Zomato warehouse inspection underway in Bengaluru after Zepto facility sealed

Bengaluru: Karnataka’s Food Safety and Drug Administration Department has begun inspecting Zomato’s Hyperpure facility on Bannerghatta Road in Bengaluru, days after officials sealed a Zepto warehouse in Hoskote over alleged food safety violations.

The inspection of the Zomato facility began on August 11, and authorities have not yet released their findings. The action comes as Karnataka officials intensify checks on food storage and handling facilities linked to quick-commerce and food-delivery operations.

What happened at the Zomato facility?

The Karnataka Food Safety and Drug Administration Department began an inspection of Zomato’s warehouse operations in Bengaluru on August 11.

Officials are currently inspecting Hyperpure by Zomato on Bannerghatta Road. The department has not yet issued a statement on whether any violations were found or whether any enforcement action will follow.

The inspection remains ongoing, making this a developing story.

Why is this significant?

The inspection comes amid increased food safety scrutiny of warehouses and supply facilities used by quick-commerce and food-delivery companies.

Hyperpure is Zomato’s business-to-business food-supply platform, which supplies food and other products to restaurants. Any findings at such a facility could therefore have implications for food storage, handling and supply-chain practices.

However, no violations have been reported at the Zomato facility so far, and the outcome of the inspection is awaited.

Zepto warehouse sealed in Bengaluru

The development follows action against a Zepto warehouse operated by Nippon Express in Hoskote taluk of Bengaluru Rural district.

During a special inspection, Karnataka food safety officials reported finding several violations, including:

• Unhygienic food handling and storage conditions
• Non-compliant labelling
• Misbranding
• Other violations of FSSAI requirements
• The warehouse was subsequently sealed by the department.
• Wider food safety crackdown

The inspection of Zomato’s Hyperpure facility is part of a wider focus on food safety standards at warehouses and food-handling facilities.

Authorities have been examining areas such as hygiene, storage, labelling, pest control, product expiry and compliance with food safety regulations.

The latest inspection does not indicate that Zomato has been found in violation of food safety rules. The department's findings are still awaited.