Worldmark is going big with the holiday season this year, where each day of celebration unfolds a new chapter of Christmas cheer! With a food and beverage lineup featuring the crème de la crème, Worldmark proudly showcases its wonderland allure—a culinary haven with the most extensive array of international cuisines, resembling a charming town within itself. Undoubtedly, the holiday season poses as the prime time to experience this magic. Here’s a glimpse into the magical Worldmark calendar for this December:
9th-10th Dec, Sat-Sun: Pre Christmas Market
A prelude to Christmas at the vibrant market, offering a plethora of winter shopping, delectable cakes, Xmas crafts, tree hangings, and cookie decoration.
17th Dec, Sun: International Clown Festival
A day filled with laughter and joy as the International Clown Festival takes centre stage, promising a carnival of whimsical antics and delightful performances.
4.30pm onwards
23rd Dec, Sat: Christmas Carol Singing
Sweet melodies of Christmas carols as talented singers come together to serenade you with timeless tunes, creating a heartwarming atmosphere.
24th Dec, Sun: Christmas Parade
Witness the magic of Christmas come to life with a dazzling parade, featuring festive floats, joyful performers, and the spirit of the season parading through the alleys of Worldmark.
25th Dec, Mon: Santa Meet and Greet
The most anticipated moment—meet and greet Santa himself! Share your wishes and capture the magic of Christmas with a memorable encounter.
Worldmark’s Christmas Week promises a time that is full of joy, laughter, and merriment. Mark your calendar, and join them for a week-long celebration that will make this holiday season truly unforgettable.
Clensta, a personal care brand backed by Parineeti Chopra, has engaged JM Financial, a prominent investment banking firm in India, to serve as its investment banker for driving its expansion initiatives. Recognized for its involvement in noteworthy IPOs of modern companies like Nykaa, Mamaearth, IdeaForge, and Zaggle, JM Financial will provide strategic guidance on Clensta’s future fundraising endeavors.
In a year marked by sustained growth, Clensta has strengthened its leadership by welcoming Ashish Mishra as a co-founder and Chief Business Officer, complementing Parineeti Chopra’s role as a partner and key investor. The brand is strategically adopting an omnichannel approach to optimize its category mix. Having already established a robust online and offline presence in the Indian market, Clensta has organically expanded its footprint internationally.
Puneet Gupta, Founder of Clensta said, “Our collaboration with JM Financial is part of a series of strategic moves, aligning with Clensta’s association with actor Parineeti Chopra and the appointment of Ashish Mishra as our co-founder and CBO. We aim to enhance our omnichannel distribution, encompassing retail, online, international, and alternate markets, while pursuing significant deals in institutional and export segments. With JM Financial onboard, we look forward to concentrating on business development under the leadership of Ashish.”
In a previous milestone this year, Clensta secured a successful Pre-Series B funding round, raising INR 75 crore. The round was led by TradeCred, co-led by the Royal Family of the UAE, and included participation from investors such as Parineeti Chopra. Illustrating remarkable growth, Clensta recorded a 100 percent increase in FY23 and foresees an additional 150 percent growth in the forthcoming fiscal year.
Are you struggling to find a solution to the kids vs veggies battle?
Winter comes with a vibrant array of nutrient-packed vegetables, but for many parents, the challenge lies in transforming these veggies into a kids-approved feast. When it comes to veggies, especially the green ones, kids often put on their food detective hats, ready to uncover any hidden nutrition. But what if you can find a way to make them come back for more?
Juices are a great way to guarantee a blend of taste and essential nutrients if done right. While vegetable juices might not share the same sweetness as their fruity counterparts, we’re ready with our secret weapon – the 1:3 rule: With every three parts of veggies, you mix one part of fruits; and just like that, without losing the goodness of veggies, a symphony of flavours to delight your little one is ready!
Here are 6 kid-friendly vegetable juices that won’t just trick their taste buds but also sneak in a whole lot of nutrition and a pump of energy!
Additional Tips:
If you’ve got a mixer-blender instead of a juicer, go for it! Juicers skip the good stuff like fiber and pulp, but with a mixer/blender, we’re grabbing all that nutrition and making it a vitamin rich party!
We have decided to name our juices to make them sound fun, feel free to make your own.
You can add some honey or coconut sugar to taste.
Serve fresh fruit and vegetable juices immediately!
Carrot Splash
What you need: 2 carrots and 1 orange
Benefits: Rich in antioxidants and Vitamin C
2. Big Red
What you need: 1 Apple, ½ Beetroot, 2 Carrots
Benefits: Purifies the blood and helps in detoxifying the digestive tract.
3. Green Goddess
What you need: 1 cup coconut water, 3-4 spinach leaves, ½ cucumber, 2 slices pineapple
Benefits: Spinach is full of vitamins and minerals like magnesium, potassium, folate, vitamin A, C, K B2, BC and E. While cucumber contains antioxidants, which are important to fight disease.
4. Peppy Berry Burst
What you need: 1 Cup coconut water, 3-4 strawberries, ½ apple, a pinch of black pepper
Benefits: Super hydrating and rich in antioxidants
5. Rabbit Juice
What you need: 1 carrot, 1 tomato and ½ cucumber
Benefits: It’s a great way to prepare tomato juice, and high in Vitamins B & C.
6. Power Potion
What you need: 1 cup chopped spinach, 1 chopped apple, a pinch of salt
Benefits: Spinach is a must include ingredient as part of your kids (and yours) winter diets. It’s great to fight chronic diseases and improves vision power.
7. Veggie Rocket
What you need: 1 tomato, 1 stalk celery, ½ cucumber, handful of fresh parsley, ½ tsp of pink salt
Benefits: Tomatoes are well known to promote great skin and hair growth, while instantly energizing us with antioxidants and getting rid of free radicals from the body.
As we choose wholesome options for our children, keep in mind that we have the power to change their snacking habits. These colorful and nutritious juice recipes lead to a world where pleasure and health can coexist.
Have you ever stopped to marvel at Kiara Advani’s radiant and flawless skin? In the exquisite glamour that is Bollywood, Kiara Advani stands out not just for her acting genius but also for her luminous and healthy skin. Amidst the overwhelming myriad of options surfaced by the beauty industry, this simple yet transformative ritual is not only a fad, but the cornerstone of her radiance.
The secret might be simpler than you think. It’s not a gruelling workout or a 10-step skincare routine; it’s a simple cup of warm water, with a slice of lemon in it. Kiara’s morning habit of indulging in warm water infused with the zest of fresh lemons has become a conscious choice rooted in her approach to holistic well-being. The actress recommends this refreshing elixir not only for its skin-enhancing benefits but also for the multiple benefits it has in improving your overall health and vitality.
Hansa Yogendra, Director of The Yoga Institute in one of her videos on the health benefits of lemons mentioned, “Drinking one glass of lemon water every day in the morning will benefit you for a lifetime”. Her claim can further be supported by a research published in the Journal of Science and Technology which reveals that “It is a healthy appetiser and helps to treat diseases with digestive aids. Lemon does not disclose any adverse effects, according to literature, but it is used all over the world as a traditional medicine”. Vitamin C, which is abundantly present in lemons, fights toxins and increases collagen production in the body, both of which help in treating acne as well as tightening the skin and reducing fine lines and wrinkles. While lemons are famously known for their Vitamin C component, not many people are aware of their Potassium-rich skin, which is an important mineral for nervous stimulation as well as maintaining blood pressure. Here are a few more benefits of adding lemon water to your everyday diet:-
Immediately soothes muscle cramps
Peptin in lemons makes us feel fuller, thereby, helping in weight loss
Boosts immunity by stimulating the production of White Blood Cells in the body
Removal of kidney stones
The lemon peel when infused in water for 30 minutes, activates its bioactive compounds which boost immunity and prevent our bodies from cellular damage
It also helps in the release of digestive enzymes which help in better absorption of nutrients
This simple kitchen hack has proudly made its way into the celebrity wellness circuit. Not only Kiara Advani but also Alia Bhatt, Deepika Padukone, Kriti Sanon, and Malaika Arora have this one drink in common at the break of dawn.
Here are 3 ways, you can incorporate the lemon water glow into your morning routine:-
Warm ginger lemon tea- Boil a glass of water with crushed ginger. When its done, squeeze a lemon into your glass and have it warm. To enjoy it in place of your morning tea, you may add a teaspoon of honey to it.
2. Ginger lemon shot – Take an inch of ginger root, and one squeezed lemon. Add enough water to blend it (3-4 tablespoons) in a blender, and have it as a morning shot.
3. Lemon-infused detox water- Cut up slices of one lemon and add it to your water bottle. Have 1-2 glasses of lemon water in the morning, and keep having the rest throughout the day.
While lemon water offers a myriad of health benefits, it’s crucial to exercise moderation. One lemon a day is a healthy limit, and people with gastroesophageal reflux disease should be cautious about excessive lemon juice intake. As with any dietary rituals, balance is key to ensuring you enjoy the advantages without overdoing it.
Phases, the natural skincare startup based in Davangere, Karnataka, achieved a significant milestone with the successful acquisition of angel funding totaling INR 30 Lakhs. This funding, involving a 20 percent equity dilution, was secured from Aparna Thyagarajan, Co-Founder of Shobitam, Inc. The breakthrough funding opportunity materialized through the startup’s participation in the groundbreaking ‘Indian Angels’ show, now accessible on the OTT platform JioCinema. Notably, Phases had previously sustained itself through the bootstrap efforts of its co-founders before this noteworthy financial injection.
Led by mompreneur Sannjana Raghu Amberkar, Phases is set to strategically deploy the recently secured angel funds. The key areas of concentration encompass product development, fine-tuning customer experience, amplifying marketing and brand visibility, and driving overall growth and expansion. This infusion of financial support harmonizes with Phases’ vision of emerging as a prominent player in India’s skincare market for teens and tweens.
During the ‘Indian Angels’ pitch, Sannjana shared a compelling narrative, accentuating Phases’ mission to provide safe and non-toxic skincare for teens and tweens. The angel investors were particularly resonant with the uniqueness of Phases’ positioning, commitment to sustainability, and meticulous product formulation. In the aftermath of the pitch, Sannjana found herself fielding two investment offers. After careful consideration, she chose Aparna Thyagarajan’s offer, citing a more favorable deal.
Sannjana Raghu Amberkar, Co-Founder, Phases said, “We are thrilled to announce our first angel funding raised from ‘Angel’ Aparna Thyagrajan via the Indian Angels show, marking a pivotal moment in Phases’ journey. The capital infusion will not just help us in meeting our immediate business needs and expansion goals, but additionally over the long-term, it shall open many doors for strategic partnerships and enhance Phases’ market positioning.”
“Apart from financial support, Aparna’s backing brings to us strategic guidance and industry insights as well, and her mentorship will certainly prove invaluable for us in navigating challenges, making informed decisions, and fostering sustainable growth for Phases. Looking ahead, we at Phases are super-excited about our journey in the upcoming years, as we aim to achieve robust revenue growth and profitability, and simultaneously initiate strategic product launches and expansion into new categories,” she added.
In its commitment to empowering teens and tweens, Phases distributes its products via its website and various platforms such as Amazon, Flipkart, and Suspire. The product line is designed to meet skincare needs, with a focus on plant-based ingredients and adherence to rigorous standards of safety and sustainability. Noteworthy among them, bestsellers like Splash and Poise exemplify Phases’ dedication to quality, setting the stage for upcoming product launches that will cater to the expanding skincare requirements of teens and tweens.
Homegrown women’s wear brand Uptownie, which initiated operations in 2015 with an initial investment of INR 80 lakh, is targeting a revenue of INR 60 crore by the end of this fiscal year, as stated by Shivani Agarwal, co-founder and CMO of Uptownie.
The self-funded brand, aiming to achieve an 18 percent EBITDA this fiscal year, mirroring the previous year’s performance, boasts a retention rate of 30 percent. It concluded the last fiscal year with a total of INR 30 crore.
At present, it maintains a presence on 11 marketplaces and operates a direct-to-consumer (D2C) website. There are plans to establish an offline presence in the fiscal year 2024-2025.
The women’s wear brand currently records an average order value of INR 1,800, with intentions to raise it to INR 2,000, while the customer acquisition cost (CAC) ranges between INR 500 and INR 600.
“At present, 70 per cent of our revenue is contributed by marketplaces and the remaining 30 per cent comes from the D2C channel, however, this financial year, we are aiming 45 per cent of our revenue from the marketplaces and the remaining 55 per cent from our D2C as our D2C channel has grown 6x since the last year,” she stated.
“Next year, we are planning to open shop-in-shops at large format stores like Central, Shoppers Stop, and Lifestyle. And towards the end of next year, we plan to open our EBOs,” she further added.
The brand intends to establish Exclusive Brand Outlets (EBOs) in cities such as Kolkata, Bengaluru, Guwahati, and Mumbai. The forthcoming mall-based stores are anticipated to cover an area ranging from 500 to 600 sq.ft.
To support its offline expansion strategy, the brand is preparing to secure INR 25 crore at a valuation of INR 250 crore, involving a 10 percent equity dilution.
Next year, the brand is set to expand its offerings by entering into the plus-size category.
“For FY25, we are aiming for INR 100 crore and if we raise the funds, then it can reach up to INR 130 crore,” she stated.
After a prosperous festival season for numerous e-commerce firms, companies are now eager to capitalize on the growing interest of Indian consumers in retail therapy.
Myntra and Ajio, prominent fashion platforms, have introduced the ‘End Of Reason Sale’ and ‘Big Bold Sale,’ presenting discounted prices on clothing and various fashion accessories. In India, the initial week of December marks the conclusion of the festival season, typically commencing in October and concluding by mid-November.
Nevertheless, businesses persist in providing products at reduced prices through sales, with some choosing to do so during Black Friday and Cyber Monday.
These sales serve as a crucial gauge of consumption health, constituting approximately 60 percent of India’s gross domestic product. Companies are also optimistic about capitalizing on the onset of the wedding season in many parts of India to sustain the momentum in consumption.
The Confederation of All India Traders projects that the total sales from November 23 to December 15 will amount to approximately INR 4.25 lakh crore ($51 billion).
Myntra anticipates approximately one million new customers to participate in the 19th edition of EORS. Meanwhile, Ajio’s Big Bold Sale, commencing on December 7, witnessed a 40 percent surge in orders during the early access phase compared to regular business.
Festival season was termed a success by many e-commerce players. “A very large middle class is expanding as we speak. We are seeing that increasing disposable incomes are leading to customers showing very strong preference to premiumise. This is happening in multiple categories,” said Saurabh Srivastava, vice president, Amazon India in October, ahead of the shopping season.
Amazon reported that 80 percent of its customer base hailed from tier 2-3 cities, asserting that this marked the largest ‘Great Indian Festival’ in the company’s history.
“The festive season is expected to be followed by a robust wedding period, both of which combined should support near-term growth,” Teresa John, an economist at Nirmal Bang Institutional Equities Pvt, had said late October. “Easy availability of credit and expectations of cooling inflation should also aid a gradual recovery in discretionary spending particularly in the mass market.”
Mumbai-based health snack brand Epigamia has appointed Rahul Jain, its co-founder and chief operating officer, as the new chief executive officer.
He takes over from Rohan Mirchandani, the fellow co-founder who has transitioned into the position of executive chairman.
Ankur Goel, an original member of Epigamia responsible for managing the company’s supply chain and business intelligence functions, has been promoted to the position of Chief Operating Officer (COO).
In his newfound position, Jain will lead the company’s overarching business initiatives, crafting a distinctive proposition within the FMCG space. Epigamia stated in a press release that he will be responsible for formulating strategies to maintain competitiveness, identifying fresh opportunities, and promoting innovation.
A graduate of IIT-Bombay and the Indian School of Business-Hyderabad, Jain initiated his career in finance with Deutsche Bank’s Credit Structuring team. Following his MBA, he introduced Doctor Moo, an organic milk brand, and later collaborated with Mirchandani to establish Epigamia.
In the past year, Epigamia has implemented strategic measures to enhance its cost structure efficiency across various functions, resulting in notably improved profit margins, as stated by the company.
The brand is present at over 20,000 touchpoints across 30 towns. Additionally, its products are accessible through major retail chains like DMart, Reliance, Nature’s Basket, and More, as well as on e-commerce platforms including Big Basket, Swiggy Instamart, Amazon, Zepto, and BlinkIt.
In the nine months leading up to September, ITC Ltd has emerged as the leading fast-moving consumer goods (FMCG) manufacturer in the food sector based on domestic sales, surpassing competitors such as Adani Wilmar, Britannia, Parle Products, and others. This information is according to the most recent data from market tracker NielsenIQ, as disclosed by three industry executives.
During the specified period, ITC achieved food FMCG sales amounting to INR 17,100 crore, surpassing competitors such as Britannia with INR 16,700 crore, Adani Wilmar with INR 15,900 crore, Parle Products with INR 14,800 crore, Mondelez with INR 13,800 crore, and Hindustan Unilever Ltd (HUL) with INR 12,200 crore, as indicated by NielsenIQ data.
In comparison to the same period last year, ITC has risen from the fourth position, where Adani Wilmar held the lead. Adani Wilmar recorded sales of INR 16,100 crore in the January-September period last year, while Britannia reached INR 14,900 crore, Parle at INR 14,800 crore, ITC at INR 13,900 crore, and Mondelez at INR 12,400 crore, according to NielsenIQ data.
According to industry executives, one of the primary factors enabling ITC to surpass Adani Wilmar was the significant decline in edible oil prices.
This has influenced the earnings of the nation’s leading edible oil company during the nine-month duration. In September, edible oil prices were consistently below $1,000 per tonne, a notable decrease from the peak of $2,000 per tonne observed in April-May 2022. Concurrently, ITC benefited from a rise in atta prices. The company’s packaged atta, marketed under the Aashirvaad brand, stands as the primary revenue generator for its food business.
Additionally, the majority of items within its extensive product range are experiencing growth. The company consistently introduces over 100 new food FMCG products annually.
Hemant Malik, the Executive Director of ITC Ltd, stated that every product category within the company’s food business has contributed to growth this fiscal year.
Under the purview of Malik, who manages ITC’s foods business, the portfolio encompasses rapidly expanding categories like biscuits, witnessing an 11% growth in the current calendar year, and salty snacks, with the market experiencing a growth exceeding 20%.
“The current trends along with the increase in atta prices have contributed to boosting revenue growth,” he said.
Despite the government’s ongoing prohibition on wheat exports, the retail inflation for wheat this year has fluctuated between 5% and 9%.
Angshu Mallick, CEO of Adani Wilmar, attributed the decline in sales solely to the decrease in edible oil prices.
According to a spokesperson from NielsenIQ, the company does not authenticate, validate, or furnish details on company-specific data, adhering to the confidentiality clauses outlined in their client agreements.
Adani Wilmar has experienced a decline in revenue due to the decrease in edible oil prices, but there has been an increase in volume sales.
In the first half (April-September) of the current fiscal year, the company recorded a 18% year-on-year growth in volume, accompanied by a 13% decline in sales revenue. According to Adani Wilmar’s recent quarterly earnings release, profitability was adversely impacted by the decrease in edible oil prices.
The success in the foods business is pivotal for ITC as it pursues its ambition to become the country’s leading non-cigarette FMCG company and mitigate exposure to taxation uncertainties in the cigarette industry. Contributing over 82% to its non-cigarette FMCG sales, the foods business stands as a profitable cornerstone of ITC’s diversified portfolio.
According to NielsenIQ data, snacks, food products, and packaged groceries emerge as pivotal segments propelling the growth of the entire food FMCG category in the country. Within the food segment, Nestle leads in modern trade contribution at 18.8%, followed by HUL at 15.9%, Mondelez at 14.2%, ITC at 12.2%, and Adani Wilmar at 11.3%.
Fast-moving consumer goods (FMCG)-centric BIA Brands has acquired Mumbai-based TrueKind, marking its initial venture into the skincare space.
Nevertheless, the financial terms of the deal were not disclosed by the company.
Through this acquisition, Hyderabad-and Dubai-based BIA Brands aims to launch a variety of skincare products and cosmetics, as well as curate offerings tailored for its youthful customer base.
Established in 2022 by Sudhakar Adapa and Anudeep Chappa, BIA operates as a ‘house of brands,’ dedicated to constructing and expanding various brands. The platform’s objective is to foster the development of global brands originating from India.
Earlier, BIA had acquired three companies in the food and beverage (F&B) domain, including the specialty coffee brand Brew & Bliss, the flavored nuts startup Nut-O-Licious, and the blends company La Kah Fay.
“It embodies our goal to enhance our international reach and introduce innovative products. We are setting the stage to build and foster truly global brands that originate from India, transcending geographical boundaries and consumer expectations,” said Adapa.
BIA recently appointed Karen Wilson Kumar, a former manager at Louis Vuitton and Ferragamo, as the Chief Executive Officer of its beauty and personal care (BPC) segment.
“Leading the BPC segment at BIA Brands is an opportunity of a lifetime. Our goal is to blend the rich legacy of TrueKind with innovative approaches to meet the evolving needs of our consumers, ensuring quality, efficacy, and sustainability in all our products,” Kumar said.
Meanwhile, TrueKind, founded by Keshav Biyani and Prabhu Karthikeyan in October 2021, is a skincare brand that emphasizes a range of products, asserting their commitment to being vegan and cruelty-free.
Biyani expressed his confidence in BIA and said that it will carry forward the commitment of TrueKind to offer effective skincare solutions. “TrueKind is poised for great success and growth under their stewardship,” he added.
FMCG-centric startups in India have been attracting attention from investors for a considerable period.
Lately, Unilever, a prominent FMCG company, supported the beauty and personal care brand WishCare with an investment of INR 20 Cr ($2.4 Mn) through its venture capital arm, Unilever Ventures. The startup plans to utilize the funds to enhance its research and development capabilities and intensify efforts in formulating high-efficacy products enriched with clinically tested ingredients.
Based on data, the market size of the beauty and personal care industry was $4 billion in 2022, and it is projected to achieve a 27% Compound Annual Growth Rate (CAGR), reaching $28 billion by the year 2030.
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