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Beautywise raises INR 6.5 Crore in funding to expand product line and global presence

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Beautywise
Anousha Chauhan and Shreyansh Chauhan, Co-Founders, Beautywise

Beautywise, a startup specializing in beauty supplements, has secured INR 6.5 crore in funding. The investment was spearheaded by AC Ventures and co-led by Fluid Ventures, Real Time Angel Fund (RTAF), and GSF. Additionally, LetsVenture Angel Fund participated in the round.

Other investors participating in the funding round are Dinesh Agarwal, Murugavel Janakiraman, Akshay Ghulati, Chakradhar Gade, Agam Khare, Arjun Vaidya, Sandeep Kohli, Bharat Kalia, Nitin Gupta, Siddhartha Pahwa, Agastya Dalmia, and Aman Arora.

The newly acquired funds will be used to introduce new products in the beauty and wellness segment, expand the team, and broaden Beautywise’s presence in the global market.

Continue Exploring: HyugaLife’s parent Pratech Brands secures INR 52 Crore in seed funding round

Established by Anousha Chauhan and Shreyansh Chauhan, Beautywise provides scientifically backed and dermatologist-recommended solutions. Its range encompasses collagen, glutathione, keratin, and ceramides, available through aesthetic clinic chains, retail outlets, and online platforms.

Anousha Chauhan, Founder of Beautywise, expressed her excitement, stating, “This fundraise represents a pivotal step towards realizing our vision of empowering individuals to achieve their authentic beauty and wellness through our dermatology-led, results-driven formulations.”

Shreyansh Chauhan, Founder and CEO of Beautywise, emphasized the brand’s philosophy, saying, “This funding will enable us to continue developing revolutionary products and to expand our team and retail presence. It will also be used to conduct market research, establish distribution networks, and implement promotional activities to effectively reach a wider audience.”

Shreyansh Chauhan added, “This funding will allow Beautywise to move forward in a retail marketing strategy aligned with the anticipated growth in Beauty Retail, Aesthetic Dermatology Clinics, and premium salons. The company plans to explore the development of a Business-to-Direct-to-Consumer (B2D2C) platform, facilitating the onboarding of dermatologists, nutritionists, and beauty professionals.”

The startup asserts its presence in retail outlets, including Apollo Pharmacies, Guardian GNC, Apnachemist, and Modern Bazaar. Moreover, it has secured a significant online presence on platforms such as Nykaa and Amazon, as well as various other online portals.

Continue Exploring: Dietary supplement innovator Setu Nutrition secures funding from notable HNIs and celebrities

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Biggies Burger secures pre-series A funding, valuation soars to INR 210 Crore, fueling rapid expansion plans

Biggies Burger
Biraja Rout, Founder of Biggies Burger

Biggies Burger, the indigenous burger chain of India, has secured pre-Series A funding, valuing the company at INR 210 crore. This investment marks a significant milestone in the brand’s rapid growth and fuels its ambitious expansion plans.

The funds will mainly go towards strengthening Biggies Burger’s team and expanding its marketing initiatives. With 130 stores currently open and another 160 stores already in the pipeline, the brand is on a rapid growth path. In just 26 months, Biggies Burger has increased its store count from 37 in October 2021 to 130 in December 2023, achieving an impressive annual revenue run rate of INR 103 crore.

Biraja Rout, Founder of Biggies Burger, said, “We are incredibly excited to leverage these resources to further strengthen our brand, build an even more compelling customer experience and accelerate our expansion plans. Our vision is to be the go-to burger destination for every Indian and this pre-series A round brings us one step closer to achieving that dream.”

Continue Exploring: From humble kiosk to INR 100 Cr QSR success: The inspiring story of Biraja Rout and Biggies Burger

Established in 2011 in Bengaluru, Biggies Burger introduced Indian consumers to grilled burgers. It emerged as India’s pioneering homegrown chain to rival American counterparts, introducing authentic grilled burgers to the Indian market. Renowned for its ongoing innovation, Biggies Burger later pioneered the concept of localized menus as it expanded nationwide, becoming a favored model in Quick Service Restaurant (QSR) franchising. This approach not only appealed to QSR enthusiasts in tier-I cities but also facilitated entry into tier II and III cities. Recently, Biggies Burger secured seed round funding to fuel its expansion into tier II and III cities further.

Continue Exploring: Biggies Burger expands its reach to Bengaluru with the launch of its newest store

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Preparations for World Food India 2024 gain momentum with industry leaders’ roundtable

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World Food India 2024

Anita Praveen, the Secretary of the Ministry of Food Processing Industries (FPI), led a roundtable discussion with industry leaders at Invest India. The main agenda of the gathering was to provide insights into the upcoming World Food India 2024, scheduled from September 19th to 22nd, 2024. The discussion revolved around engaging the industry in the event and outlining expectations. This session marked a continuation of ongoing dialogues aimed at informing stakeholders about the Ministry’s plans for World Food India 2024 and fostering potential collaborations. Notably, senior representatives from prominent agri-food companies actively participated in the discussion.

During her keynote speech, the Secretary of MoFPI highlighted the growth and extensive opportunities within the food-processing sector. Emphasizing the ministry’s efforts, she announced the upcoming 3rd edition of the eagerly awaited World Food India event, anticipated to be larger in scale than the previous 2023 edition. Extending a warm invitation, she urged all companies to participate enthusiastically in the Mega Food Event, slated to occur from September 19th to 22nd, 2024, in New Delhi.

Continue Exploring: New Delhi to host second edition of World Food India 2023 in November

Furthermore, the participating companies eagerly voiced their interest in participating in World Food India 2024, showcasing their preparedness to showcase their products and technologies in allocated stall spaces. Additionally, they showed keen interest in partnering with the Ministry of Food Processing Industries for the scheduled event sessions. Valuable suggestions and feedback were exchanged and deliberated upon during the discussions.

Concluding her address, the Secretary of Food Processing Industries (FPI) urged all stakeholders to unite and collaborate for the success of the event. She stressed the importance of leveraging individual strengths and offering additional support to cultivate strong partnerships and engagement across a diverse spectrum of stakeholders.

Moreover, the Investment Facilitation Cell (Invest India) was tasked with maintaining communication with the companies to finalize the particulars of their participation.

Continue Exploring: India gears up for World Food India 2023, foresees INR 75,000 Crore in investments

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Outdoor clothing brand Gokyo expands into North India, unveils new store in Noida

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Gokyo
Gokyo

Gokyo, a Mumbai-based outdoor clothing brand, has opened a new store in Noida, as stated in a release by the company on Monday.

This marks the brand’s expansion into the North region, including the NCR, with the new store located in the Gulshan ONE29 mall.

The newly opened Gokyo store presents a selection of outdoor clothing and gear meticulously curated to cater to the varied requirements of adventurers. Featuring the Explorer Series, Alpine Series, and Sherpa Series, Gokyo provides a diverse array of products tailored for beginners, intermediate, and expert adventurers alike.

Continue Exploring: California lifestyle apparel brand Dockers makes big bet on Indian market, plans five store openings in first year

“It excites us all at Gokyo to introduce our successful range of high-quality outdoor clothing and gear to Northern India with our new store in Noida. Through our presence in the Gulshan ONE29 mall, we look forward to inspiring and equipping more adventure enthusiasts to explore the extremes with functionality and style,” said Venkatesh Maheshwari, Co-Founder, Gokyo.

As of now, the brand also operates another store in Malad, Mumbai.

Continue Exploring: French apparel brand Kiabi partners with Myntra for Indian debut

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Hygiene brand Pee Safe signs MoU with the Indian Navy, NWWA

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Pee Safe

Pee Safe, a Gurugram-based personal hygiene and wellness brand, has teamed up with the Indian Navy and Navy Welfare and Wellness Association (NWWA) to supply women’s hygiene products to serving female personnel, as per a company statement released on Monday.

This collaboration is part of the Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) that was signed by the Indian Navy and NWWA with Pee Safe as part of the former’s wellness initiative for ‘Women in White, the release added.

On the occasion of the 38th NWWA Diwas, Pee Safe kits were distributed to all women officers and Agniveers posted in Delhi, with plans for distribution across all commands. The kit consists of a Menstrual Cup, a Sterilizing Container, a Menstrual Cup Steam Sterilizer, and a Menstrual Cup Wash.

Continue Exploring: Hygiene brand Pee Safe raises $3 Million in ongoing Series B round

“Pee Safe considers it a great honour to provide essential feminine hygiene products to the Indian Naval Fraternity. Their dedication and hard work in their incredibly important roles are truly inspiring to us. Our commitment to supporting their well-being remains unwavering, as we strive to ensure that they receive the comfort and care they deserve while focusing on their vital work throughout their menstrual cycle, said Vikas Bagaria, founder, Pee Safe.

Established in 2017 by Srijana Bagaria and Vikas Bagaria, Pee Safe has been focused on providing women with solutions to their everyday problems. Its products are available in upwards of 20,000 retail counters across 100+ cities in India. Pee Safe also exports to 22 countries along with a presence in all major e-commerce marketplaces, apart from their website.

They have catered to more than 6 million customers (with over 700,000 registered customers on their website). According to its official LinkedIn handle, the company recently secured a Series B funding of $3 million.

Continue Exploring: Women’s wear brand Uptownie targets 2x revenue growth amidst expanding plans

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Dunzo faces further setback as NCLT accepts insolvency plea filed by Velvin Packaging

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Dunzo
Dunzo

Adding to the growing challenges faced by Dunzo, the National Company Law Tribunal (NCLT) has accepted Velvin Packaging Solutions Private Limited‘s insolvency plea against the quick commerce startup.

As per information available on the NCLT website, Velvin Group, a leading Indian manufacturer of sustainable packaging solutions, filed the plea in November last year. The plea was registered earlier this month.

It’s worth noting that Dunzo has received numerous legal notices from its vendors regarding payment of outstanding dues, as it grapples with severe cash flow issues that are hindering its ability to sustain operations.

Continue Exploring: Legal troubles mount for struggling Dunzo as companies seek payment resolution

Last year, the startup received legal notices from Google India, Nilenso, Clover Ventures, Facebook India Online Services Private Limited (FBI), Cupshup, Koo, and Glance for the same matter. Dunzo’s outstanding dues to these vendors amount to around INR 11.4 Cr.

Established in 2015 by Kabeer Biswas, Suri, Mukund Jha, and Ankur Aggarwal, Dunzo connects consumers with nearby stores and facilitates deliveries of products including groceries, medicines, and food, among other daily needs. Its venture into the quick commerce realm with Dunzo Daily led to a sharp increase in its cash burn.

Dunzo encountered difficulties in expanding its business, especially when juxtaposed with quick commerce giants like Blinkit, Zepto, and Swiggy Instamart. Although it has shifted its focus solely to the less capital-intensive B2B operations, it remains a minor contender in this sector, contending with competitors such as Porter, Shiprocket, as well as Zomato and Ola.

Continue Exploring: Cash-strapped Dunzo promises to settle outstanding payments to former employees by March-end

Dunzo has secured approximately $457 million through various funding rounds to date. Among its investors are Reliance, Google, Lightbox, Lightrock, and Alteria Capital. In January 2022, the startup received a funding of $240 million from Reliance Retail.

Dunzo has faced significant challenges over the past year or so, primarily due to cash flow constraints, leading to several rounds of layoffs and prolonged delays in employee salary disbursements. Additionally, the startup experienced the departure of some key board members and co-founder Dalvir Suri last year.

Continue Exploring: Dunzo Co-Founder Dalvir Suri announces departure after six years of service

In the midst of these developments, Flipkart is said to be considering acquiring the financially struggling startup. Nevertheless, complications regarding Dunzo’s ownership structure have posed challenges for both parties in reaching an agreement.

Continue Exploring: Flipkart explores buyout of cash-strapped Dunzo

The Bengaluru-headquartered hyperlocal delivery startup witnessed a significant increase in losses, soaring to INR 1,801 crore in the financial year 2022-23 (FY23) from INR 464 crore in the preceding fiscal year. Although its operating revenue surged by 317% to INR 226.6 crore in FY23 from INR 54.3 crore in FY22, total expenses ballooned by 286% to INR 2,054.4 crore in FY23.

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Indian cricketer Deepak Chahar slams Zomato over failed delivery; company apologizes amidst backlash

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Deepak Chahar
Deepak Chahar

Team India and Chennai Super Kings‘ fast bowler Deepak Chahar took to social media on Saturday to express his dissatisfaction with food delivery service Zomato. He claimed that despite placing an order through the app, he never received it, and the company falsely marked it as delivered.

Sharing his ordeal on social media, Chahar highlighted the mismanagement by Zomato in delivering the order and also pointed out that the customer service labelled him a liar.

Chahar’s call for other users to recount similar negative experiences prompted Zomato to swiftly initiate damage control, issuing an apology to the cricketing star.

Continue Exploring: Delhi court summons Zomato over alleged fraudulent practices in food delivery operations

Responding to Zomato‘s apology, Chahar highlighted that simply refunding the order amount isn’t an adequate solution, as many others face similar issues.

Chahar is gearing up for his return to professional cricket in the upcoming IPL, with his sights firmly set on the upcoming T20 World Cup. The tournament is scheduled to be jointly hosted by the United States and West Indies in June of this year.

Chahar was unable to participate in India’s tour of South Africa in December and the subsequent home T20Is against Afghanistan due to his father’s recovery from a brain stroke.

Continue Exploring: Zomato reports third consecutive profitable quarter with INR 138 Cr PAT in Q3 FY24

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ICRA forecasts 7-9% revenue growth for Indian hotel industry in FY25

SAMHI hotel
(Representative Image)

According to a report by credit rating firm ICRA, the Indian hotel industry anticipates a revenue growth of seven to nine per cent in the upcoming financial year 2024-25. ICRA highlighted that the continued interest in domestic leisure travel and the demand for meetings, incentives, conferences, and exhibitions (MICE) will be key drivers of this growth, despite a temporary slowdown during the forthcoming general elections.

The research firm highlighted that spiritual tourism and Tier 2 cities are anticipated to contribute significantly to the overall demand in the next fiscal year.

Continue Exploring: Oyo to open 400 properties in major spiritual hotspots amidst growing demand for spiritual tourism

According to ICRA, pan-India hotel occupancy estimates have reached a ten-year peak of 70 percent to 72 percent in the current financial year and are expected to remain at that level in the next fiscal year, compared to 68 percent to 70 percent in 2022-23.

Pan-India, average room rates (ARRs) are expected to be around INR 7,200 to INR 7,400 in the current fiscal, which is likely to rise further to INR 7,800 to INR 8,000 in the next financial year.

ICRA holds an optimistic view regarding the Indian hospitality industry, noting improvements in credit ratings, the report said.

The increase in demand led to a rise in supply announcements and the commencement of deferred projects over the past 18 to 24 months. However, it was noted that supply would trail behind demand.

Continue Exploring: Indian hospitality industry set for a record-breaking 2024: Surge in new hotel rooms expected

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IndiGo faces backlash after cockroaches spotted in food area during flight; passenger’s video sparks hygiene concerns

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IndiGo
IndiGo

An IndiGo passenger recently spotted cockroaches crawling in the food area during their flight. Sharing the video on X platform, Tarun Shukla raised serious concerns about food hygiene on flights.

“Cockroaches and in the food area of a plane (anywhere for that matter) are just truly awful. One hopes @IndiGo6E takes a hard look at its fleet and checks how this even happened given that it normally flies relatively new @Airbus A320s,” Shukla wrote.

In another tweet, Shukla shared what he said was IndiGo’s response to the video showing the cockroaches.

Continue Exploring: Indigo passenger’s unpleasant surprise: Live worm found crawling in veg sandwich

“We are aware of the video that was circulated on social media showing an unclean corner in one of our aircraft. Our staff promptly took the necessary action onboard. As a precautionary measure, we immediately cleaned the entire fleet and carried out fumigation and disinfection procedures. At IndiGo, we maintain the highest standards of cleanliness and hygiene to ensure a safe, hassle-free experience and regret any inconvenience caused to the passengers,” said the airlines.

The video prompted social media reactions, who slammed the airline. A user wrote, “@IndiGo6E is truely gone to dogs. From one of the best in the world to one of the worst. Looks like their leadership has given up completely. Time for another fresh budget carrier to take place?”

Another user wrote, “Very arrogant ,lame and irresponsible response from the side of Indigo. DGCA should take notice of this incident and take strict action against the airline.”

Continue Exploring: FSSAI issues show cause notice to IndiGo over serving ‘unsafe food’ on Delhi-Mumbai flight

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Red Bull expands portfolio with new Curuba Elderflower Summer edition

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Red Bull Curuba Elderflower
Curuba Elderflower

Red Bull has bolstered its position in the sports and energy drink market with the debut of its 2024 summer edition, Curuba Elderflower.

The latest energy beverage combines the taste of curuba, a fruit commonly referred to as banana passionfruit and indigenous to South America, with hints of elderflower, melon, and pineapple.

According to market research platform Appinio, flavors are a crucial factor driving growth in the energy drink category. Their findings reveal that 85% of consumers are keen on exploring “new and unconventional flavors” in energy drinks.

Continue Exploring: Dunkin’ rolls out SPARKD’ energy drink range amid Panera’s legal battles over high-caffeine drink

This year’s summer edition, Curuba Elderflower, follows in the footsteps of last year’s Red Bull Juneberry variant and the strawberry-apricot flavor introduced in 2022. The energy drink giant has confirmed that Juneberry, hailed as its most successful new product development (NPD), is now a permanent fixture in its portfolio.

The latest edition will hit shelves nationwide in the UK starting March 11, offering a range of pack sizes as well as a sugar-free option.

Continue Exploring: Energy drink brand Odyssey secures $6 Million in funding round

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