Shares of Eternal Ltd. were in focus on Tuesday after reports emerged that Maharashtra’s Food and Drug Administration (FDA) had suspended the food license of Blinkit in Pune’s Balewadi area due to multiple regulatory violations, as reported by The Economic Times.
According to the report, a June 5 investigation by the Maharashtra FDA revealed that the Blinkit-operated facility, managed by M/s Energy Darkstore Services near Mitcon College in Balewadi, lacked a valid Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI) license required for producing, distributing, or selling food items. In addition to licensing gaps, serious food safety lapses were observed, including improperly stored food items on the floor and missing pest control audits.
The FDA acted under Section 31(1) of the Food Safety and Standards Act, 2006, suspending the facility’s food business licence until the proper authorisation is obtained.
This action follows rising scrutiny of dark store operations across India amid growing concerns over food hygiene and regulatory compliance. Blinkit has not yet responded to queries regarding the suspension.
The development has sparked renewed market attention toward Eternal Ltd., which is believed to have exposure or links to service providers in the last-mile and food retail space.
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