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Wow! Momo surpasses INR 400 Cr revenue mark in FY23 with 88% growth

Sagar Daryani, Shah Miftaur Rahman, Binod Homagai & Murali Krishnan, Co-Founders, Wow! Momo
Sagar Daryani, Shah Miftaur Rahman, Binod Homagai & Murali Krishnan, Co-Founders, Wow! Momo

The QSR chain Wow! Momo achieved a remarkable milestone as its revenue surged past the INR 400 Cr threshold in the fiscal year ended on March 31, 2023. The Kolkata-based startup, renowned for its delectable momos, experienced a staggering 88% growth in operating revenue, soaring from INR 219.8 Cr in the preceding fiscal year to INR 412.9 Cr in FY23.

The boost in revenue can be credited to the startup’s expansion of its store network and the introduction of new brands like Wow! Chicken, Wow! China, and China Belly.

Taking into account other sources of revenue, the total revenue surged by 87.3% to reach INR 416.3 Cr in the fiscal year under consideration, up from INR 222.19 Cr in FY22.

In contrast, the net loss expanded by 13% to INR 60.5 Cr in the fiscal year under consideration, up from INR 53.4 Cr in FY22.

Continue Exploring: Wow! Momo diversifies portfolio, enters dessert segment with Wow! Kulfi launch in Kolkata

The company’s total expenditure soared by 72% to INR 470.8 Cr in FY23, compared to INR 274.5 Cr in the previous fiscal year.

During the year under review, the startup allocated INR 159.9 Cr towards procuring raw materials, marking a 68% increase from the INR 95.3 Cr spent in FY22.

The employee cost surged by 77% to INR 90.6 Cr from INR 51.3 Cr in the previous year, suggesting that the startup expanded its workforce during the year under review.

Wow! Momo’s rent expenses soared to INR 62 Cr in FY23, marking a remarkable 109% increase from INR 29.6 Cr in the previous year. This uptick aligns with the startup’s expansion into various regions across the country.

Continue Exploring: Wow! Momo’s rapid expansion continues with a buzzing new outlet at GMR Hyderabad International Airport

The EBITDA loss saw an improvement to INR 5.58 Cr from INR 15.8 Cr in FY22, alongside a boost in the EBITDA margin to -1.35% in FY23 from -7.2% in the preceding year.

Established in 2008 by Binod Kumar Homagai, Sagar Daryani, and Shah Miftaur Rahman, Wow! Momo boasts a presence spanning over 25 Indian cities with more than 500 outlets. In March 2023, the startup announced its decision to unify all its brands under the umbrella brand, Wow! Eats.

Last month, the startup raised INR 70 Cr from homegrown investment firm Z3Partners. Earlier this year, it had secured $42 Mn from Malaysian sovereign fund Khazanah Nasional Berhad.

Continue Exploring: Wow! Momo secures INR 70 Crore funding boost from Z3Partners to fuel expansion and R&D efforts

In total, the startup has amassed approximately $135 Mn in funding to date, with notable backers including Tiger Global, ValueQuest Capital, and Lighthouse Funds.

Wow! Momo competes with renowned players such as Jumbo King and Goli Vada Pav in the fast food industry.

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After successful trial run, Zomato expands priority food delivery service to Delhi, Hyderabad, and Pune

Zomato
Zomato

Several weeks following the trial run of its priority food delivery service in select areas of Mumbai and Bengaluru, Zomato, the foodtech giant, has now broadened its reach to encompass additional cities such as Delhi, Hyderabad, and Pune.

According to information provided on the Zomato app, the company is offering users in select cities the option to prioritize their orders, resulting in delivery up to 5 minutes quicker than the standard service.

Zomato is levying a fee of INR 19 to INR 29 per order for priority deliveries, including ‘Zomato Gold’ users who are also subject to this additional charge for prioritized service.

Zomato asserts that priority orders are individually handled and not grouped with other orders, ensuring expedited deliveries.

Continue Exploring: Zomato tests priority deliveries in Bengaluru, Mumbai with extra charges

The expansion of the priority delivery service is anticipated to bolster Zomato’s revenue stream further.

This development comes at a time when Zomato has been exploring a variety of new initiatives to enhance its revenue. Last month, it was reportedly conducting trials of last-mile delivery services tailored for office workers within corporate parks.

It recently launched an all-electric “large order fleet” designed to accommodate orders for up to 50 people at once.

Continue Exploring: Zomato launches all-electric ‘large order fleet’ for events and gatherings

In March, the foodtech major launched a “Pure Veg Fleet,” featuring delivery personnel in green uniforms and introduced a new app mode catering to 100% vegetarian dietary preferences. However, the decision to have separate uniforms for this fleet’s personnel was later revoked due to online backlash.

Continue Exploring: Zomato renames ‘Pure Veg’ mode to ‘Veg Only’ amid social media backlash

Last month, the company raised its platform fee to INR 5 per order from INR 4 earlier.

Last week, Zomato announced its fourth consecutive profitable quarter, attributing the success to the introduction of new fees and offerings. The company’s consolidated profit after tax surged by 26.8% to INR 175 Cr in the quarter ending March 31 of the financial year 2023-24 (FY24), up from INR 138 Cr in the previous quarter.

Revenue from operations surged by over 8% to INR 3,562 Cr in the quarter, up from INR 3,288 Cr in Q3 FY24.

Continue Exploring: Zomato’s Q4 net profit surges 27% quarter-over-quarter to INR 175 Cr

Nonetheless, Zomato witnessed a decrease in the Gross Order Value (GOV) of its food delivery segment compared to the previous quarter, dropping to INR 8,439 Cr from INR 8,486 Cr. However, there was a notable 28% increase in GOV on a year-over-year basis.

During Q4, the average monthly transacting customers for the food delivery business increased to 19 Mn, up from 18.8 Mn in the previous quarter.

After the results, various brokerages, including Bernstein, revised their target prices for Zomato. The stock concluded Wednesday’s (May 15) trading session with a 2.4% increase, reaching INR 191.95 on the BSE.

Continue Exploring: Bernstein raises Zomato’s price target to INR 230, upholds ‘OUTPERFORM’ rating following strong Q4 results

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Mumbai restaurants to offer 20% ‘Democracy Discount’ to voters on May 20 & 21

Cafe Restaurant
(Representative Image)

A group of eateries in Mumbai have announced a 20% discount on the total dine-in bill value for May 20th and 21st for local voters. According to a statement by the Mumbai Chapter of the National Restaurant Association of India (NRAI), this initiative, dubbed the Democracy Discount, aims to motivate citizens to exercise their voting rights.

“In Mumbai, the sense of community has always been remarkable, and I’m excited that numerous fantastic brands are collaborating with us as part of the NRAI Mumbai Chapter,” expressed Rachel Goenka, Head of the NRAI Mumbai Chapter, in the statement.

Continue Exploring: Restaurants and food aggregators hit all-time highs on Mother’s Day

As part of this initiative, every participating restaurant will provide a 20% discount on the entire bill to dine-in customers who are verified residents with a valid voter ID and a marked finger indicating they’ve voted.

Mumbai is scheduled to participate in the fifth phase of the Lok Sabha elections on May 20, 2024.

Continue Exploring: Pricey cocoa, coffee, palm oil, and sugar spike dining costs: Restaurant bills set to increase by 5-8%

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Barista Coffee unveils its largest café yet in Srinagar

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Barista Diner

Barista Coffee, a homegrown coffee chain, has launched its largest café in the country in Srinagar.

Spanning more than 4,000 square feet, the latest establishment sits adjacent to Dal Lake, marking the fifth Barista Diner venue in the city. With seating for over 100 patrons, it offers ample space for coffee lovers to relax and enjoy.

Continue Exploring: Barista Coffee hits the 400-store mark, aiming for 500 stores by 2024

Rajat Agrawal, CEO of Barista Coffee, said, “We’re excited to introduce the opening of Barista Diner, our latest and most expansive café situated at Dal Lake, Srinagar. Nestled in a prime spot with breathtaking views of The Dal, and offering exceptional culinary delights, we believe Barista Diner at Dal Lake will quickly establish itself as a favored destination for both locals and tourists exploring Kashmir.”

Barista Diner stands as the premier establishment among Barista’s locations, with presence in Noida, Gurgaon, Chandigarh, and Kapurthala.

Established in 2000, Barista Coffee Company Ltd has expanded its presence beyond India to include Sri Lanka and the Maldives.

Continue Exploring: AbCoffee expands footprint with new coffee counter in Gurugram, marking 38th outlet nationwide

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India’s palm oil imports skyrocket by over 34% in April, driven by global price dip

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Palm oil
Palm oil (Representative Image)

In April, India’s palm oil imports surged by 34.11% year-on-year, reaching 684,000 tonnes, buoyed by a decline in global prices, as per the Solvent Extractors’ Association of India (SEA). This accounted for 52% of India’s total edible oil imports of 1,304,409 tonnes in April, with sunflower and soybean oils contributing 620,315 tonnes, according to the trade body’s statement.

When considering non-edible oils, the overall import of vegetable oils in April saw a notable increase of 26%, totaling 1,318,528 tonnes compared to 1,050,189 tonnes a year earlier.

The Solvent Extractors’ Association of India (SEA) mentioned that subdued global prices prompted increased imports of refined, bleached, and deodorized (RBD) palmolein and crude palm oil (CPO), with a decrease of nearly USD 100 per tonne noted last month.

Continue Exploring: India’s sunflower oil imports skyrocket by 51% in March, pushing palm oil to lowest levels since 2023

It further added that soybean oil prices experienced a global decline of USD 40 per tonne, whereas the sunflower oil rate saw a comparatively smaller drop of just USD 15 per tonne over the past month.

Regarding palm oils, imports of RBD palmolein rose to 124,228 tonnes compared to 112,248 tonnes during the same period last year.

Shipments of CPO (crude palm oil) surged by 36% to reach 536,248 tonnes, up from 393,856 tonnes, while imports of crude palm kernel oil experienced a remarkable nearly 6-fold increase, soaring to 23,618 tonnes from 3,990 tonnes.

Continue Exploring: PepsiCo India trials healthier oil blend for Lay’s chips, aims to reduce palm oil usage

In the category of soft oils, imports of soybean oil witnessed a surge to 385,514 tonnes from 262,455 tonnes, while inflows of sunflower oil slightly decreased to 234,801 tonnes from 249,122 tonnes.

SEA reported that as of May 1, India’s edible oil stockpiles amounted to 2.245 million tonnes.

India stands as the largest importer of edible oil globally. Indonesia and Malaysia serve as the primary sources of RBD palmolein and CPO, while soybean oil originates from Argentina and Brazil, and sunflower oil from Russia, Romania, and Ukraine.

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Fashion brand Beyoung launches first physical store, plans expansion to 300 outlets in next three years

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Shivam Soni, Shivani Soni, Sakshi Soni, and Shankar Mali, Co-Founder, Beyoung
Shivam Soni, Shivani Soni, Sakshi Soni, and Shankar Mali, Co-Founder, Beyoung

Fashion label Beyoung has announced its entry into physical retailing with its first store, as part of its plan to open 300 outlets within the next three years.

Thus far, the brand has secured a substantial portion of the online market in tier 2-4 cities. It aims to bolster its omnichannel presence by extending its reach across both online and offline platforms. Shivam Soni, the Founder of Beyoung, expressed, “This marks a significant stride in our offline expansion journey within tier 2, 3, and 4 cities. We eagerly anticipate delivering quality products to numerous additional cities and expanding our product categories in the upcoming year.” Beyoung, which inaugurated its debut store in Bhilwara, Rajasthan, is poised for further growth.

Established by Shivam Soni, Shivani Soni, Sakshi Soni, and Shankar Mali in 2018 in Udaipur, Rajasthan, Beyoung currently boasts a Gross Merchandise Value (GMV) of INR 200 crore. The brand has set its sights on reaching a GMV of INR 650 crore within the next three years.

Continue Exploring: Indian D2C fashion brand Beyoung secures strategic investment from Abu Dhabi Royal Family, eyes global expansion

India, the world’s second-most populous country, presents an enticing market for apparel brands, particularly as younger demographics show growing enthusiasm for western fashion trends. Notably, within the apparel sector, prominent brands like H&M and Puma derive more than 40-50% of their revenues from online sales, highlighting a heightened preference for e-commerce channels following the pandemic.

Experts predict that by 2027, the fashion and lifestyle e-commerce sector will burgeon into a $35-40 billion market. Within the Direct-to-Consumer (D2C) segment alone, there exists an addressable market of at least $15-20 billion, they suggest.

As Direct-to-Consumer (D2C) brands progress and broaden their reach, the fusion of online and offline channels becomes a strategic necessity. This integration facilitates increased consumer interaction and broader market access.

Continue Exploring: Beyoung teams up with Gokwik to enhance digital footprint and combat RTO rates

At the Phygital Retail Convention held in Mumbai, Mandar Dandekar, Partner at Sorin Investments, remarked, “Seven years ago, numerous brands operated solely or primarily online, but to achieve significant growth, they must adopt an omnichannel approach.”

Driven by approximately 200 million digital shoppers in the country, India’s Direct-to-Consumer (D2C) market is poised for exponential growth, projected to reach a size of $100 billion by 2025, following significant expansion in recent years.

Numerous malls are now embracing Direct-to-Consumer (D2C) brands, inviting them to showcase their products across their outlets. This shift comes as established brands in these segments transition offline following their online success. India currently hosts over 100 thriving D2C brands.

Continue Exploring: Malls open doors to D2C brands, explore short-term leasing

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India to ramp up utilization of artificial intelligence in food processing sector

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ai
(Representative Image)

India plans to expedite the utilization of artificial intelligence (AI) within the food processing sector, officials announced on Wednesday. This initiative aims to enhance efficiency, increase farmers’ incomes, and reduce environmental impact.

During a conference convened by the National Institute of Food Technology Entrepreneurship and Management (NIFTEM) to explore the integration of frontier technologies in the sector, senior bureaucrats and government advisors emphasized the necessity for a strategic roadmap to implement AI tools. They highlighted that despite being in a nascent stage, these tools hold immense potential within India’s expansive food processing industry.

“We, as an industry, must develop a roadmap. The MEITY secretary has expressed commitment to this cause. I am confident that his involvement will greatly bolster our efforts,” stated Anita Praveen, the Food Processing Secretary, in reference to the secretary of the Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology (MEITY).

Continue Exploring: India’s food processing sector set to reach $535 Billion by 2025-26

S. Krishnan, the Secretary of MEITY, advocated for broader integration of AI, noting that while some progress had been made in agriculture, the food processing sector was still in its nascent stages regarding the adoption of such technologies.

Ramesh Chand, a member of NITI Aayog, highlighted that effective food processing practices are “climate-smart,” as they contribute to increased farmer incomes, consumer satisfaction, and environmental sustainability, especially in the face of growing challenges posed by climate change.

He proposed leveraging AI to create user-friendly, portable devices for assessing the quality of agricultural produce, which he deemed as potentially providing significant benefits to the nation. Chand urged consideration of small-scale devices for evaluating produce quality, emphasizing that without such tools, the focus remains primarily on quantity over quality.

The officials highlighted that AI tools have the potential to enhance the overall efficiency of the sector, aligning with India’s goal to achieve net zero emissions by 2070.

Continue Exploring: Uttar Pradesh govt aims to integrate AI in farming, bolster agritech startups for economic growth

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Lightbox Jewelry announces permanent price reduction, offering lab-grown diamonds as low as $500 per carat

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Lightbox Jewelry

Lightbox Jewelry, the wholly-owned lab-grown diamond jewelry brand by De Beers Group, has announced a permanent price reduction, lowering its Standard range of lab-grown diamonds to as low as $500 per carat from the previous price of $800 per carat.

After months of testing lower prices and conducting research in the lab-grown diamond jewelry sector, Lightbox Jewelry is implementing a price reduction. The brand will now offer three distinct price points: $500 per carat for IJ color stones, $600 per carat for GH color stones, and $900 per carat for the highest quality stones of DEF color, down from $1,500 per carat. Each stone comes with a guaranteed minimum ‘very good’ cut and VS clarity, with DEF stones featuring an ‘excellent’ cut.

Continue Exploring: Indian diamond jewellery market set to soar, expected to reach US$ 17 Billion by 2031

Sandrine Conseiller, CEO of De Beers Brands, expressed, “The wholesale prices of lab-grown diamonds in the jewelry sector are steadily decreasing, and we’re glad to extend these savings to our customers. These reduced prices will maintain the brand’s competitiveness in this rapidly changing sector, while ensuring the continued provision of high-quality lab-grown diamonds manufactured with 100% renewable energy. Lightbox has consistently upheld linear pricing, aligning with the linear production costs, and has remained transparent about the nature of lab-grown diamonds – and equally importantly, what they are not.”

“Consumers are becoming more aware that natural and lab-grown diamonds are fundamentally different items as a result of the rapid price gap between them at retail. Currently, a Lightbox lab-grown diamond of the greatest quality, weighing two carats, costs around 10% less than a comparable-sized, natural diamond of the same quality. This pricing trend confirms our long-held belief that fashion jewellery will present the biggest market for lab-grown stones because lower price points will allow for inventive and vibrant designs like the pink and blue Lightbox stones. Since labgrown diamonds do not have the same lasting value as natural diamonds, we think it is crucial that jewellery buyers recognise that labgrown diamonds are a separate product category.”

Continue Exploring: Bengaluru-based jewellery marketplace Eternz secures $1.15M pre-seed funding led by Kae Capital

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Armani Exchange expands presence in India with new store opening in Bengaluru

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Armani Exchange

Armani Exchange (A|X), the renowned Italian fashion brand, has unveiled its latest store in Bengaluru, situated within the Phoenix Mall of Asia, as confirmed by a post from a mall representative on social media.

“Inaugurating its newest outlet at Phoenix Mall of Asia, Armani Exchange brings forth the epitome of fashion,” stated Shailja Ruia, Senior General Manager of Leasing at The Phoenix Mills Ltd., in a recent LinkedIn update.

Armani Exchange caters to a broad demographic, ranging from late teens to those in their mid-thirties, providing trendy streetwear clothing and accessories designed for both men and women.

Continue Exploring: British menswear brand Charles Tyrwhitt debuts in India in collaboration with Reliance Brands, unveils first store in Ahmedabad

Established in 1991, Armani Exchange represents Giorgio Armani’s mass-market sub-brand, appealing to the fashion-savvy demographic. Upon its inception, A|X absorbed elements from both the Armani Jeans and Armani Collezioni lines. With a presence in over 31 countries and online, its products are easily accessible to consumers worldwide.

In October 2016, Armani Exchange debuted its inaugural store in India at the Select Citywalk Mall located in New Delhi. The brand’s entry into the Indian market was facilitated through a collaboration with Reliance Brands Ltd. (RBL), a subsidiary of Reliance Industries Ltd., led by billionaire Mukesh Ambani.

Presently, Armani Exchange boasts a network of more than 26 stores across various cities in India, including Hyderabad, Kolkata, Bengaluru, New Delhi, Indore, Ahmedabad, Dehradun, Pune, Mumbai, Chennai, and Kochi.

Throughout its history, RBL has introduced numerous international brands to India, featuring names such as Bottega Veneta, Giorgio Armani, Balenciaga, Boss, and Zegna, among others.

Reliance has been in discussions with the Milan-based luxury company to introduce its acclaimed Armani/Caffè to India since 2020. The café chain is set to mark its Indian debut at Reliance’s Jio World Plaza in the coming months. The shopping center has allocated approximately 1,000 square feet for this upscale café.

Continue Exploring: Reliance Retail’s upscale fashion chain Azorte expands Bengaluru footprint with new store launch

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After Hong Kong Ban, New Zealand investigates contamination concerns in MDH and Everest Spice products

MDH and Everest Spices
MDH and Everest Spices (Representative Image)

On Wednesday, the food safety regulator of New Zealand announced that it’s probing potential contamination in spice products from prominent Indian brands MDH and Everest, following scrutiny in other nations.

After Hong Kong suspended sales of three MDH spice blends and one from Everest last month due to high levels of the cancer-causing pesticide ethylene oxide, the United States and Australia initiated investigations into contamination. Singapore also mandated a recall of the Everest spice mix.

Continue Exploring: Singapore recalls Everest’s Fish Curry Masala due to high pesticide levels

New Zealand Food Safety, in a statement to Reuters, acknowledged being informed about the recalls conducted overseas.

Jenny Bishop, the acting deputy director general of the regulator, stated, “Ethylene oxide, a known carcinogen, has been phased out for food sterilization in New Zealand and various other countries. Since MDH and Everest spices are sold in New Zealand as well, we are actively investigating this matter.”

Continue Exploring: Now, Australia examining contamination allegations against MDH and Everest spice mixes, potential recall looms 

MDH and Everest did not provide comments in response to requests. However, they have previously stated that their products are safe for consumption.

Following global scrutiny, regulatory authorities in India have inspected MDH and Everest plants and sent samples for testing. However, the results have not been released to the public as of now.

Continue Exploring: FSSAI launches quality checks on MDH and Everest spice mixes following reports of high ethylene oxide levels 

MDH and Everest have been well-known household brands in India for decades. Additionally, their products are exported to various regions including the United States, Europe, Southeast Asia, the Middle East, and Australia.

An analysis of U.S. Food and Drug Administration data has revealed that since 2021, MDH has experienced an average rejection rate of 14.5% for its shipments to the United States due to the presence of salmonella bacteria.

Continue Exploring: MDH and Everest spice controversy threatens over half of India’s spice exports, urgent action needed: Report

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