Bewakoof Opens First Store in Pune, Expanding Its D2C Footprint Beyond E-Commerce

Retail & Ecommerce

By

-

January 24, 2025

Image of bewakoof — Bewakoof Opens First Store in Pune, Expanding Its D2C Footprint Beyond E-Commerce

Bewakoof, the popular direct-to-consumer fashion and lifestyle brand, has unveiled its first-ever physical store in Pune, located at Amanora Mall. The new store offers a wide selection of fashion essentials such as t-shirts, casual wear, and accessories, bringing the brand’s signature style to a broader audience.

Continue Exploring: The End of a Retail Era: Neville Noronha Checks Out, Anshul Asawa Checks In

“We’re excited to have Bewakoof join us at Amanora Mall, marking their first store in Pune,” shared Surjit Singh Rajpurohit, CEO of Amanora Mall. “This partnership underscores our focus on fostering the growth of dynamic D2C brands and providing our shoppers with a carefully curated retail experience.”

Continue Exploring: NONSTOP launches first flagship store in Mumbai, offering mobility and wellness solutions

In addition to Bewakoof, the mall is home to several other D2C brands, such as NewMe, Odette, Mokobara, Bonkers Corner, Snitch, Tokyo Talkies, and Highlander, enhancing its appeal as a hub for innovative retail experiences.

Founded in 2012 by IIT graduates Prabhakaran Singh and Siddharth Munot, Bewakoof initially made its mark as an online-first brand, offering a variety of clothing and accessories for men, women, and children. The opening of its physical store marks a significant step in expanding its reach beyond the digital space.

Shoppers Stop Reports 37% Profit Growth in Q3 FY24, Driven by Strong Premium and Beauty Sales

Growth

By

Online Desk

-

January 24, 2025

0

Image of shoppers-stopper — Shoppers Stop Reports 37% Profit Growth in Q3 FY24, Driven by Strong Premium and Beauty Sales

Shoppers Stop Ltd., the prominent department store chain, has reported a notable 37% increase in its consolidated net profit, reaching Rs 49 crore for the third quarter ending 31 December 2024. This marks an improvement from Rs 35 crore in the same period last year.

The company’s revenue for the quarter amounted to Rs 1,311 crore, up from Rs 1,207 crore in the previous year’s third quarter. Earnings before interest, taxes, depreciation, and amortisation (EBITDA) also saw a rise, standing at Rs 262 crore compared to Rs 219 crore in Q3 FY24.

Kavindra Mishra, Managing Director and CEO of Shoppers Stop, expressed optimism about the results, noting, “We are pleased with our performance this quarter. Despite challenges like inflation and a dip in consumer spending, we achieved a solid 9% growth in volume-led revenue and 4% like-for-like (LFL) growth.”

Continue Exploring: NONSTOP launches first flagship store in Mumbai, offering mobility and wellness solutions

Mishra highlighted that premium categories were a significant contributor, accounting for 64% of total revenue. The company’s strategic efforts are focused on boosting the profitability of its private brands, which generated Rs 186 crore in sales, making up 12% of total sales and 18% of apparel sales.

Continue Exploring: The End of a Retail Era: Neville Noronha Checks Out, Anshul Asawa Checks In

The beauty segment performed well with Rs 268 crore in sales, reflecting a 3% year-on-year increase, driven by a strong 14% growth in fragrances. Additionally, Global SS Beauty Brands Ltd. saw a remarkable 26% growth, recording Rs 78 crore in sales for the quarter.

Aditya Birla Fashion Plans Major Fundraise of Over Rs 2,300 Crore

INVESTMENTS

By

Online Desk

-

January 24, 2025

0

Image of aditiya birla — Aditya Birla Fashion Plans Major Fundraise of Over Rs 2,300 Crore

Aditya Birla Fashion and Retail Ltd. (ABFRL) announced on Wednesday that its board has approved a plan to raise a total of Rs 2,378.75 crore through a combination of promoter and market funding.

Continue Exploring: NONSTOP launches first flagship store in Mumbai, offering mobility and wellness solutions

The proposal includes the issuance of up to 4.08 crore shares with a face value of Rs 10 each at a price of Rs 317.45 per share, which will generate Rs 1,297.50 crore for Pilani Investment and Industries Corporation, a promoter group entity. In addition, up to 3.96 crore shares, priced at Rs 272.37 per share, will be offered to Qualified Institutional Buyers (QIBs), totaling Rs 1,081.25 crore.

The QIBs involved in this fundraising include prominent investors such as Fidelity Blue Chip Growth Fund, Fidelity Blue Chip Growth Commingled Pool, Fidelity Blue Chip Growth K6 Fund, Fidelity Series Blue Chip Growth Fund, and FIAM Target Date Blue Chip Growth Commingled Pool.

Continue Exploring: The End of a Retail Era: Neville Noronha Checks Out, Anshul Asawa Checks In

To formalize this, the ABFRL board has scheduled an Extraordinary General Meeting (EGM) for February 13, 2025, to seek approval for the proposed fundraise.

At the time of reporting, ABFRL shares were trading at Rs 270.20 on the NSE, showing a modest increase of 0.04% from the previous day’s close.

Bengaluru Fashion Scene Gets a Boost: Soch Apparels Opens New Store in Electronic City

Retail & Ecommerce

By

Online Desk

-

January 24, 2025

0

Image of soch — Bengaluru Fashion Scene Gets a Boost: Soch Apparels Opens New Store in Electronic City

Soch Apparels, a brand known for its elegant occasion wear, has expanded its presence in Bengaluru with the opening of a new store in the city’s Electronic City area. Located within the newly launched M5 Ecity Mall, this 1,200 sq. ft. outlet adds to the brand’s growing footprint.

Vinay Chatlani, Co-founder and CEO of Soch Apparels, expressed his excitement about the new store: “We are thrilled to bring Soch’s signature style and sophistication to even more fashion-conscious women in Bengaluru. After almost 20 years since we opened our first store in Koramangala, we continue to be grateful for the warm support from the city and remain committed to offering a memorable shopping experience.”

The new store showcases the full range of Soch products, including sarees, kurtas, lehengas, churidar sets, fusion wear, and dresses.

Continue Exploring: NONSTOP launches first flagship store in Mumbai, offering mobility and wellness solutions

Founded in 2005 in Bengaluru, Soch now operates over 175 stores across 70 cities in India. The brand’s retail strategy blends standalone stores with online channels, shop-in-shop locations, and major e-commerce platforms like Amazon, Myntra, and Ajio.

Continue Exploring: The End of a Retail Era: Neville Noronha Checks Out, Anshul Asawa Checks In

In addition to its domestic expansion, Soch recently opened its first international store in Brampton, Canada, and has plans to extend its reach to the USA, Malaysia, Singapore, Indonesia, Mauritius, the Middle East, and the UK in the near future.

Medusa Beverages Raises ₹56 Crore in Series A Funding Led by Amal N Parikh and Ashwin Kedia

Food & Beverage

By

Online Desk

-

January 24, 2025

0

Image of medusan beverage — Medusa Beverages Raises ₹56 Crore in Series A Funding Led by Amal N Parikh and Ashwin Kedia

Delhi-based craft beer company Medusa Beverages has raised ₹56 crore (approximately $6.5 million) in a Series A funding round. The round was co-led by Amal N Parikh, managing director of Ohm Stock Broker, and Ashwin Kedia, co-founder of Alchemy Capital Management. Other notable investors include Ramesh Damani, Crest Opportunities, and a network of high-net-worth individuals (HNIs) from Singapore, the UK, and the UAE.

The fresh capital will be used to ramp up Medusa’s operations, forge new distribution partnerships, and strengthen its footprint across India. Founder and CEO Avneet Singh announced plans to expand into key markets such as Assam, Andhra Pradesh, and Maharashtra. Singh commented, “This funding gives us the resources to grow aggressively, diversify our product offerings, and deepen our presence in strategic regions.”

Continue Exploring: The End of a Retail Era: Neville Noronha Checks Out, Anshul Asawa Checks In

Founded in 2017 by Avneet Singh, Medusa Beverages is a homegrown craft beer brand that has quickly gained a strong foothold in the market. The company offers three unique beer variants and has made its products available in 7,000 retail outlets across seven states, including Delhi, Punjab, Chandigarh, Uttarakhand, Uttar Pradesh, Chhattisgarh, and Himachal Pradesh. Prior to this funding round, Medusa had secured ₹13 crore in total funding.

The beer industry in India has seen significant investor interest recently, as brands look to tap into the growing demand for alcoholic beverages. Last year, Delhi-based Proost Beer raised ₹30 crore (around $3.5 million) to enhance its supply chain and expand its product portfolio. Similarly, Goa-based Latambarcem Brewers (LB Brewers) raised ₹12.5 crore ($1.5 million) to boost its manufacturing capacity, strengthen marketing efforts, and expand its market presence.

Continue Exploring: NONSTOP launches first flagship store in Mumbai, offering mobility and wellness solutions

With this new investment, Medusa Beverages aims to not only increase its distribution reach but also cement its position as one of the leading players in India’s craft beer market. The funding signals growing confidence in the country’s alcohol sector and the potential for homegrown brands to scale nationally.

Festive Boost Propels Reliance Retail to 10% Profit Growth and ₹90,333 Crore in Revenue

Growth

By

Online Desk

-

January 24, 2025

0

Image of reliance retail — Festive Boost Propels Reliance Retail to 10% Profit Growth and ₹90,333 Crore in Revenue

Reliance Retail Ventures Ltd. (RRVL), the retail division of Mukesh Ambani’s Reliance Industries, has reported a solid financial performance for the December quarter, marking an 8.75% increase in gross revenue, which reached ₹90,333 crore. Profit after tax (PAT) rose by 10%, totaling ₹3,458 crore, a boost driven by strong festive demand.

In the same quarter of the previous year, the company posted gross revenue of ₹83,063 crore and PAT of ₹3,145 crore, according to a regulatory filing from Reliance Industries Ltd. The company’s operating revenue for the quarter was ₹79,595 crore, up 7% from ₹74,373 crore last year.

Continue Exploring: The End of a Retail Era: Neville Noronha Checks Out, Anshul Asawa Checks In

Digital and new-age commerce channels now contribute to 18% of the company’s total revenue, reflecting Reliance Retail’s focus on expanding its digital presence and adapting to evolving consumer behaviors.

The company also saw its pre-tax profit (EBITDA) rise 9.45%, reaching ₹6,828 crore for the quarter. This growth was fueled by productivity improvements and increased customer engagement, particularly during the festive period, through fresh product launches and promotional activities.

In terms of expansion, Reliance Retail opened 779 new stores, bringing its total to 19,102 across 77.4 million square feet of operational space.

Continue Exploring: NONSTOP launches first flagship store in Mumbai, offering mobility and wellness solutions

Mukesh Ambani, Chairman and Managing Director of Reliance Industries, commented on the results, noting, “The retail business performed exceptionally well, benefiting from a resurgence in consumption during the festive season. Our deep understanding of customer preferences and needs allows us to offer the right products at the right time through the right channels, continually enhancing the shopping experience. With customer-centric innovation as a core focus, Reliance Retail is constantly expanding its reach and product offerings to meet diverse consumer demands.”

Desmond D’Souza Joins Coca-Cola India as C&CL Head to Drive Growth and Customer Engagement

Business

By

Online Desk

-

January 23, 2025

0

Image-of-coca-cola — Desmond D’Souza Joins Coca-Cola India as C&CL Head to Drive Growth and Customer Engagement

Desmond D’Souza, with his extensive experience and forward-thinking approach in the FMCG sector, is set to play a pivotal role in advancing our goals at Coca‑Cola India Southwest Asia. His leadership expertise and deep understanding of market trends make him the ideal fit for driving customer satisfaction and elevating our commercial strategies. “We’re excited to have someone of Desmond’s caliber join us, as his experience will be crucial in guiding us towards sustained growth,” said Sanket Ray, President, Coca‑Cola India Southwest Asia.

Continue Exploring: NONSTOP launches first flagship store in Mumbai, offering mobility and wellness solutions

In his new position, D’Souza will oversee the C&CL function across INSWA, where his focus will be on accelerating value growth, enhancing partnerships, and shaping strategies for long-term commercial success.

Before joining Coca‑Cola, Desmond served as Vice President of Sales at Mondelez, where he played an instrumental role in driving the company’s growth through strategic footprint expansion, digital innovations in sales, and the development of new commercial capabilities. He also held leadership roles at PepsiCo, focusing on transformative initiatives and sales strategies. At Zomato, he contributed to the company’s subscription model, further showcasing his versatility across industries.

Continue Exploring: The End of a Retail Era: Neville Noronha Checks Out, Anshul Asawa Checks In

Desmond holds an MBA from XLRI Jamshedpur and a Bachelor’s degree in Engineering from Visvesvaraya Technological University.

The Organic World Expands in Mysore: A New Chapter for Nimida Group’s Grocery Chain

Business

By

Online Desk

-

January 23, 2025

0

Image of organi world — The Organic World Expands in Mysore: A New Chapter for Nimida Group’s Grocery Chain

The Organic World (TOW), a popular South Indian grocery chain and the flagship brand of Nimida Group, has made its foray into Mysore as part of its expansion plans in Karnataka. The company has opened two stores in the city, one in Ramakrishna Nagar and the other in Vijayanagar.

Continue Exploring: NONSTOP launches first flagship store in Mumbai, offering mobility and wellness solutions

Gaurav Manchanda, Founder of Nimida Group, expressed his excitement about the launch, saying, “Mysore, with its strong cultural roots and increasing shift towards chemical-free living, was an ideal location for us to grow beyond the metro cities. By opening stores here, we hope to offer local families access to healthy, curated products that align with their values.”

TOW’s growth strategy includes opening more outlets in cities like Pune, Coimbatore, Chennai, and Delhi. These will include a mix of company-owned and franchise-operated stores, all situated in strategic locations to best serve their customer base.

Continue Exploring: The End of a Retail Era: Neville Noronha Checks Out, Anshul Asawa Checks In

Founded in 2017, TOW now operates 24 stores in Bengaluru, Mysore, and Hyderabad, offering a wide selection of nearly 3,000 products across food, grocery, personal care, and home care categories. The Bengaluru-based company has set an ambitious target to hit a revenue of ₹100 crore by FY25, a significant increase from ₹35 crore in FY24, as shared by Manchanda in a previous interview with IndiaRetailing.

Deepak Agarwal Returns to LinkedIn as Chief AI Officer to Lead Next Wave of Innovation

Business

By

Online Desk

-

January 23, 2025

0

Image of deepak agarwal — Deepak Agarwal Returns to LinkedIn as Chief AI Officer to Lead Next Wave of Innovation Deepak Agarwal has rejoined LinkedIn as its Chief AI Officer, marking his return to the professional networking platform after several years. “I’m excited to announce that I’m back at LinkedIn as the company’s Chief AI Officer. This is my second chapter leading AI at LinkedIn. During my previous tenure as VP of AI, I worked with an incredible team to build innovative, large-scale AI systems that still power many of LinkedIn’s current AI efforts,” Agarwal shared in a LinkedIn post. With over 24 years of experience in artificial intelligence, Agarwal has held key roles at companies like Pinterest and Yahoo, bringing a wealth of expertise to LinkedIn. During his earlier stint at the company, he served as VP of Engineering and Artificial Intelligence for nearly eight years. This announcement comes shortly after the Advertising Standards Council of India (ASCI) advised LinkedIn influencers to adhere to disclosure norms when promoting brands or services. Unlike other social media platforms, LinkedIn lacks built-in tools for such disclosures, requiring influencers to manually include terms like “Ad” or “Partnership” in their posts. Continue Exploring: NONSTOP launches first flagship store in Mumbai, offering mobility and wellness solutions LinkedIn has evolved far beyond being just a job-seeking platform. With features like professional networking, work updates, newsletters, online courses, and official announcements, it has become a hub for knowledge-sharing and career development. In July 2024, the platform even ventured into India’s short-form video market, signaling its ambition to tap into new growth opportunities. Continue Exploring: The End of a Retail Era: Neville Noronha Checks Out, Anshul Asawa Checks In The tech industry has seen several notable appointments recently. For example, IndiaMART InterMESH Limited brought on entrepreneur Manish Vij as an independent director and promoted its legal head, Manoj Bhargava, to a full-time director role. Similarly, Zetwerk, an IPO-bound B2B marketplace, appointed Vadim Yakubov as the CEO of its US subsidiary, Unimacts, to strengthen its foothold in the American market. With Agarwal’s return, LinkedIn aims to further enhance its AI-driven innovations and maintain its position as a leader in professional networking and digital engagement.

Deepak Agarwal has rejoined LinkedIn as its Chief AI Officer, marking his return to the professional networking platform after several years.

“I’m excited to announce that I’m back at LinkedIn as the company’s Chief AI Officer. This is my second chapter leading AI at LinkedIn. During my previous tenure as VP of AI, I worked with an incredible team to build innovative, large-scale AI systems that still power many of LinkedIn’s current AI efforts,” Agarwal shared in a LinkedIn post.

With over 24 years of experience in artificial intelligence, Agarwal has held key roles at companies like Pinterest and Yahoo, bringing a wealth of expertise to LinkedIn. During his earlier stint at the company, he served as VP of Engineering and Artificial Intelligence for nearly eight years.

This announcement comes shortly after the Advertising Standards Council of India (ASCI) advised LinkedIn influencers to adhere to disclosure norms when promoting brands or services. Unlike other social media platforms, LinkedIn lacks built-in tools for such disclosures, requiring influencers to manually include terms like “Ad” or “Partnership” in their posts.

Continue Exploring: NONSTOP launches first flagship store in Mumbai, offering mobility and wellness solutions

LinkedIn has evolved far beyond being just a job-seeking platform. With features like professional networking, work updates, newsletters, online courses, and official announcements, it has become a hub for knowledge-sharing and career development. In July 2024, the platform even ventured into India’s short-form video market, signaling its ambition to tap into new growth opportunities.

Continue Exploring: The End of a Retail Era: Neville Noronha Checks Out, Anshul Asawa Checks In

The tech industry has seen several notable appointments recently. For example, IndiaMART InterMESH Limited brought on entrepreneur Manish Vij as an independent director and promoted its legal head, Manoj Bhargava, to a full-time director role. Similarly, Zetwerk, an IPO-bound B2B marketplace, appointed Vadim Yakubov as the CEO of its US subsidiary, Unimacts, to strengthen its foothold in the American market.

With Agarwal’s return, LinkedIn aims to further enhance its AI-driven innovations and maintain its position as a leader in professional networking and digital engagement.

Zomato’s Deepinder Goyal Addresses Restaurant Partners’ Concerns Over 10-Minute Delivery Model

Quick Commerce

By

Online Desk

-

January 23, 2025

0

Image of deepinder goyal — Zomato’s Deepinder Goyal Addresses Restaurant Partners’ Concerns Over 10-Minute Delivery Model

As tensions rise between restaurateurs and food delivery platforms Zomato and Swiggy over the introduction of 10-minute food delivery services, Zomato’s cofounder and CEO, Deepinder Goyal, has reached out to address the concerns of its restaurant partners.

Continue Exploring: NONSTOP launches first flagship store in Mumbai, offering mobility and wellness solutions

In an open letter, Goyal emphasized that Zomato has no plans to compete with the restaurants it collaborates with. He clarified that their new venture, Bistro, is not a private label or a Zomato-owned kitchen. “Zomato, as a restaurant aggregator, will never compete with its own partners. Unlike platforms like Amazon that sell their own private labels, we’ve stayed true to this commitment by not opening physical restaurants or using Zomato as a distribution channel for any of our own kitchens,” he explained.

This clarification comes amidst reports that the National Restaurant Association of India (NRAI) is considering legal action against Zomato and Swiggy for allegedly infringing on restaurant operations. The NRAI claims that services like Zomato Everyday and Swiggy Daily, which rely on company-owned private kitchens, are encroaching on their territory.

Goyal sought to reassure restaurant owners that Bistro is not a threat to their business. He highlighted that even if Bistro were to grow to 1,000 outlets, it would represent only 0.5% of the total food delivery market. “Scaling Bistro isn’t the main objective. The goal is to explore a sustainable business model that restaurants themselves can adopt. India’s out-of-home food consumption market has significant room for growth, and innovative models like Bistro can attract new customers, benefiting the entire restaurant ecosystem,” he added.

Continue Exploring: The End of a Retail Era: Neville Noronha Checks Out, Anshul Asawa Checks In

He also acknowledged that the expertise of running a restaurant lies with the restaurateurs, not with Zomato. According to Goyal, the 10-minute delivery segment won’t dominate the market but will exist as one of many service models. He further assured stakeholders that Bistro would operate as a standalone app, completely separate from Zomato, and would not have access to restaurant data that could create an unfair advantage.

By addressing these concerns, Goyal hopes to maintain trust with restaurant partners while positioning Bistro as a complementary addition to the industry, rather than a competitor.

NewsHub