Thursday, February 5, 2026
Home Blog Page 734

La Pink breaks new ground in hair care with microplastic-free products

0
La Pink

La Pink, a distinguished skincare brand known for spearheading India’s first 100 percent Microplastic Free Formulations, has now made a significant venture into the realm of hair care. Introducing the La Pink Methi Dana 8-in-1 Hair Oil, Shampoo, and Conditioner, along with the La Pink Olive and Argan Shampoo and Conditioner, the brand continues its commitment to quality and innovation.

After thorough research and development, La Pink’s revolutionary hair care collection was meticulously formulated by French experts using premium natural ingredients sourced globally. The Methi Dana hair care products showcase the powerful White Haldi alongside seven other impactful components—Methi Dana (fenugreek seeds), Onion, Bhringraj, Kadi Patta, Hibiscus, Coconut, and Sunflower—all scientifically tested to deliver targeted volume enhancement.

The Methi Dana series assists in managing hair fall, fortifying hair strands, and fostering growth by harnessing the advantages of fenugreek seeds. The addition of Bhringraj, Kadi Patta, and Onion further enhances overall hair health, while White Haldi provides scalp soothing properties, prevents hair fall, and reduces dandruff.

The Olive and Argan hair care series from La Pink, featuring formulations entirely free of microplastics, comprises Shampoo and Conditioner crafted to soften and tame thick, frizzy hair. Infused with a blend of White Haldi, Olive, Argan, and Avocado, the collection promotes a healthier scalp. Leveraging the moisturizing benefits of Olive oil, it effectively addresses dryness and frizz, while the conditioning properties of Argan oil work to control frizz, resulting in a smoother hair texture.

Nitin Jain, Founder of La Pink, emphasized, “La Pink has always been focused on what’s crucial. We have brought about a change in the outlook of people that besides paraben and sulfates, one must also look for microplastic-free products. And we are no different in our caution with haircare.”

La Pink’s foray into the realm of hair care reflects its dedication to providing clean, forward-thinking, and environmentally conscious products. Prioritizing a microplastic-free approach and harnessing the power of ingredients like White Haldi, La Pink not only revolutionizes hair transformation but also redefines the essence of hair care. The introduction of La Pink Methi Dana 8-in-1 Hair Oil, Shampoo, and Conditioner, alongside the La Pink Olive and Argan Shampoo and Conditioner, underscores the brand’s unwavering commitment to innovation in the beauty industry.

Advertisement

MiniKlub broadens reach in Trivandrum, brings trendy kidswear to Lulu Mall

0
MiniKlub

MiniKlub, a leading kidswear brand in India, proudly announces the opening of its second store in Trivandrum. This marks a significant step in solidifying the brand’s commitment to providing stylish and high-quality children’s clothing. The strategic addition to the MiniKlub family is in line with the brand’s expansion strategy and aims to introduce the latest trends in kid-friendly fashion to families in Trivandrum and its surrounding areas.

Nestled within Lulu Mall, Thiruvananthapuram, the recently opened MiniKlub store offers a lively and immersive shopping setting for parents. Here, they can discover a diverse selection of trendy and comfortable clothing options tailored for children of all ages. MiniKlub is dedicated to ensuring each shopping experience is enjoyable and stress-free for parents, presenting everything from adorable newborn essentials to stylish ensembles for 8-year-olds.

Anjana Pasi, Director of MiniKlub, expressed, “We are thrilled to open our second store in Trivandrum, a city that appreciates quality and style in children’s fashion. MiniKlub is not just a brand; it’s a celebration of childhood, and we are excited to bring our unique and fashionable collections to more families in Trivandrum.”

Established in 2013, MiniKlub, a part of First Steps Babywear, has experienced rapid growth as an omni-channel brand. It boasts a widespread presence across more than 450 multi-brand outlets, leading e-retailers, and exclusive brand stores, both in physical and online spaces. With a robust footprint in 28 cities through 65 exclusive brand stores, MiniKlub takes pride in crafting products with meticulous attention to the comfort and safety of babies. The brand adheres to a sustainable manufacturing process while ensuring the highest quality in its offerings. Operating in over 450 multi-brand outlets and featuring prominently on e-commerce platforms such as Amazon, Myntra, Flipkart, and Ajio, MiniKlub also facilitates nationwide delivery through its e-commerce platform.

Advertisement

Zimero to tantalize tastebuds in Bangalore and Hyderabad with unique ice cream flavors

0
Zimero

Zimero, an ice cream company known for its distinctive flavors and commitment to using natural ingredients, has unveiled its expansion plans for 2024. The brand is set to establish new retail stores in Bangalore by the upcoming summer, while also gearing up to expand its online delivery services to Hyderabad by January.

The brand has rapidly gained prominence as the preferred choice for ice cream enthusiasts. Captivating taste buds with bold flavors such as Goat Cheese and Blueberry, aromatic Lavender and Honey, and an inventive range of 100 percent Jaggery and No Sugar options, Zimero has also made waves with its irresistible South Indian Filter Coffee flavor.

Shuchi Jain, Founder of Zimero said, “At Zimero, we are passionate about redefining the ice cream experience. Good ice cream, in our opinion, is a celebration of flavors and memories rather than just a sweet treat. We are really excited to unveil our creations to Hyderabad and Bangalore. We know that our dedication to using only natural ingredients will appeal to the discriminating palates of these globally connected cities.”

Zimero’s unwavering dedication to excellence is evident in the meticulous crafting of every flavor, using minimal preservatives and natural ingredients, garnering praise and customer loyalty. The brand has set its sights on becoming a household name in India’s major metropolitan cities by 2024.

Advertisement

B2B fruit marketplace Vegrow raises $46M in Series C funding for nationwide expansion

0
Vegrow

Vegrow, a B2B fruits marketplace, has successfully raised $46 million in a primary and secondary funding round. The funding was led by GIC, and notable participation came from existing investor Prosus Ventures, along with Matrix Partners India, Elevation Capital, and Lightspeed.

According to a press release from the company, the newly acquired funds will be deployed to expand Vegrow’s presence throughout India and fortify its global network.

Earlier, the startup successfully secured $25 million in a Series B funding round led by Prosus in July 2022.

Vegrow collaborates with farmers to consolidate the supply and engage in organized partnerships for selling. The primary source of gross revenue for the Bengaluru-based company has been the sale of produce.

Established by Praneeth Kumar, Shobhit Jain, Mrudhukar Batchu, and Kiran Naik, Vegrow links farmers spanning over 400 production pockets, assisting them in aligning with market expectations and achieving higher yields. The company processes over 200 tons of fruits daily and operates in the states of Karnataka and Telangana, as per its statements.

For GIC, Vegrow marks its first agri-tech and B2B investment in India. “Vegrow is the fastest agri-tech company to build a national presence, having done this within three years of its inception. Typically, it takes double the time to achieve this scale of operations,” said Vegrow Co-founder, Praneeth Kumar.

“At Vegrow, we distinguish ourselves from conventional operations, by creating an organizational ethos centered on agility and experimentation. Through the extensive utilization of data and technology, we provide valuable insights and optimize supply chain challenges, such as reducing perishable inventory wastage to only one-fourth of industry average, and consistently achieving industry-leading profit margins,” added Vegrow Co-founder, Mrudhukar Batchu.

According to the company, it enhances farmers’ income by precisely grading produce and aligning it with the most suitable demand channel. This establishes a virtuous cycle, drawing in more farmers with competitive pricing and attracting additional buyers who value consistency in both price and quality.

It competes with Dailyninja, Waycool, and Zomato’s HyperPure.

According to TheKredible’s estimates, Vegrow attained a valuation of approximately $170 million following the Series B round. The current valuation of the company remains undisclosed.

Over the past year, Vegrow has achieved a remarkable five-fold increase in revenue and operational profitability.

Although the company has not yet reported its FY23 earnings, its Gross Merchandise Value (GMV) skyrocketed to INR 100.83 crore in FY22, marking an 8.54X increase. However, losses also increased significantly, rising 6X to INR 29.7 crore in FY22 from INR 4.79 crore in FY21.

Advertisement

Wendy’s innovative AI-driven drive-thru platform to hit more outlets across the US

0
Wendy's

Wendy’s, the American restaurant chain, is set to expand the implementation of its AI-driven drive-thru platform to additional restaurant locations throughout the United States.

The pilot platform, named Wendy’s FreshAI, has been crafted to tackle issues that a typical AI might encounter in a drive-thru scenario. This includes deciphering casual conversations with customers and managing the restaurant chain’s menu, which boasts extensive customization options and numerous configurations.

In May 2023, Wendy’s collaborated with Google Cloud to launch an AI-driven platform for customer orders. This platform underwent testing for several months at Wendy’s Columbus, Ohio location, yielding valuable insights and lessons during the process.

The accuracy, measured by the percentage of orders successfully processed by Wendy’s FreshAI without the need for intervention from restaurant staff, averaged at 86% during the pilot phase.

The effectiveness of AI drive-thru service is gauged by the volume of orders processed without human intervention and the ability to provide a consistent experience for customers.

The AI system reduces the average service time for each transaction by 22 seconds.

FreshAI is anticipated to function as a supportive assistant, aiding rather than replacing the employees stationed at the drive-thru.

FreshAI has been implemented in four Wendy’s establishments in Columbus, Ohio, with additional deployments scheduled by the end of 2023 and early in 2024.

The company intends to adopt a multi-channel strategy by incorporating the AI system into its app, in-restaurant kiosks, mobile devices, and smart home devices.

Advertisement

UAE’s first on-site brewery by Side Hustle Brews set to open in Abu Dhabi

0
Side Hustle Brews

A beer brewery is set to open in Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates, this month, establishing itself as the first company authorized to legally produce alcohol in the region.

Scheduled for its grand debut this month, Craft, the microbrewery and gastropub by Side Hustle Brews, is set to open its doors in The Galleria Al Maryah Island in Abu Dhabi. Although the brand had been selling beers in the UAE and on Etihad Airlines flights, its brewing operations were previously conducted in the US.

In 2021, Abu Dhabi updated its alcohol licensing regulations, allowing license holders the privilege of producing beverages on-site for consumption within authorized venues.

The brewery is set to offer on-site crafted hops, grains, and cocktails courtesy of Side Hustle, the UAE’s pioneering craft alcohol brand, complemented by a menu featuring southern smokehouse and pub cuisine.

Side Hustle Brews & Spirits’ founder and CEO, Chad McGehee, said, “As founders of the local craft movement, we acknowledge the responsibility presented to us and are both humbled and thrilled to open Abu Dhabi’s first craft microbrewery”.

“We commit to delivering innovative and authentic F&B experiences worthy of the UAW’s high standards as we build Craft by Side Hustle into a brand the community can be proud to call their own.”

Advertisement

Mango Man expands its footprint in India with new store at Inorbit Mall, Vadodara

0
Mango Man

European fashion brand Mango Man has announced the opening of a new store at Inorbit Mall in Vadodara, Gujarat, as per a social media post by a mall official.

“Let your stylish side shine with Mango, Drive in the trendy and exquisite clothing collection by Mango at your favourite destination. Congratulations team Mango and Welcome to the Inorbit Vadodara family,” said Jerry Rajesh, Center Head – Inorbit Mall in a LinkedIn post.

Mango has a worldwide presence with more than 2,560 stores and a workforce of over 14,000 employees. The online channel contributes to 36% of the brand’s sales. Furthermore, Mango operates more than 1,000 factories globally, with store distribution spanning across different regions: 317 in America, 1,839 in Europe, 414 in Asia, and 45 in Africa.

The brand is actively working towards incorporating 100% sustainable cotton, recycled polyester by 2025, and achieving the use of 100% cellulose fibers from controlled sources by 2030.

Advertisement

ITC sets sights on major hotel expansion with 50% room inventory boost by 2027

0
ITC
ITC

Conglomerate ITC is eyeing a significant 50% jump in room inventory over the next five years.

During its institutional investors and financial analysts day on Tuesday, the company announced its goal to achieve 200 hotels with 18,000 keys over the next five years, with two-thirds of them in the managed portfolio.

Currently, ITC boasts 12,000 rooms spread across 131 hotels in 80 destinations. Having transitioned to an ‘asset right approach’ some years ago, the company now holds over 50% of its room inventory in the managed portfolio.

During the presentation to analysts, Anil Chadha, the divisional chief executive of ITC’s hotels business, highlighted a robust pipeline of managed hotels, totaling 35 hotels with more than 3,200 keys. Over the next five years, premium hotel keys are expected to comprise 45% of the total managed portfolio, an increase from the current 30%.

The company is also considering specific greenfield/brownfield projects, with exploration currently underway for 300 rooms in this category. Additionally, by early 2024, the owned capacity is set to expand with the inclusion of Welcomhotel Chennai (undergoing renovations, adding 90 keys) and ITC Ratnadipa, Colombo (352 keys).

Over the last 24 months (from January 2022 to December 2023), ITC has inaugurated 22 hotels.

It’s worth noting that in August, ITC approved the demerger of the hotels business. This decision was driven by the maturity, scalability, and the business’s readiness to chart its independent growth path.

The expansion is fueled by the current resurgence in the hospitality sector following the post-pandemic recovery. ITC’s hotel segment achieved a record-breaking performance in the second quarter, with revenues increasing by 20.5% year-on-year (YoY) to INR 675 crore, and pre-tax profits surging by 53% to INR 132.95 crore.

However, within various business verticals, the conglomerate aimed to enhance both scale and profitability as an integral component of the ITC Next strategy.

Chairman and Managing Director, Sanjiv Puri, reportedly emphasized that ITC Next involves establishing structural drivers of competitiveness through substantial investments in innovation. The goal is to develop a future-ready portfolio built on science-led platforms that cater to the evolving needs of consumers.

Export initiatives and strategically valuable acquisitions were also fundamental components of the ITC Next strategy.

The pursuit of new avenues for growth included the exploration of higher-value-added products and services, as well as opportunities at the intersection of digital and sustainability.

Advertisement

Shoppers Stop betting big on beauty segment, targets to open 100 stores

0
Shoppers Stop
Shoppers Stop

Shoppers Stop is placing a significant emphasis on its beauty segment, actively expanding its standalone specialty beauty stores, incorporating shop-in-shops within its department stores, and forming distribution partnerships with renowned global luxury brands. With the objective of deriving approximately 25% of its upcoming revenues from the beauty business, the company is intensifying its presence in this market.

At present, the company operates 13 standalone specialty beauty stores branded as SS Beauty. It is scheduled to inaugurate a spacious 3800 sq ft store at Bangalore International Airport Terminal 2 later this month, with plans for another substantial 9000 sq ft store in Kolkata set to open in March.

Biju Kassim, Customer Care Associate and CEO of Beauty, Shoppers Stop said, “Our desire is to have 3-5 large format flagship stores under SS Beauty. We also expect to have 30-35 mid size format stores and 40-50 small format stores. Our aimbition is to eventually have upto 100 stores in the few years. We want to ensure that this expansion is done in a sustainable manner with a strong focus on profitability.”

Talking about the strategy to open large format flagship stores, “ These large format stores will offer the best beauty brand assortment and presentation. So for instance, in terms of education, we are on track to do one million makeovers and master classes this year. So the store will focus on leveraging on various elements to deepen consumer engagement,” he added.

As the company extends its department store network, it will also increase the presence of beauty shop-in-shops.

“We will add 15-20 department stores every year. So besides the standalone beauty store expansion, the footprint of our beauty shop-n-shops will also grow. So overall, we have a very robust plan in the beauty space,” he added.

At the group level, the current contribution of revenue from the beauty segment stands at approximately 18 percent for the company.

“We believe the beauty space has a strong potential especially in post-Covid times when consumers engagement in this space has increased signficiantly. We think this contribution will grow to 20 per cent in the near future and our desire is to further grow it to about 25 per cent. Given the low per cap consumption, we believe the combination of engagement and education will enable the beauty segment consumption to see strong growth in the coming years,” he added.

The company has been expanding its distribution partnerships with global beauty brands, exemplified by the recent introduction of NARS Cosmetics.

Continue Exploring: Nars Cosmetics debuts in India, set to unveil first boutique in New Delhi this November

“We have a strong portfolio of global brands and continue to look for opportunitie to grow the distribution business. For instance : We currently distribute fragrances of brands such as Armani, Prada and Valentino. These brands will also be launching their make-up lines by March-April,” Kassim explained.

Advertisement

Swiggy facilitates INR 102 Crore worth of loans to delivery partners in one year

0
Swiggy
Swiggy

Swiggy, the prominent online food delivery platform, reported on Tuesday that it has been instrumental in facilitating the distribution of loans totaling INR 102 crore over the past 12 months. Impressively, a noteworthy sum of INR 10.1 crore was disbursed in November alone.

Swiggy has collaborated with Betterplace and Refyne to facilitate the provision of these loans.

Delivery partners are not restricted in the number of loans they can apply for, as long as they uphold a positive repayment track record. This policy has empowered delivery partners to secure loans, on average, up to three times throughout their association with the platform, as stated by the company.

“Our loans initiative isn’t just a programme, it’s another way of looking out for our delivery partners. Personal emergencies, needs, and aspirations often need quick access to funds. We’re glad that our delivery partners trust Swiggy for having their backs” Mihir Shah, Head of Operations, at Swiggy, said in a statement.

Swiggy has recently unveiled the Hospicash policy in collaboration with Reliance General Insurance.

The policy provides coverage to the delivery partner in circumstances such as death, partial or temporary disability, and hospitalization.

The premium for this policy is established at a nominal 1% of the loan amount.

Swiggy additionally provides extensive assistance to educate and raise awareness among its delivery partners regarding both the Hospicash policy and the loan application process.

New loan applicants receive assistance through informative messages, confirmation of loan details, and support in document submission. The company also intends to educate individuals with reservations about taking loans.

Furthermore, Swiggy stated that a specialized Central Insurance team, in conjunction with the Loan service and Insurance customer service team, is accessible to address any concerns or complaints.

Advertisement