Zepto on Monday said it is taking all necessary corrective measures to resume operations after Maharashtra Food and Drug Administration (FDA) suspended the food business license of Kiranakart Technologies Pvt. Ltd.—the parent company of the quick-commerce platform —for its Dharavi facility.
The Maharashtra FDA suspended the food business license citing serious violations of food safety and hygiene norms.
The action was taken after a surprise inspection on May 31 by food safety officer Ram Bodke, conducted under the direction of Minister of State for FDA Yogesh Kadam and supervision of Joint Commissioner (Food) Mangesh Mane. The inspection revealed multiple breaches of the Food Safety and Standards Act, 2006.
Zepto released a statement on the matter and said, “We are committed to rectifying the lapses identified and strengthening our processes to provide the best and safest quality of products to our consumers”.
"We are taking all necessary corrective measures to resume operations in accordance with regulatory obligations and applicable laws as soon as possible. We have already initiated an internal review and are working closely with the concerned authorities to ensure full and swift compliance," Zepto added.
What inspector's found
According to the FDA’s report, inspectors found several food items with visible fungal growth, while others were stored in proximity to stagnant, clogged water—raising the risk of pest infestation, as reported by Hindustan Times earlier.
{{/usCountry}}According to the FDA’s report, inspectors found several food items with visible fungal growth, while others were stored in proximity to stagnant, clogged water—raising the risk of pest infestation, as reported by Hindustan Times earlier.
{{/usCountry}}Cold storage units were not maintaining the prescribed temperatures, and the facility’s floors were wet, dirty, and littered with food products stored directly on the ground.
Food items that had crossed their expiry dates were also found mixed with fresh inventory, violating basic protocols of segregation and shelf-life management.
“These findings point to gross non-compliance with the conditions of the food business license and present a clear risk to public health,” the FDA had said in a statement.