Cardboard Reinvented: How Amazon is Providing Free Beds at the Maha Kumbh Mela
At the 2025 Maha Kumbh Mela, Amazon India is introducing an innovative initiative called Dibbon Se Badhkar, turning its signature cardboard packaging into portable beds for the attendees. The aim is to offer comfortable, free resting spots for those visiting the grand event.
A substantial number of these beds will be set up at the lost and found center, while others will be distributed for general public use. Additionally, beds will be provided to the Kumbh Police Karmacharis and the medical staff at the Kumbh hospital to ensure they are well-rested and ready to assist.
Pragya Sharma, Director of Marketing at Amazon India, commented, âOur mission is to make life easier for our customers, and our trusted Amazon boxes are a symbol of that commitment. By repurposing them into beds, we saw a unique chance to contribute in a meaningful way to the comfort of Maha Kumbh Mela attendees.â
Amazon teamed up with Ogilvy as the creative partner, with a specialized team of fabricators working to bring the concept to life. These beds have undergone rigorous testing to ensure their durability and safety, especially considering the challenging local conditions.
Krvvyâs Founders Take on Indiaâs Innerwear Gap with âš6.1 Crore Boost
Krvvy, a pioneering functional innerwear and shapewear brand for Indian women, has secured âš6.1 crore in pre-seed funding. The round was co-led by Titan Capital and All In Capital, with participation from notable angel investors, including Nikita Gupta (Co-founder of Housepital), Emmanuel Suraj (CEO of DefinEquity), Anuj Jain (VP at Investwell), and Anubhav Jain (Head of Credit at Metalbook).
Launched in May 2024 by engineering graduates Yash Goyal and Anant Bhardwaj, Krvvy (pronounced Curvy) aims to revolutionize the innerwear industry by delivering innovative, high-quality solutions tailored specifically for Indian women. The brand focuses on addressing gaps in comfort, functionality, and inclusivity to meet the diverse needs of Indian body types.
Krvvyâs design philosophy centers on creating innerwear thatâs not only practical but also seamless and stylish. The team prioritizes customer feedback to refine their products and ensure they cater to the unique preferences of Indian women.
With this fresh infusion of capital, the direct-to-consumer brand plans to scale its operations both online and offline, reaching women across the country. Currently, Krvvyâs products are available on its official website as well as platforms like Amazon and Myntra.
Speaking about the funding, Yash Goyal, Krvvyâs Co-founder and CEO, shared, âWeâre excited to partner with Titan Capital and All In Capital on our journey to transform the womenâs innerwear market in India. These funds will allow us to invest heavily in research and development, expand our product line, and introduce innovative functional innerwear designed with Indian women in mind.â Goyal, a former investment banker, emphasized the brandâs commitment to blending functionality and comfort in every piece.
Krvvy is stepping into a growing market, addressing the rising demand for shapewear among Indian womenâa segment that has already seen significant traction in global markets. By focusing on comfort and practicality, the brand is carving out a niche in a category often overlooked in the Indian retail space.
A spokesperson from Titan Capital remarked, âKrvvy is reshaping the innerwear and shapewear industry by combining innovation, comfort, and style. Yash and Anantâs dedication to staying close to their customers and iterating quickly gives us confidence in their ability to redefine the market.â
With its unique approach and bold vision, Krvvy is set to make its mark as a go-to brand for Indian women seeking functional, stylish, and inclusive innerwear.
Shashwat Goenkaâs Vision: Spencerâs JIFFY Set to Transform Retail
Spencerâs Retail, part of the RP Sanjiv Goenka Group, made its debut in the quick commerce space on Thursday with the launch of JIFFY, a new online platform. The service has been introduced in Kolkata and will gradually expand across West Bengal, followed by Uttar Pradesh. At present, Spencerâs operates 89 stores across these regions.
According to Shashwat Goenka, chairman of Spencerâs Retail, the goal is to deliver orders within 20â30 minutes by utilizing the companyâs existing store network. Instead of setting up dedicated dark stores, the company will rely on third-party delivery partners to handle logistics for now.
âConvenience is driving consumer behavior, especially in urban areas. Quick commerce might still be a smaller part of the broader e-commerce sector, but itâs growing at the fastest pace. Itâs a channel no retailer can afford to ignore,â said Goenka, who highlighted the changing preferences of shoppers in recent years.
He also noted that the rise of quick commerce has started to reshape modern retail, as more consumers prioritize speed and ease to fit their busy lifestyles. A CLSA report backs this trend, projecting that the gross order value of Indiaâs quick commerce sector will rise from $6 billion today to $18 billion by FY27, with a further leap to $78 billion by FY34.
Goenka revealed that Spencerâs aims to double its daily online orders within nine months through this new initiative. Currently, the online segment accounts for 10â11% of the companyâs total revenue.
Shark Tank Victory: How Annu Groverâs Nurturing Green Won Vineeta Singhâs Heart and âš1 Crore
In the latest episode of Shark Tank India Season 4, two trailblazing plant-based businesses, Nurturing Green and Kyari, went head-to-head in the seasonâs first intense pitch battle. Esteemed investors Anupam Mittal, Namita Thapar, Peyush Bansal, Vineeta Singh, and Kunal Bahl were on hand to assess the potential of these innovative companies. The episode was all about unique, plant-based ventures, with Nurturing Greenâs founder, Annu Grover, taking the spotlight in the opening pitch.
Annu, the driving force behind Nurturing Green, shared his passion for plants, positioning them as much more than just decor. He explained, âWeâre not just selling plants; weâre offering a lifetime of memories. These plants are more than just giftsâthey bring joy, comfort, and peace into our customersâ lives.â With over 14 years in the business, Nurturing Green has made a mark in home decor, gardening, and corporate gifting, creating a loyal customer following thanks to their unique approach.
A touching moment followed when Kunal Bahl, an old acquaintance of Annu, shared a personal connection. âI met Annu about 10 years ago when he was just starting out in Cybercity,â Kunal recalled. âWhat stood out to me was how, year after year, he would send me updates, and I always took the time to read them.â This nod to long-term dedication and building relationships really resonated.
Seeking âš1 crore for a 1% stake, Nurturing Green found a willing investor in Vineeta Singh. She proposed âš50 lakh for a 1.25% stake, plus âš50 lakh in debt at a 10% interest rate for three years. With no other offers, Annu happily accepted Vineetaâs deal, marking a major achievement for Nurturing Green.
Foodâs Old News: Quick Commerce is the New $3 Billion Cash Cow for Zomato and Swiggy
Quick commerce heavyweights like Zomatoâs Blinkit, Swiggyâs Instamart, and Zepto are witnessing explosive growth in their gross order value (GOV).
Zepto, in particular, announced that its annualized GOV hit $3 billion (approximately âš24,500 crore) as of January 2025, a remarkable threefold increase in just eight months.
The momentum isnât limited to Zepto. Quick commerce as a whole has been outpacing traditional food delivery in growth. Blinkitâs GOV for FY24 soared by an impressive 169% year-on-year, while Swiggyâs Instamart reported a robust 57.6% increase during the same period.
This surge highlights a shift in consumer preferences, as instant delivery becomes an integral part of urban lifestyles.This surge in instant delivery highlights how consumer behavior is evolving rapidly. With a growing appetite for convenience, urban shoppers are increasingly choosing quick commerce platforms for groceries and daily essentials.
Industry experts predict this trend will only accelerate, as competition between players like Blinkit, Instamart, and Zepto continues to intensify. The race to dominate this space is heating up, and itâs reshaping the dynamics of Indiaâs e-commerce landscape at a staggering pace.
Blinkit Gets a âš500 Cr Boost: Zomatoâs Deepinder Goyal Takes on Swiggyâs Sriharsha and Zeptoâs Aadit
Gurgaon-based Zomato has injected âš500 crore into Blinkit, its quick commerce division, according to a recent filing with the Registrar of Companies (RoC).
This latest investment brings Zomatoâs total spend on Blinkit to âš2,800 crore since acquiring the company in August 2022. The infusion comes shortly after Zomato raised âš8,500 crore through a qualified institutional placement (QIP) in November to strengthen its finances as competition heats up in the industry.
Blinkit faces stiff competition from players like Swiggyâs Instamart and Zepto, both of which are vying for dominance in the rapid delivery market. In response, Blinkit is doubling down on expansion, with a goal of launching 1,000 dark stores by March 2025. The company is also entering the race to deliver meals in under 10 minutes through its new venture, Bistro, which will compete with Swiggyâs Snacc app and Zeptoâs recently launched Cafe platform.
The quick commerce battlefield is getting more crowded, with big names like Walmart (Flipkart Minutes), Tata (BigBasket), and Amazon (Tez) all pivoting to meet shifting customer demands. However, the path forward is far from smooth. On January 6, brokerage firm Jefferies downgraded its outlook on Zomato, pointing to profitability challenges in Blinkit despite its current market leadership.
Bengaluru-based seafood startup Captain Fresh has raised âš20 crore ($2.3 million) in debt funding from VentureSoul Partners. This marks the third investment from VentureSoulâs inaugural debt fund and is part of a larger funding round that includes both equity and debt.
When approached for comment, Captain Fresh declined to respond to Inc42âs queries. However, Kunal Wadhwa, co-founder and managing partner at VentureSoul Partners, expressed confidence in the startupâs potential. âCaptain Fresh has shown impressive execution with large acquisitions. Their diverse product range and global footprint position them well for growth in both revenue and profitability,â said Wadhwa. He also highlighted the strength of the companyâs leadership and management team as a key factor in the funding decision.
Founded in 2019 by Utham Gowda, Captain Fresh is a tech-driven, vertically integrated seafood company. Its brand portfolio spans multiple international markets, including CenSea in the US, Koral in Europe, and Senecrus in France. The new funding will be used to fuel expansion and drive growth initiatives.
Captain Freshâs notable backers include Accel, Prosus, Matrix Partners, Tiger Global, SBI Japan, Ankur Capital, British International Investment (BII), and Nekkanti Group. Recently, the startup raised âš12 crore from Motilal Oswal Alternates in December 2024, following a $32 million funding round in February 2024 led by BII and Nekkanti Seafoods Group.
Initially launched as a farm-to-retail platform for fish, shrimp, and seafood, Captain Fresh primarily operated through B2B and B2B2C channels in India. However, the company has since scaled back its B2B operations, with B2B2C services now restricted to select locations.
Deepinder Goyalâs Veg Tax U-Turn: Zomato CEO Responds to Online Outrage
Zomatoâs CEO, Deepinder Goyal, recently addressed an issue that sparked a debate online: an extra fee being charged for vegetarian meal deliveries. The controversy came to light after Rohit Ranjan, Assistant Vice President of E-commerce at Route To Market, shared his frustration in a LinkedIn post. His complaint quickly gained traction, prompting Goyal to respond directly.
Ranjanâs post expressed the plight of vegetarians, humorously calling out the additional charge. He wrote, âBeing a vegetarian in India feels like a curse these days. Zomatoâs genius move of introducing an âextra chargeâ for the veg fleet has officially made us a premium subscription plan. Fellow herbivores, get readyâweâve gone from âgreen and healthyâ to âgreen and expensive.â Thanks, Zomato, for turning vegetarianism into a luxury tax.â
The post caught Goyalâs attention, and he wasted no time in apologizing. âThis is completely absurd on our part. Iâm really sorry about this. The charge will be removed today itself. Iâll also make sure we address the internal issues so this kind of nonsense doesnât happen again,â he wrote.
Ranjan acknowledged Goyalâs swift action, saying, âThank you for stepping in and resolving this. Honestly, the most surprising part of this was how this idea made it all the way to execution with senior stakeholder approval.â
The exchange didnât end there, though. It opened up a flood of reactions from LinkedIn users, with many sharing their thoughts. One user cheekily commented, âLooks like someone at Zomato had a very awkward meeting today.â
Absolut Mixersâ latest campaign advocates for a world with no labelsÂ
Absolut Mixers has launched its new campaign #UNLABEL, #BORN COURLESS, speaking about the long-standing commitment of the brand towards challenging and breaking biases, beginning with the âBorn Colourlessâ campaign in the year 2018. The campaign #UNLABEL #BORN COURLESS encourages individuals to look beyond stereotypes and labels and rather put their focus on getting the opportunity to know people for their true selves. By insisting individuals to go beyond mere casting labels and judgments, Absolut has the objective of fostering a more accepting and open-minded world where everybody gets to flourish without the limitations of predetermined notions.
The campaign depicts as many as four strong films aspiring to lead a movement where people are encouraged to look beyond labels. Often people are ready to make assumptions about somebody based on their name, sex, age, profession, or origin but in most cases, these labels do not narrate the entire story.
The campaign further unravels the misconceptions and limitations surrounding stereotyping and labeling via personal stories from impactful and influential voices. Ankush Bahuguna shares the experience of getting judged for his passion and love for makeup, throwing a light on the assumption and stigma that makeup is only associated with women and not men. The âitem girlâ label is challenged by Sunny Leone, depicting her dynamic life as an accomplished mother and businesswoman. The traditional opinions and views of masculinity are challenged by Navtej Singh Johar, whereas Deepa Mail offers a ray of inspiration with her story highlighting how oneâs potential is not defined by their physical limitations. These stories remind us that everyone is #BornColourless devoid of biases or labels.
Speaking about the campaign, Pulkith Modi, General Manager – Marketing, International Brands at Pernod Ricard India said: âWe are living in a world where labels that are based on societal expectations, gender, and race define people. At Absolut, we have the belief in a world that expresses its true selves freely, not burdened by these restrictions. The campaign is a call for shifting towards inclusivity and is a call to action that inspires people to look beyond their stereotypes and assumptions to celebrate authenticity and individuality. We feel exhilarated for partnering with such inspiring voices to bring this message to life.â
Ramraj Cotton, the traditional ethnic wear brand has unveiled its latest 360 degree campaign which features actor Abhishek Bachchan along with the players from the Chennaiyin FC football team. The campaign will be released across digital, GEC and print media platforms in several regional languages.
The TVC portrays Abhishekh Bachchan arriving at his friendâs doorsteps for attending a party and is dressed in a Ramraj Cotton dhoti and shirt. Seeing this the guests comment in a playful manner pointing at his South Indian attire, associating it with the ownership of the Chennaiyin FC football team. To this the actor responds in a heartwarming manner explaining that cultural traditions go beyond attire or regions and act as an unifying thread entwined within the cultural diversity of India. In the end Abhishek Bachchan is seen narrating that âNo matter from which part of the world we come from, our Dhoti is our identityâ.
KR Nagarajan, Founder and Chairman of Ramraj Cotton commented on the campaign by sayingâ âOur objective has been to promote and celebrate traditional Indian attire always. Since the inception of the brand, the dhoti which is an emblem of heritage has been at the centre of our brand. We feel proud to reintroduce this attire to the younger generation, turning it into a statement of style and elegance while being still rooted in tradition. Right from our humble start, we have constantly endeavoured to revive and elevate our cultural roots and we view this campaign as a way for merging modernity with tradition.
He also said: âDhoti is not just a South Indian attire, it reflects the diversified Indian culture. In partnership with actor Abhishek Bachchan and the Chennaiyan FC football team, we intend to depict how this enduring garment can establish strong connections between people across regions and generations in celebration of our unity in diversity.
B R Arun Eashwar, MD commented: âAt Ramraj Cotton, the dhoti is celebrated by us with more than 4,000 distinctive varieties as a way of reflection of the diversified traditions and styles of India. This campaign is a way to reintroduce the dhoti to the younger generation, by offering them an inspiration for embracing this iconic attire with pride. By portraying its timeless appeal and versatility, we aim to make the dhoti a preferred choice for both modern fashions and traditional occasions.â
He also emphasised how in the Chennaiyin FC team, players come from differing cities portraying that the dhoti is not exclusive to South India but reflects the collective heritage of the country.
The campaign called as âAbhishek Bachchan Celebrates the Timeless Elegance and Culture with Ramraj Cottonâ is a 360 degree campaign that has been rolled out across digital, print, TVC platforms in numerous languages, resonating with audiences across the nation.
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