed into the growing e-pharmacy space by launching its new vertical Flipkart Health + with the acquisition of digital healthcare platform, Sastasundar Marketplace Limited. The e-tailer said that it has entered into a definitive agreement to acquire a majority share in Sastasundar Marketplace Limited which owns and operates SastaSundar.com, an online pharmacy and digital healthcare platform whose focus is on providing consumers access to affordable and convenient healthcare.
Flipkart will be competing with the likes of Amazon Pharmacy, Reliance-backed NetMeds, and Tata-owned 1MG, besides niche players like PharmEasy among others in the segment.
SastaSundar.com claims to offer a digital healthcare and pharmacy platform which is supported by a network of more than 490 pharmacies. It aims to address the issues of access to affordable and quality healthcare in India by providing original products from authorised sources and delivering them across the country. By utilising AI and data analytics technologies and integrating them with personal counselling through its network, SastaSundar.com provides consumers comprehensive solutions for a wide range of healthcare need, as per an official handout.
Flipkart Health+ will leverage the combined strengths of the Flipkart Group, which includes its pan-India reach and technology capabilities, with SastaSundar’s deep expertise to provide consumers end-to-end offerings in the health-tech ecosystem. It will endeavour, according to the company, to give millions of Indian consumers access to quality and affordable healthcare, starting with e-pharmacy and will add new healthcare services such as e-diagnostics and e-consultation over time. Flipkart Health+ team will report to Ajay Veer Yadav, Senior Vice President and a Flipkart veteran.
This new venture builds on the Flipkart’s efforts to address the growing consumer Internet ecosystem, providing end-to-end offerings from travel to healthcare as digital technologies continue to democratise access to products and services.
“The consumer Internet ecosystem in India is growing rapidly as consumers recognise the opportunities and convenience that digital adoption is enabling in their lives. With growing awareness and focus on health heightened by the pandemic, there is a large opportunity and demand for affordable healthcare and ancillary offerings. We are excited to enter this space through this investment in SastaSundar.com, a company that has established itself as a trusted partner for lakhs of consumers through genuine products, a technology-powered platform and a wide network. The synergies between the Flipkart Group and SatsaSundar.com, combined with our commitment to prioritise our customer’s needs, will help us grow and transform online healthcare in India,” Ravi Iyer, Senior Vice President and Head – Corporate Development, Flipkart, said in a statement.
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