Disney Consumer Products India Eyes 50% Online Sales as It Enters 15+ New Categories Including Jewellery, Dairy & Snacks

Business

April 8, 2025

Image of Disney Consumer Products — Disney Consumer Products India Eyes 50% Online Sales as It Enters 15+ New Categories Including Jewellery, Dairy & Snacks

Disney Consumer Products India—the licensing arm of The Walt Disney Company—is quietly laying the groundwork for a major expansion in India. And it’s not just about selling more Mickey Mouse t-shirts.

The company is doubling down on strategic partnerships, looking to team up with long-term players who can build Disney’s presence across both everyday products and immersive brand experiences. It’s not just more of the same either—the push includes an active move into fresh, sometimes unexpected categories.

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“In just the last couple of years, we’ve stepped into more than 15 new spaces—snacks, dairy, fine jewellery, even eyewear,” said Priya Nijhara, who heads Disney Consumer Products in India. “We’re constantly seeking out unique opportunities that align with how Indian consumers live, shop, and celebrate brands.”

Disney has been building its consumer products business in India since the early 2000s, starting with branded corners in physical retail stores. Fast forward to today, and the company’s presence spans modern trade outlets, small shops, major e-commerce platforms, and even the growing quick commerce sector.

According to Nijhara, nearly 25% of Disney’s India product sales now come from online channels—a number that’s only expected to grow. “We see that number going up to 50% in the next few years as more people come online and get comfortable with digital payments,” she said.

The brand has already had successful runs with popular online-first labels like The Souled Store, Bewakoof, Bonkers Corner, Nap Chief, Mensa Brands, and Firstcry. It also continues to grow its footprint on larger marketplaces like Flipkart, Myntra, and Amazon.

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The bigger vision? Disney doesn’t just want to be a name on a lunchbox. It wants to become a part of Indian homes, celebrations, and everyday life in ways that feel personal, joyful, and rooted in what consumers actually want. And it’s doing that by building the right local partnerships, not just expanding its catalog.

Mamaearth CMO Anuja Mishra Steps Down, CEO Varun Alagh to Oversee Marketing for Now

Business

Online Desk

April 8, 2025

Image of mamaearth — Mamaearth CMO Anuja Mishra Steps Down, CEO Varun Alagh to Oversee Marketing for Now

In a move that has caught industry attention, Anuja Mishra, the Chief Marketing Officer of Honasa Consumer Limited—the company behind Mamaearth, BBlunt, and The Derma Co.—has put in her papers. She’ll be officially stepping away from the role at the end of business hours on June 30, 2025.

The reason? Personal, according to Mishra’s resignation letter that was included in a regulatory update to the Bombay Stock Exchange. Honasa’s co-founder and CEO Varun Alagh will be filling in temporarily as CMO until a successor is named.

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Mishra, who joined Honasa in March 2022, brought with her a heavyweight marketing background. She had previously led the personal care and hygiene category at Godrej Consumer Products, with earlier stints across FMCG giants in brand strategy, product innovation, and sales.

Her exit comes just as Honasa rolled out a sizeable chunk of stock options to employees—24.61 lakh shares under its 2018 ESOP scheme. Based on the NSE opening price of Rs 232 last Thursday, that grant is estimated to be worth around Rs 57 crore. Each stock option is priced at Rs 10, with one equity share issued upon vesting.

Financially, the company has held steady. For the third quarter of FY25, Honasa reported Rs 517.5 crore in revenue—a modest 5.9% bump from Rs 488.2 crore in Q3 of the previous year. While not explosive, the numbers suggest continued traction in a competitive personal care market.

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No official word yet on who might step in as the next marketing head, but all eyes will be on Alagh as he juggles both CEO and interim CMO roles in the months ahead.

Bootstrapped to Big League: How Yoho Plans to Hit Rs 1,000 Cr in Revenue by FY2030 with 2,000 Offline Stores and 300 SKUs

Growth

Online Desk

April 8, 2025

Image of yoho — Bootstrapped to Big League: How Yoho Plans to Hit Rs 1,000 Cr in Revenue by FY2030 with 2,000 Offline Stores and 300 SKUs

Yoho, the homegrown footwear startup launched just three years ago, is setting its sights high. The company wants to clock Rs 1,000 crore in revenue by FY2030 — and it’s not just wishful thinking. Founders Ahmad Hushsham and Prateek Singhal have laid out a sharp, multi-pronged game plan to get there: stronger offline distribution, new product lines, faster delivery channels, and even a foray into international markets.

Started in 2021, Yoho built its name by crafting shoes that hit the sweet spot between comfort and price. Now, it’s moving beyond the basics and into serious scale-up mode.

From 4x Growth to a 12x Leap

“We didn’t expect to grow this fast,” admits Hushsham, who also serves as the company’s CEO. “But the numbers speak for themselves.”

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According to the founders, Yoho has grown nearly fourfold year after year in terms of sales volume — and revenue has jumped almost 12x since the first year. The brand now wants to leverage that momentum with new launches in kidswear and sports footwear, boosting its product portfolio from 100 to 300 SKUs in FY2025 alone.

Singhal, co-founder and COO, believes the Rs 1,000 crore goal is within striking distance. “It’s not just about chasing a topline number. We want to claim 10% market share in our category — and be the brand people think of when they want everyday shoes that don’t compromise on comfort.”

Foot on the Ground: 2,000 Stores in the Works

Though Yoho began as a digital-first brand, it’s now putting serious muscle behind physical retail. Currently selling through 500 multi-brand outlets, the team wants to quadruple that number to 2,000 by the end of 2025 — focusing on cities beyond the metros.

Plans are already in motion for company-owned stores and mall kiosks. A dedicated outlet is set to open in Barnala, Punjab, while Delhi-NCR will see the brand’s first standalone kiosk soon.

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Right now, the lion’s share of sales — about 90% — comes from online. But the founders expect that to shift rapidly as they gain more shelf space across India.

What’s Next: Quick Commerce, Exports, and More

Yoho isn’t stopping at traditional channels. The company is also exploring quick commerce as a distribution lever — tying up with platforms that can get its shoes to consumers within hours. Simultaneously, export opportunities are being mapped out as the brand tests its appeal in international markets.

Manufacturing is also being brought closer to home, with plans underway to set up in-house production capabilities. That would help the brand move faster and gain tighter control over quality and cost.

“We’re not chasing vanity milestones,” says Hushsham. “We’re building for scale — but we’re also building with intention.”

Aman Gupta’s boAt Makes a Silent Splash: Imagine Marketing Files Confidential IPO Draft With SEBI

Business

Online Desk

April 8, 2025

Image of boat — Aman Gupta’s boAt Makes a Silent Splash: Imagine Marketing Files Confidential IPO Draft With SEBI

Imagine Marketing, the powerhouse behind consumer electronics brand boAt, has taken a step toward going public — again. This time, the company has quietly submitted its IPO draft under SEBI’s confidential pre-filing route, which lets companies delay making key IPO details public until a later stage.

In a notice issued Monday, the company confirmed it had filed a “Pre-filed Draft Red Herring Prospectus” (PDRHP) with SEBI and the stock exchanges under the ICDR (Issue of Capital and Disclosure Requirements) regulations. But there’s a catch: pre-filing doesn’t necessarily mean the IPO will go through — it simply opens the door.

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This is Imagine Marketing’s second shot at a public listing. Back in January 2022, the company filed for a Rs 2,000 crore IPO — Rs 900 crore in fresh equity and a Rs 1,100 crore offer-for-sale — but didn’t move ahead with the plan.

Founded in 2013 by Aman Gupta (a familiar face on Shark Tank India) and Sameer Mehta, Imagine Marketing has built a strong brand presence through its boAt portfolio, which includes headphones, smartwatches, grooming tools, and phone accessories. It’s one of India’s most visible consumer tech startups, known for its aggressive branding and celebrity-led marketing.

The confidential IPO filing strategy is gaining traction among Indian firms. It gives companies breathing room — they don’t have to face investor and media scrutiny too early in the process. Tata Capital and PhysicsWallah recently took the same route, while Swiggy and Vishal Mega Mart both launched successful IPOs this year after using it.

OYO and Tata Play also explored this path earlier, though they eventually shelved their public plans.

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One major benefit? Companies using this route aren’t locked into a 12-month deadline post-SEBI approval — they get 18 months instead. Plus, they can tweak the issue size by up to 50% before filing the final draft, offering more flexibility in uncertain market conditions.

Whether Imagine Marketing finally makes it to the public markets this time around remains to be seen. But by going the confidential route, it’s clear they’re keeping their options open — and their cards close to the chest.

Coffee Day Defaults on ₹425 Cr: Legal Fights, Loan Recalls, and the Shadow of VG Siddhartha’s Legacy

Business

Online Desk

April 8, 2025

Image of cafe coffee day — Coffee Day Defaults on ₹425 Cr: Legal Fights, Loan Recalls, and the Shadow of VG Siddhartha’s Legacy

Coffee Day Enterprises Ltd (CDEL) is once again staring down the barrel of mounting debt, reporting a total default of ₹425.38 crore as of March 31, 2025. This includes missed payments on bank loans, institutional borrowings, and unlisted instruments such as non-convertible debentures (NCDs) and redeemable preference shares.

The company attributed the defaults to an ongoing liquidity squeeze. In a regulatory filing, it acknowledged, “Repayments have been delayed due to a severe cash crunch,” adding that lenders have now issued formal loan recall notices and initiated legal action. With these disputes unresolved, and a one-time settlement still hanging in the balance, CDEL also noted that it has stopped recognising any interest liabilities since April 2021.

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Of the total default, ₹174.83 crore is due on principal payments to banks and financial institutions, while an additional ₹5.78 crore remains unpaid as interest. Meanwhile, defaults on unlisted debt instruments amount to ₹200 crore in principal and ₹44.77 crore in interest.

This is not the company’s first financial standoff. Following the tragic death of its founder V.G. Siddhartha in 2019, Coffee Day had begun chipping away at its debt pile, selling off assets to stay afloat. A landmark deal with Blackstone in 2020, involving the sale of a tech park, helped it pay back ₹1,644 crore to 13 lenders.

But troubles have persisted. In August 2024, the National Company Law Tribunal (NCLT) admitted a plea from IDBI Trusteeship Services over a ₹228.45 crore claim, triggering insolvency proceedings. CDEL quickly contested the move, and just six days later, the National Company Law Appellate Tribunal (NCLAT) issued a stay on those proceedings.

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At the same time, the company continues to pursue legal avenues to recover an estimated ₹3,535 crore allegedly diverted to Mysore Amalgamated Coffee Estates Ltd (MACEL), a private entity run by Siddhartha. That case remains unresolved.

With no immediate resolution in sight, CDEL’s financial strain shows little sign of easing. Its survival now hinges on the success of pending settlements, asset monetisation efforts, and legal recoveries — all under the shadow of a business empire once seen as one of India’s great entrepreneurial stories.

Kalyan Jewellers Posts Strong Q4 With 37% Surge in Revenue, Opens 39 New Stores Despite Gold Price Swings

Growth

Online Desk

April 8, 2025

Image of kalyan — Kalyan Jewellers Posts Strong Q4 With 37% Surge in Revenue, Opens 39 New Stores Despite Gold Price Swings

Kalyan Jewellers wrapped up the fourth quarter of FY2024-25 on a high note, reporting a sharp 37% jump in consolidated revenue compared to the same period last year—even as gold prices swung wildly throughout the quarter.

The jewellery major pulled in Rs 4,563.72 crore in consolidated net revenue between January and March 2025, according to its latest filing with the stock exchanges.

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Its India business was the key growth driver, clocking a 39% rise in revenue for the quarter, with a notable 21% growth in same-store sales—a strong indicator of organic demand. Meanwhile, revenue from the Middle East business also showed a healthy uptick of 24%, now contributing 12% to the overall revenue mix.

Kalyan didn’t slow down on expansion either. In the three months alone, the company added 25 new Kalyan stores and 14 Candere outlets across India. The Candere vertical, focused on digitally native and design-centric jewellery, posted a 22% increase in revenue during the same period.

Looking ahead, the brand is going all in on growth: it plans to roll out 170 new stores across both Kalyan and Candere formats. The company said it has already locked in Letters of Intent for all the planned Franchisee Owned Company Operated (FOCO) stores for the year in India

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With Akshaya Tritiya around the corner—a key gold-buying festival—and the wedding season picking up steam, Kalyan is optimistic. Early signs point to solid advance bookings and healthy consumer sentiment.

As of March 31, 2025, Kalyan Jewellers had 388 showrooms under its belt across its various brands, signaling its aggressive push to dominate both traditional and digital jewellery retail in the months ahead.

After Leading Zomato’s Core Delivery Arm, Rinshul Chandra Steps Down as COO of Eternal; Exit Comes Post Major Corporate Overhaul

Business

Online Desk

April 8, 2025

Image of zomato — After Leading Zomato’s Core Delivery Arm, Rinshul Chandra Steps Down as COO of Eternal; Exit Comes Post Major Corporate Overhaul

Rinshul Chandra, the man who helped shape and scale Zomato’s core food delivery business, has officially parted ways with the company—now operating under the name Eternal Limited.

Chandra’s resignation was submitted on April 5, and his last working day is set for April 7. In a letter addressed to the company and stock exchanges, he cited a desire to explore new paths that better align with his evolving personal ambitions and professional aspirations.

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“After much thought, I’ve decided it’s time to move on,” he wrote. “The last seven years have been nothing short of extraordinary. I’m deeply thankful for the trust and support I’ve received along the way. Eternal is in great hands, and I’ll always root for its success.”

Chandra joined the company back in 2018 when it was still known as Zomato, starting out as AVP of Products. Over the years, he climbed the ladder to become Vice President and eventually took charge as Chief Operating Officer for the food delivery vertical—a role that placed him at the center of one of India’s most competitive internet sectors.

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His departure comes at an interesting time for the company. Just recently, Zomato Limited announced a full corporate makeover, rebranding the parent entity as Eternal Limited to house its four key businesses: food delivery platform Zomato, quick commerce player Blinkit, supply chain brand Hyperpure, and logistics unit, Zomato District.

While the Zomato app and customer-facing brand remain untouched, the corporate umbrella now carries the new identity of Eternal.

As of now, there’s no word on who will step into Chandra’s shoes. But with major shifts already underway at the top, all eyes will be on how Eternal navigates this next chapter.

“This Isn’t Just Dukaandari”: Zepto’s Aadit Palicha Pushes Back on Piyush Goyal’s Startup Critique

Business

Online Desk

April 8, 2025

Image of aadit palicha — This Isn’t Just Dukaandari”: Zepto’s Aadit Palicha Pushes Back on Piyush Goyal’s Startup Critique

Aadit Palicha, the young CEO of Zepto, found himself in the middle of a public debate after BJP MP Praveen Khandelwal took issue with his reaction to Union Minister Piyush Goyal’s recent jab at India’s startup priorities.

Speaking at the Startup Mahakumbh, Goyal sparked a conversation when he questioned whether Indian entrepreneurs were too focused on “dukaandari”—a colloquial term loosely translating to small-scale selling. He pointedly contrasted India’s current wave of food delivery apps and fantasy sports platforms with China’s push into future-defining areas like electric mobility, battery tech, and artificial intelligence.

“Are we only going to run shops?” Goyal asked, pushing startups to introspect. He urged founders to look beyond immediate commercial success and start building for the long game—solving hard problems, scaling globally, and fueling real technological progress. India, he warned, has just about 1,000 deep-tech startups today—something he called “worrying.”

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Palicha wasn’t having it. In a strongly worded post, he countered that consumer internet businesses like Zepto are anything but small-time ventures. In fact, he argued, companies like his are laying the very foundation for India’s future in high-tech innovation.

“Amazon, Google, and Alibaba didn’t start with AI—they began with the internet,” Palicha wrote, highlighting how large-scale consumer platforms attract the data, talent, and funding needed to eventually fuel breakthroughs in deep tech.

He also used Zepto’s own success story to push back: “We’ve created 150,000 jobs in just three years. That’s not dukaandari—that’s a miracle in Indian innovation.”

Palicha further emphasized that India won’t see breakthroughs in AI or foundational tech until it builds internet-first companies that generate real cash flow and reinvest in advanced R&D.

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But Khandelwal wasn’t convinced. He criticized Palicha’s remarks, saying they missed the broader message—India needs to stop celebrating convenience and start creating impact.

Swiggy Hit with Rs 7.59 Cr Tax Demand in Maharashtra, Plans to Push Back

Quick Commerce

Online Desk

April 8, 2025

Image of swiggy — Swiggy Hit with Rs 7.59 Cr Tax Demand in Maharashtra, Plans to Push Back

Swiggy has found itself in the taxman’s crosshairs once again. The food and grocery delivery giant has received a fresh assessment order from the Profession Tax Office in Pune, demanding Rs 7.59 crore. The issue? Alleged lapses in deducting profession tax from employee salaries during the 2021-22 financial year.

The claim is based on provisions under the Maharashtra State Tax on Professions, Trades, Callings & Employments Act, 1975. Swiggy, however, isn’t taking it lying down. In a recent regulatory disclosure, the company said it plans to contest the order, arguing that it has solid legal grounds and expects no significant financial or operational disruption as a result of this notice.

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What makes this more interesting is that the Pune demand follows a much heftier blow. Just days earlier, Swiggy disclosed a separate Rs 158 crore tax demand issued by the Deputy Commissioner of Income Tax in Bengaluru, also tied to the same fiscal year.

In that case, tax authorities flagged two major concerns: cancellation fees paid to restaurants were disallowed as deductions under Section 37 of the Income Tax Act, 1961, and interest earned on an income tax refund wasn’t offered up for taxation.

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Swiggy, for its part, remains confident. It has indicated that both matters are being challenged and won’t rattle the company’s financial stability or daily business operations.

Zomato’s main rival has clearly got its legal and finance teams working overtime this quarter.

Increff Cofounder Nirmal Jain’s OUTZIDR Raises INR 30 Cr from Stellaris and Top Angels to Shake Up Gen Z Fashion

INVESTMENTS

Online Desk

April 8, 2025

Image of outzidr — Increff Cofounder Nirmal Jain’s OUTZIDR Raises INR 30 Cr from Stellaris and Top Angels to Shake Up Gen Z Fashion

OUTZIDR, a fashion label aimed at Gen Z women, has secured INR 30 crore (approximately $3.5 million) in a seed funding round led by Stellaris Venture Partners. The round also drew backing from a group of prominent angel investors, including Ramakant Sharma (cofounder and CEO of Livspace) and Ghazal Alagh (cofounder and chief innovation officer at Mamaearth).

Founded by Nirmal Jain—who earlier helmed Styli under the Landmark Group in Dubai and later cofounded Increff—OUTZIDR is his latest foray into the world of direct-to-consumer retail. He teamed up with Mani Kant Mani and Justin Mario to launch the brand in 2024.

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The label targets women aged 17 to 27, focusing on trendy western wear and party outfits. Since its soft launch in February 2025, OUTZIDR has been selling through its own website and across major online fashion platforms like Myntra, AJIO, and Nykaa Fashion.

Currently operating out of Bengaluru with a lean team of 22, the brand follows a mixed manufacturing approach—working with around 30 partner factories in India along with a few international suppliers. Jain shared that a significant portion of the fresh capital will go into improving their design and operational frameworks, while the rest will help scale marketing, boost brand visibility, and manage inventory more effectively.

The company is eyeing an ambitious milestone: hitting an annual revenue run rate of INR 100 crore by the end of 2025.

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OUTZIDR finds itself in a competitive space, sharing the market with names like FS Life (formerly FableStreet) and Berrylush. With the D2C fashion segment undergoing a makeover—thanks to younger shoppers, new retail formats, and changing buying behaviors—OUTZIDR is positioning itself as a bold, youth-first brand ready to ride the wave of this evolution.

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