Maharashtra FDA revokes suspension of Zepto’s Dharavi store license after compliance review

Maharashtra FDA revokes suspension of Zepto’s Dharavi store license after compliance review

Zepto has received regulatory clearance to resume operations at its Dharavi dark store in Mumbai, after the Maharashtra Food and Drug Administration (FDA) revoked the suspension of its food business license, the company said in a statement on June 14.

The suspension was lifted following a detailed reinspection by the state’s Food Safety Commissioner and the submission of a compliance report by Zepto, which included an internal audit, water analysis, and photographic evidence of corrective measures taken at the site.

The appeal filed by Zepto was heard on June 13. “The Appellate Authority was pleased to pass an order allowing the appeal and thereby revoking the Suspension Order,” the company said.

The Dharavi dark store had been shut since late May after the FDA flagged serious lapses including the presence of expired products, fungus on food items, and unhygienic storage conditions such as clogged stagnant water and improper cold storage, Moneycontrol reported earlier.

“The findings constituted a failure to comply with the conditions of the license,” the FDA had said earlier.

This comes amid a clear escalation in regulatory scrutiny of backend food handling in India’s quick commerce sector. Barely a week after, Zepto's dark store was ordered to cease its operations, the Maharashtra FDA flagged a Blinkit dark store in Pune for operating without a mandatory food safety license.

The episode had added to a string of challenges for the quick commerce startup, which has also seen delivery worker strikes in Hyderabad and a scale-down of its Zepto Café offering in multiple cities. The regulatory action came at a time when the company has postponed its public listing by a year to 2026, as it courts domestic investors to become a fully Indian-owned firm.

Zepto said it remains committed to complying with all food safety norms under the Food Safety and Standards Act, 2006.

“We reiterate our strong commitment to upholding food safety standards and delivering a safe and trusted experience for users nationwide,” the company said.