Eternal Plans Faster Blinkit Expansion Across India

Eternal Limited (NSE: ETERNAL), the parent company of Blinkit and Zomato, has accelerated its quick-commerce expansion plans, targeting 3,500 Blinkit dark stores by March 2027, up from its earlier target of 3,000. The company now expects to reach approximately 5,000 stores by March 2028, with expansion focused largely on smaller cities and newer product categories. Blinkit Expansion Update Current Store Network: 2,751 as of September 2026 Stores Added in Q2 FY27: 308 net additions March 2027 Target: 3,500 stores March 2028 Target: Around 5,000 stores Q2 FY27 Business Performance Net Order Value (NOV): ₹20,940 crore, up 79.3% YoY Blinkit Revenue: ₹19,152 crore, up 93.6% YoY Adjusted EBITDA: ₹184 crore, compared with a loss of ₹156 crore a year ago Adjusted EBITDA Margin: Improved to 0.9% of NOV from 0.6% in Q1 FY27 Why Is Eternal Expanding Faster? Management cited more predictable competition and attractive store economics in smaller cities. It expects profitability improvements at mature stores to offset the initial margin pressure from newly opened outlets. What Investors Should Monitor The key factors are store-level profitability, order growth, payback periods and whether rapid expansion can continue without weakening margins. Blinkit's expansion creates an opportunity to capture more quick-commerce demand, but execution and returns on new stores will be critical as competition remains intense. Disclaimer: This content is for educational and informational purposes only and should not be considered investment advice or a recommendation to buy or sell any security. Investors should conduct their own research and consider their risk profile before making any investment decision.