Nutty Over Coffee: Barista Introduces California Pistachio Creations

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January 14, 2025

Image of barista — Nutty Over Coffee: Barista Introduces California Pistachio Creations

Barista Coffee, one of India’s popular home-grown coffee brands, has teamed up with the American Pistachio Growers (APG) to bring a fresh wave of pistachio-infused beverages and desserts to the menu. Known for their commitment to high-quality products, APG aligns perfectly with Barista’s ethos. This collaboration merges Barista’s drive for innovation with the trusted quality of California pistachios, promising customers a blend of indulgence and health benefits.

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The new pistachio range includes exciting offerings such as the California Pistachio Latte, California Pistachio Frappe, and California Pistachio Muffin, catering to the tastes of both coffee and pistachio enthusiasts. This move reflects Barista’s ongoing effort to diversify its menu and offer a refined cafe experience with global flavors.

Rajat Agrawal, CEO of Barista Coffee, shared his thoughts on the partnership, saying, “At Barista, we’re always looking for ways to meet our customers’ evolving tastes. Partnering with APG is a natural step forward in our pursuit of quality and authenticity. The rich flavor and health benefits of California pistachios are the ideal complement to our beverages, and we can’t wait to share this new series with our guests nationwide.”

Sumit Saran, India Market Representative for APG, added, “We are excited to partner with Barista Coffee to introduce California pistachios to the Indian market. This collaboration highlights the premium quality of American produce while strengthening the culinary connection between our countries. We’re thrilled to see our pistachios featured in Barista’s new offerings.”

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With this launch, Barista is setting a new standard in creativity and flavor, offering a luxurious fusion of rich pistachio taste and high-quality coffee. The pistachio series will be available across India starting December 16, 2024.

Aadit Palicha’s Zepto Café Brews Up 60% Growth in Just Four Weeks

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January 14, 2025

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Image of zepto CEO — Aadit Palicha’s Zepto Café Brews Up 60% Growth in Just Four Weeks

In December 2024, Zepto, a leading quick-commerce startup in India, launched a dedicated app for Zepto Café, its 10-minute food delivery service. Within just four weeks, daily orders surged from 30,000 to over 50,000, marking a 60% month-on-month growth.

Co-founder and CEO Aadit Palicha shared this milestone on LinkedIn, stating, “In December, I posted that we launched a new app for Zepto Café (food delivered in 10 minutes), which was doing 30,000 orders/day. Just 4 weeks later, we have crossed 50,000 orders/day—that’s 60% month-on-month growth.”

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Palicha emphasized the importance of customer retention during this rapid expansion, noting, “More importantly, customer retention is strong even as we’re scaling.” Reflecting on the company’s journey, he remarked, “Café reminds me of Zepto’s early days 3 years ago: clear product-market-fit, multiplier growth, and an unbelievably talented team behind the execution.”

Expressing optimism about the future, Palicha stated, “Personally, I believe this is the next big innovation in Indian Q-Commerce and Consumer Internet, and Zepto is just getting started.”

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The introduction of a standalone app for Zepto Café underscores Zepto’s strategy to diversify its offerings and enhance user experience. By focusing on rapid food delivery, the company aims to meet the evolving demands of urban consumers seeking convenience and speed. As Zepto continues to scale its operations, the impressive growth of Zepto Café highlights the company’s potential to set new benchmarks in the quick-commerce industry. With a focus on innovation and customer satisfaction, Zepto is poised to further expand its footprint in the competitive Indian market.

Zodiac Expands in Delhi: A Sneak Peek into Their Latest Vegas Mall Store

Retail & Ecommerce

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January 13, 2025

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Image of zodiac — Zodiac Expands in Delhi: A Sneak Peek into Their Latest Vegas Mall Store

Zodiac, the renowned men’s apparel and accessories brand, has opened its newest store in Delhi at the popular Vegas Mall. This new outlet showcases the brand’s hallmark range of products, including tailored formal shirts, trousers, elegant clubwear, ties, and pocket squares, catering to the stylish man who values both fashion and quality.

“We’re thrilled to introduce Zodiac to our shoppers. With its comprehensive collection of premium menswear, Zodiac aligns perfectly with our goal of offering an exceptional shopping experience. This partnership strengthens our dedication to bringing top-tier fashion and lifestyle options to our customers,” said Ravinder Choudhary, Vice President of Vegas Mall.

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Founded in the late 1950s by M Y Noorani, Zodiac initially started as a trading business. The brand’s breakthrough moment came after an order for fabric was canceled by a buyer. Undeterred, Noorani took delivery of the fabric, paid the import duties, and turned the material into neckties. The success of these ties laid the foundation for the Zodiac brand.

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Expanding its horizons, Zodiac ventured into men’s accessories such as cufflinks, belts, wallets, and handkerchiefs. By the late 1960s, the company entered the shirt market, followed by the addition of premium trousers. Today, Zodiac operates nearly 100 stores under the company-owned, company-operated (COCO) model and has an extensive presence through 800 independent retailers.

K-Beauty Hits the Mall: TIRTIR’s Retail Leap is the Glow-Up You Didn’t Know You Needed

Retail & Ecommerce

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January 13, 2025

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Image of reput.ai — K-Beauty Hits the Mall: TIRTIR’s Retail Leap is the Glow-Up You Didn’t Know You Needed

TIRTIR, the Korean skincare and makeup brand, has made its offline retail debut in India through a partnership with Reliance Retail’s Tira, the company’s omnichannel beauty platform. The brand’s products are now available at select Tira stores, including prominent locations like Jio World Drive (Mumbai), DLF Avenue (Vasant Kunj, Delhi), Mall of Asia (Bengaluru), and both Infiniti Mall locations in Mumbai (Andheri and Malad).

Founded in 2015 by Lee Yoo Bin in Seoul, South Korea, TIRTIR quickly rose to prominence, particularly on TikTok’s BeautyTok, where it gained a following for its makeup tutorials, reviews, and skincare hacks. The brand specializes in makeup, skincare, and haircare products, bringing innovation to the beauty industry.

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After making an online entrance into India in December 2024, TIRTIR debuted its range on both Tira and Nykaa, offering popular items like its cushion foundation, milk skin toner, ceramic milk ampoule, and makeup setting spray.

Reliance Retail’s Tira, launched in February 2023 as an e-commerce platform, expanded its reach with a flagship store opening at Jio World Drive in Mumbai by April of the same year. Now, Tira operates over 13 stores across India.

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Korean beauty has seen a surge in demand in India thanks to its cutting-edge products and focus on personalized skincare. TIRTIR joins a growing list of Korean brands, including The Face Shop, Dr. Jart+, Cosrx, Skin1004, and Mizon, which have made their way into the Indian market, both online and offline.

Tracking Carbon Emissions and Supply Chains: RePut.ai Raises $1M in Pre-Seed Round”

Business

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January 13, 2025

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Anuj Bishnoi, the cofounder of Morning Cart (which was acquired by BigBasket), has made his next big move by launching a new B2B SaaS venture called RePut.ai. The Bengaluru-based startup, which emerged from stealth mode, has successfully raised nearly $1 million (INR 8.6 crore) in its Pre-seed funding round, led by GrowthCap Ventures.

The round also attracted several angel investors, including BigBasket cofounder Vipul Parekh, TableSprint’s Abhijeet Kumar, and Deloitte India partner Vishal Jain.

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Founded in April 2024 by Bishnoi, alongside Rohit Mahatma and Amit Bishnoi, RePut.ai specializes in using AI and blockchain technology to provide advanced supply chain management solutions for businesses. The platform offers features like real-time product tracking, supplier watchlists, and procurement analytics. But its standout feature is the ability to track carbon emissions throughout the supply chain, positioning RePut.ai as a leader in climate tech innovation. The startup also provides businesses with access to a verified recycling network, making it a strong advocate for sustainability.

The freshly raised funds will be used to enhance RePut.ai’s technology, expand its team, and drive its global growth plans. According to Prateek Agarwal, founder and general partner of GrowthCap Ventures, RePut.ai is helping to reshape supply chain transparency, combining profitability with sustainability to tackle some of the world’s most pressing challenges.

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This move comes amid a wave of seasoned entrepreneurs launching new ventures. Just recently, Amod Malviya, cofounder of B2B marketplace Udaan, also unveiled his latest startup, Pre6.

HUL Decides to Scoop Out Ice Cream Biz into New Subsidiary Kwality Wall’s

Business

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January 13, 2025

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Image of kwality walls — HUL Decides to Scoop Out Ice Cream Biz into New Subsidiary Kwality Wall’s

Hindustan Unilever (HUL) announced the creation of a new subsidiary, Kwality Wall’s (India) Ltd (KWIL), as part of its plan to spin off its ice cream division. The new entity will house the company’s popular ice cream brands such as Kwality Wall’s, Cornetto, and Magnum.

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This move, which is currently under review by the HUL board, aims to streamline the business by separating the ice cream segment from HUL’s other operations. As per the plan, HUL will retain full ownership of the new subsidiary, holding 100% of its share capital.

The decision to demerge was finalized after a board meeting on November 25, 2024. Shareholders of HUL will receive shares in the new ice cream company, based on their current stake in HUL. This follows a recommendation from an Independent Committee set up by the company earlier in September. The committee highlighted that the ice cream business operates under a different model—one that requires specialized cold-chain infrastructure and has a unique distribution setup—making it challenging to align with the broader HUL operations.

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With the demerger underway, the ice cream business is set to become an independent, publicly listed company, which will open new avenues for growth and operational focus.

Pop-Culture Trendsetter The Souled Store Eyes Global Markets, Starting with Dubai

Retail & Ecommerce

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January 13, 2025

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The Souled Store, a homegrown brand known for its pop-culture-inspired apparel and accessories, is all set to make its debut in international markets this year, with the Middle East being its first stop.

The company plans to leverage its direct-to-consumer (D2C) model through an online platform offering products tailored to the tastes of local shoppers. Additionally, they will collaborate with regional e-commerce platforms to enhance their reach and make shopping more convenient for customers.

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Harsh Lal, co-founder of The Souled Store, shared that the brand is eyeing key Middle Eastern cities like Dubai for its first physical stores. “We’re considering opening 3-5 offline stores in high-traffic locations in Dubai and have already pinpointed potential sites,” he said. The goal is to strategically place these stores in areas with strong demand for lifestyle and pop-culture products.

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Once the brand has established itself in the Middle East, the next step will be expanding to Western markets, particularly Europe and the US. Lal revealed that the brand is planning to open its first international offline store within the next six to seven months as part of a pilot project. If successful, the company anticipates that international markets could contribute up to 40%-50% of its business within the next three to four years.

UPI Wars: PhonePe Rockets Past $140 Billion, Leaving Google Pay & Paytm in the Dust

Growth

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January 13, 2025

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Image of UPI — UPI Wars: PhonePe Rockets Past $140 Billion, Leaving Google Pay & Paytm in the Dust

PhonePe has firmly cemented its position at the top of India’s digital payments landscape, recording an impressive 798.4 crore UPI transactions in December 2024, a notable increase of 7.8% from 740.1 crore transactions in November.

The platform, owned by Walmart, handled transactions worth ₹11.76 lakh crore in December, up from ₹10.88 lakh crore the previous month. With over 47% of total UPI transactions and half of the overall transaction value, PhonePe continues to dominate the sector.

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Trailing behind, Google Pay held 37.22% of the market in terms of UPI transaction volume. It processed 614 crore transactions in December, up from 573 crore in November, showcasing steady growth in user activity.

Paytm remained the third-largest UPI player, though its market share dipped slightly from 7.03% in November to 6.97% in December. Despite this, it saw a modest rise in transaction volume, hitting 115 crore transactions compared to 107 crore in the prior month.

Meanwhile, Navi, led by Sachin Bansal, continued its upward climb. The app’s market share edged up to 1.02% in December, with 20.25 crore transactions, up from 15.2 crore in November, signaling increasing adoption among users.

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The UPI ecosystem as a whole reached new heights, clocking a record 1,673 crore transactions in December 2024, an 8.08% rise from November’s 1,548 crore. The value of these transactions also grew by 7.9%, hitting ₹23.25 lakh crore compared to ₹21.55 lakh crore the previous month, according to data from the National Payments Corporation of India (NPCI).

This growth has been fueled by continued support for the fintech sector. The Reserve Bank of India (RBI) recently raised the wallet limit for UPI Lite

Puma Courts PV Sindhu: A $57M Partnership to Dominate India’s Badminton Boom

Business, Advertising

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January 13, 2025

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Image of puma — Puma Courts PV Sindhu: A $57M Partnership to Dominate India’s Badminton Boom

Indian badminton champion PV Sindhu has made history by becoming the first-ever badminton athlete to collaborate with Puma India. On January 13, the two-time Olympic medalist signed a multi-year deal with the German sportswear giant, marking a significant milestone in both her career and Puma’s expansion into badminton.

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Sindhu, already a trailblazer as the first Indian woman to win two Olympic medals, joins a distinguished list of Puma athletes, including cricket star Harmanpreet Kaur and football legend Neymar Jr. Through this partnership, Puma India aims to tap into the fast-growing badminton fanbase in India, which boasts 57 million followers.

This move into badminton is a strategic step for Puma, as it strengthens its foothold in India’s evolving sports market. With a focus on performance wear, Puma India expects this collaboration to drive growth and enhance its brand presence in the country, doubling its current pace.

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The partnership will kick off during the India Open 2025 in New Delhi, where Sindhu will showcase the first fruits of this dynamic collaboration, paving the way for the future of badminton in India.

Boba Bhai’s ₹30 Cr Bet on K-Pop Burgers and Bubble Tea Takes the QSR World by Storm

Investors & Capital

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January 13, 2025

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Image of boba bhai — Boba Bhai’s ₹30 Cr Bet on K-Pop Burgers and Bubble Tea Takes the QSR World by Storm

Bengaluru-based QSR brand Boba Bhai, known for its bubble tea and unique food offerings, has raised ₹30 crore (approximately $3.4 million) in a Series A funding round led by 8i Ventures. The round also saw support from existing investors, including Titan Capital Winners Fund, Global Growth Capital, and DEVC, among others.

The fresh capital will be used to expand into new cities such as Pune and Ahmedabad, scale up operations, introduce Korean-inspired menu items, and create new sub-brands. With this latest round, Boba Bhai’s total funding now stands at ₹42.5 crore (around $4.9 million).

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Founded in 2023 by Dhruv Kohli, Boba Bhai has quickly made a mark with its 45 bubble tea flavors and K-Pop-inspired burgers infused with an Indian twist. The startup operates in nine cities, including Bengaluru, Hyderabad, Mumbai, Delhi, and Chennai, and plans to double its footprint by opening over 150 stores by the end of the year.

The company initially raised ₹12.5 crore in April 2024 from Titan Capital, Global Growth Capital UK, and a lineup of prominent investors such as V3 Ventures cofounder Arjun Vaidya, Warm Up Ventures, Razorpay’s founders’ fund Marsshot VC, Mamaearth cofounder Varun Alagh, and PeerCheque.

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In its first six months, Boba Bhai achieved revenues of ₹8 crore, a testament to its rapid growth. Founder Dhruv Kohli attributed the success to the brand’s focus on innovation, quality, and customer satisfaction.

“Over the past nine months, we’ve experienced remarkable growth, which reflects our dedication to delivering unique and high-quality experiences to our customers. With the backing of our investors, we’re excited to scale further, introduce new products, and establish Boba Bhai as the top choice for India’s next generation of QSR consumers,” Kohli said.

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