Coca-Cola India Boosts Delhi Kirana Stores with Coolers and Coke Buddy Digital Platform to Drive Sales

Business

September 26, 2025

Coca-Cola India has stepped up its support for Delhi’s kirana stores, aiming to enhance both sales and customer experience through a mix of cooling infrastructure and digital tools. The initiative, launched under the company’s Locally Yours campaign, is being executed in partnership with bottlers Moon Beverages and Kandhari Global Beverages.

As part of the program, Coca-Cola is installing energy-efficient coolers across small and medium retail outlets, ensuring beverages remain fresh and visible to consumers. These coolers not only extend product shelf life but also help store owners attract more footfall, particularly during peak festive seasons. In parallel, the company has introduced Coke Buddy, a digital platform providing self-ordering capabilities, AI-driven insights, and 24/7 support to streamline inventory management and order fulfillment for kirana owners.

“This initiative goes beyond products; it’s about enabling retailers to thrive while creating meaningful experiences for customers,” said Sundeep Bajoria, Vice President – India Operations, Coca-Cola India & Southwest Asia.

Local shopkeepers report tangible benefits from the support. Raksha Ram Gupta, a Delhi tea stall owner for nearly two decades, noted that adding Coca-Cola products during festival periods has boosted sales and made his shop a community hub. Similarly, Yash Pal, who manages a family-run juice centre, said the combination of popular beverages and digital tools has allowed him to serve a growing customer base more efficiently. Kirana owner Ankit Gupta, whose family has operated a store for over 30 years, emphasized the role of consistent support in keeping operations simple while enhancing customer loyalty.

Through this program, Coca-Cola India aims to strengthen traditional retail networks in the capital, helping micro, small, and medium businesses increase revenue while improving in-store experiences. The campaign reflects a broader effort by the company to modernize kirana operations using a combination of technology, infrastructure, and retailer-focused initiatives, ensuring that neighborhood shops remain competitive and relevant in a changing marketplace.

KisanKonnect Raises ₹72 Crore to Redefine Fresh Produce Supply Chains in India

Growth

SnackTeam

September 26, 2025

Farm-to-fork brand KisanKonnect has raised ₹72 crore in its Pre-Series B round, led by Bajaj Finserv Ventures. The round also saw participation from Mistry Ventures, Desai Brothers, Dhanuka Agritech and Action Tessa Family Office, all of whom doubled down with follow-on investments.

Founded with the mission to bridge farmers and urban consumers, the Mumbai-based startup has built a technology-led supply chain tailored for perishables. Unlike conventional e-commerce models, which often struggle to handle fresh produce, KisanKonnect focuses exclusively on safe, residue-tested fruits and vegetables. The company currently serves consumers across Mumbai and Pune, where it has positioned itself as a trusted brand for quality-conscious households.

The company’s moat lies in its farmer-first approach. KisanKonnect works with thousands of growers, integrating digital payments, crop calendars, and farm-level data into its supply chain. Proprietary tools, including IoT and RFID-based traceability, AI-powered demand forecasting, and a farmer advisory app, enable the company to manage more than 650 stock-keeping units of highly perishable items. These tools also help reduce wastage while maintaining freshness at scale.

In addition to its mobile app, which offers 60-minute delivery in key markets, KisanKonnect operates physical Farm Stores for consumers who prefer offline shopping. This dual-channel approach has helped the company attract both younger digital-first buyers and families seeking convenience and assurance in their daily purchases.

“We have built proprietary tech tools and strong farmer partnerships that transform perishables logistics into a predictable, scalable and consumer-friendly model,” said Vivek Nirmal, Co-Founder of KisanKonnect. “This fundraise will help us expand our technology stack further, deepen our farmer network, and scale both our digital and offline presence.”

About KisanKonnect: Founded in Mumbai, KisanKonnect is a farmer-driven fresh produce platform delivering safe, residue-tested fruits and vegetables through its app and Farm Stores across Mumbai and Pune.

Reliance to Invest ₹40,000 Crore in AI-Powered Food Parks, First Sites in Maharashtra and Andhra Pradesh

INVESTMENTS

SnackTeam

September 26, 2025

Reliance Consumer Products Ltd (RCPL), the fast-growing FMCG arm of Reliance Industries, has signed a ₹40,000-crore memorandum of understanding with the Government of India to develop a network of large-scale, AI-powered food parks. The agreement was finalized at the World Food India 2025 summit in New Delhi, and represents one of the biggest private sector commitments in the country’s food processing industry.

The first two food parks will come up in Katol, Nagpur district of Maharashtra, and in Kurnool, Andhra Pradesh, with an initial investment of ₹1,500 crore. These facilities are planned as integrated ecosystems, combining robotics, automation, and artificial intelligence to modernize food manufacturing, improve supply chain efficiency, and reduce waste. Officials estimate the project will generate thousands of direct and indirect jobs, while also boosting India’s food exports.

Reliance had first flagged its entry into food infrastructure during its Annual General Meeting in August. At the time, director Isha Ambani outlined RCPL’s ambition to scale into a ₹1-lakh-crore FMCG powerhouse within five years, building on its current portfolio that includes Campa Cola, Independence, Alan’s, Enzo, Ravalgaon, and recent acquisition Tagz Foods.

In just three years, RCPL has posted revenue of over ₹11,000 crore, making it one of the fastest-growing players in India’s consumer goods sector. With the latest agreement, the company is positioning itself at the intersection of food processing and advanced technology, an area long flagged as critical for India’s agricultural economy.

The government has welcomed the investment as a strategic step toward building Asia’s most modern food manufacturing clusters. RCPL is expected to expand the model to additional states after Maharashtra and Andhra Pradesh, setting a new benchmark in technology-led FMCG growth.

Amazon’s $23.9 Billion Subscription Empire Faces Reckoning as FTC Secures Record $2.5 Billion Settlement for Misleading Prime Users

E-Commerce

SnackTeam

September 26, 2025

Amazon has agreed to pay $2.5 billion to settle charges brought by the Federal Trade Commission (FTC), which accused the e-commerce giant of misleading millions of consumers into signing up for its Prime membership service. The deal, announced Thursday, combines $1 billion in fines with $1.5 billion in reimbursements to affected subscribers.

Roughly 35 million Prime members are eligible for payments. According to court filings, customers who enrolled in Prime between June 2019 and June 2025 through certain promotional offers, but rarely used its benefits, will automatically receive $51. Others may claim refunds if they attempted to cancel but were unsuccessful.

The case centered on practices the FTC described as confusing and manipulative, particularly around free-trial offers and the difficulty of canceling. The agency alleged that Amazon executives resisted internal proposals to simplify enrollment and cancellation, calling the tactics “an unspoken cancer” in internal discussions.

Although Amazon denies wrongdoing, the company has agreed to introduce clearer disclosures, including a visible option to decline Prime during checkout and a simplified cancellation process. An independent monitor will oversee compliance.

FTC Chair Andrew Ferguson hailed the settlement as the agency’s second-largest consumer payout on record, calling it “a monumental win for Americans tired of subscriptions that are nearly impossible to cancel.” Former FTC chair Lina Khan described the $2.5 billion payout as “a drop in the bucket” compared to Amazon’s scale.

Prime, launched in 2005 at $79 per year and now priced at $139 annually, remains central to Amazon’s business. Subscription revenue reached $23.9 billion in the first half of 2025 alone. Analysts say the settlement is unlikely to weaken Prime’s dominance, with the service already entrenched in most U.S. households.

Savouron by Herbal Isolates Targets Growing Demand for Clean-Label Flavour Solutions

Food

SnackTeam

September 25, 2025

Herbal Isolates, part of the Synthite Group and a long-standing player in the global food ingredient market, has unveiled Savouron, a new sub-brand dedicated to flavour enhancement. The launch signals a strategic move to consolidate the company’s growing portfolio of taste solutions under one unified identity, while also positioning itself to capture rising demand in the fast-expanding flavour enhancer segment.

Herbal Isolates has built its reputation on decades of leadership in green pepper products and hydrolysed vegetable proteins (HVPs). With Savouron, the company is broadening its scope to address changing consumer preferences for bold flavours, cleaner labels, and responsibly sourced ingredients. The Savouron range is structured around three categories. The first includes flavour enhancers such as HVP, flavoured HVP, CleanSavour HVP, yeast extracts, reaction flavours and soya sauce powder. The second focuses on dairy and fat systems, including cheese powder, curd powder, non-dairy creamer and fat powder, aimed at delivering indulgence and creaminess across food applications. The third features specialty powders like caramel powder, vinegar powder and an expanding set of spray-dried ingredients designed for both taste and functional benefits.

Speaking on the launch, Jacob Ninan, Managing Director of Herbal Isolates, said Savouron represents the company’s commitment to shaping the next chapter of food innovation. “Consumers are looking for products that deliver flavour and indulgence, but also transparency and responsibility. Savouron allows us to partner with food brands to meet these expectations head-on,” he noted. Industry analysts estimate sustained global growth in the flavour enhancer market, driven by convenience, nutrition, and sensory appeal. Backed by the processing expertise of Herbal Isolates and the R&D strength of Synthite Group, Savouron is positioned to play a pivotal role in the evolution of flavour solutions worldwide.

California Burrito Bags Rs 120 Crore From Elevation Capital, Targets 140 Stores by FY26

funding

SnackTeam

September 25, 2025

Bengaluru-based quick service restaurant chain California Burrito has raised about Rs 120 crore ($14 million) from Elevation Capital, marking its biggest fundraise since inception. The deal, which had been in discussion nearly 18 months ago but stalled, has now been revived on favourable terms, people familiar with the development.

Founded in 2012 by American entrepreneur Bert Mueller along with friends Dharam Khalsa and Gaelan Connell, California Burrito has grown from four outlets in Bengaluru in its early years to more than 110 stores across India. Mueller, now the sole remaining co-founder and chief executive officer, is steering the brand into its next phase of growth.

The fresh capital will be deployed to expand the chain to about 140 outlets by March 2026, with Pune and other new cities joining Bengaluru as key markets. A portion of the funds will also be used to strengthen leadership, with recent hires from KFC and other large QSR brands already in place.

California Burrito’s revenues have nearly doubled in two years. The company reported Rs 109 crore in FY23, rising to Rs 196 crore in FY24. After several years of losses, it turned profitable last year with Rs 6.8 crore in net profit, according to regulatory filings. Results for FY25 are yet to be disclosed.

Online platforms remain the company’s biggest growth driver, with 60 percent of sales coming via Zomato and Swiggy, while dine-in contributes the remaining 40 percent.

The brand, backed by Kumar Vembu, brother of Zoho founder Sridhar Vembu, has raised under $10 million till now, making the Elevation Capital infusion a significant milestone in its funding journey. Both California Burrito and Elevation Capital declined to comment on the development.

Handpickd Bags $15M Series A from Bertelsmann, Titan to Scale Zero-Inventory Commerce Model

Growth

SnackTeam

September 25, 2025

Handpickd, a commerce startup founded in 2024, has raised $15 million in Series A funding led by Bertelsmann India Investments, with Titan Capital Winners Fund and existing backers also participating. The company said the fresh capital will be used to expand its operations, strengthen supply chain technology, and hire across key functions.

The round marks one of the larger early-stage investments this year in India’s growing agri-commerce and fresh produce sector. Handpickd was co-founded by Anant Goel, who earlier launched Milkbasket, along with Nitin Gupta and Sahil Madan.

Unlike traditional grocery and quick commerce players, Handpickd operates on a zero-inventory model. Orders placed by customers are aggregated and sourced directly from farmers before being delivered within six to seven hours. The company does not rely on warehouses, cold storages, or dark stores, a structure it claims reduces wastage significantly while improving profitability at scale.

“We are inverting the demand-supply equation. Instead of pushing stockpiled goods, we procure exactly what the consumer wants and deliver it the same day. This systematically eliminates inefficiencies across the supply chain,” said Anant Goel, co-founder and chief executive.

The model also positions Handpickd differently in India’s competitive fresh food and grocery segment, where players such as Zepto, Blinkit, and BigBasket have invested heavily in warehousing and logistics infrastructure. By bypassing inventory holding, Handpickd aims to achieve faster growth with leaner capital requirements.

Backed by its new investors, the company plans to strengthen its technology stack to improve farmer integration, streamline sourcing, and build predictive systems for demand planning. Expansion into new cities is also on the roadmap.

With consumer demand for fresher, transparent, and waste-free food supply chains rising, Handpickd is betting its model can scale rapidly and profitably in the coming years.

TenderCuts Turns the Tables: Retail-First Pivot Delivers Profitability and Faster Breakeven

Food

SnackTeam

September 25, 2025

Chennai-based meat and seafood brand TenderCuts has staged a sharp turnaround, moving from the brink of closure to profitability within just 20 months. The company, which had been weighed down by high acquisition costs and slow-breaking stores, is now reporting positive unit economics after restructuring its business model.

Co-founder and CEO Sasikumar Kallanai told ETRetail that the company broke even at the corporate level in August, marking its first profitable month. The shift came after TenderCuts moved away from its online-heavy strategy, where nearly 90 percent of revenue once originated, to a retail-first approach centered on smaller, more efficient neighborhood stores.

Store formats were trimmed from 1,500–2,000 sq. ft. to 800–1,000 sq. ft., reducing capital expenditure from Rs 70–80 lakh per outlet to Rs 20–30 lakh. Operating costs were cut in half to under Rs 4 lakh. As a result, stores are now breaking even in under six months, compared to 18 months previously, and are generating 15 to 18 percent EBITDA at the outlet level.

The restructuring has also boosted customer retention. Repeat orders now account for 88 percent of transactions, while online sales are growing 5 to 8 percent each month despite zero spending on performance marketing.

Chennai remains the core market, with plans to expand from 18 to 50 outlets by March 2026. Smaller stores are expected to deliver Rs 35 lakh in monthly throughput, while larger formats could reach Rs 50 lakh.

TenderCuts closed FY25 with operating revenue of Rs 48 crore and expects to reach Rs 80 crore in FY26. The brand projects Rs 120 crore in annual recurring revenue by March 2026 and aims to scale to Rs 500 crore across Chennai, Bengaluru and Hyderabad within three years.

Gant Strengthens Footprint in India, Appoints Shahid Kapoor as Brand Ambassador to Drive Lifestyle

SnackTeam

September 25, 2025

American sportswear brand Gant is intensifying its push in India with Bollywood actor Shahid Kapoor coming on board as its new brand ambassador. The partnership will be unveiled through a campaign titled “Button Up. Build Your Story,” aimed at celebrating resilience, individuality, and self-expression, key themes that the brand hopes will resonate with Indian consumers.

Shahid Kapoor, a prominent figure in Indian cinema with a strong following among urban millennials, emphasized the campaign’s alignment with personal authenticity. “Style for me has always been about authenticity, wearing something that not only looks good but also tells a story about who you are,” Kapoor said. “Gant’s legacy of effortless sophistication and its commitment to progress and self-expression deeply resonate with me.”

The campaign will feature a short film designed to engage consumers on an emotional level, highlighting personal narratives that mirror Gant’s values. The brand believes Kapoor’s image of confidence and elegance makes him a natural fit for its message, reinforcing its positioning as a modern, heritage-rooted lifestyle brand.

Fredrik Malm, EVP of global commercial, brand, and product at Gant, noted that the collaboration is intended to strengthen the brand’s footprint in one of the world’s fastest-growing fashion markets. “Shahid Kapoor embodies the effortless style and confidence that define Gant. Through this partnership, we aim to deepen engagement with Indian consumers and expand awareness of our cultural and lifestyle offerings,” he said.

Pawan Khandelwal, managing director of Samarth Lifestyle, which oversees Gant’s business in India, highlighted that the brand plans to leverage this campaign to elevate its presence across key metropolitan centers while delivering a premium retail and digital experience.

The move comes as Gant seeks to accelerate growth in India, where international sportswear and lifestyle brands are increasingly investing to capture a market valued at billions of dollars, fueled by rising urban incomes and evolving fashion preferences.

Handcrafted Metalware Brand P•TAL Raises $3 Million in Series A Led by VC Grid and Zerodha’s Rainmatter, Eyes ₹150 Crore ARR and Global Expansion

Growth

SnackTeam

September 24, 2025

Handcrafted copper, brass and bronze brand P•TAL has secured 3 million US dollars (about ₹25 crore) in a Series A round led by VC Grid and Rainmatter, the venture fund backed by Zerodha cofounder Nithin Kamath. The round also saw participation from Connecticut Innovations, marking the US-based firm’s first investment in an Indian company.

Other investors joining the round include Anicut Capital, Zero Pearl VC, Jaipur Rugs Family Office, Livspace cofounder Ramakant Sharma, Genesis Luxury’s Sanjay Kapoor, CaratLane cofounder Avnish Anand, Atomberg’s Shibam Das, Innov8’s Ritesh Malik, Ekamya Ventures, the Salarpuria Group and LNB Group.

The company, which appeared on Shark Tank India and secured an all-sharks deal in Season 3, has scaled rapidly over the past two years. Revenues have jumped from ₹5 crore annual run rate (ARR) to ₹50 crore, and P•TAL now targets ₹150 crore ARR within the next 12 months.

Exports currently contribute over 55 percent of its sales, spanning the United States, United Kingdom, Europe and the Middle East. The brand expects international revenue share to climb to 75 percent in the next three to five years as it strengthens distribution abroad.

Co-founder and chief executive Aditya Agrawal said the fresh capital will be channelled into product development, technology-led supply chain efficiencies and community initiatives for its artisan base. “We want to redefine what Made in India means — craft rooted in tradition but designed for the future. Our goal is to build a brand that makes India proud on the global stage,” he said.

P•TAL, short for Punjab Thathera Art Legacy, works with traditional artisans in north India to create modern handcrafted metalware, blending design innovation with heritage techniques.

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