South Korea-based café and bakery chain Paris Baguette is enhancing its footprint in the United States with the inauguration of a new location in Franklin, Tennessee.
The bakery chain entered into an agreement with Jim Osborn to establish its inaugural venue in the Tennessee region.
Osborn said, “When looking for the right franchise opportunity, Paris Baguette was the ideal fit because of its amazing product line, store design and proven response from communities throughout the US.”
Paris Baguette is renowned for its freshly crafted baked goods, encompassing a variety of breads, cakes, and pastries.
This year, the brand has set a goal to sign 160 franchise agreements and open 64 new cafés.
By the end of this decade, the brand envisions the opening of 1,000 new locations in the US market.
Paris Baguette chief development officer Eric Lavinder said, “We are thrilled to announce additional expansion within Tennessee. There’s a tremendous amount of opportunity in the bakery café space.
“No other bakery café franchisors are doing what Paris Baguette is on the same scale. Our ability to stay true to our bakery café roots while embracing aggressive expansion has garnered attention and that only serves to drive us forward.
“We want someone who is going to take the time to put the right staff members in place in their store and ensure everyone understands the most important person is the guest.”
Lavinder mentioned that the brand plans to sustain its growth in New Jersey and New York while also extending its presence to additional states in New England, such as Connecticut and Massachusetts.
Bikano, a renowned brand in authentic Indian sweets and snacks, is poised to enhance festivities with an exceptional array of delicious offerings. Ranging from the opulent “Royal” to the delightful “Dry Fruit Delight,” the regal “Shahi Nazrana,” the beloved “Anmol,” and beyond, Bikano has curated a collection of indulgent treats, guaranteeing a perfect selection for every budget.
The festive season brings forth joy and increased economic activity, and Bikano has been quick to adapt to changing consumer preferences. The remarkable 25% surge in sales from the previous year has established a strong foundation for the upcoming festive period, spanning from Rakshabandhan to Diwali. Bolstered by this success, Bikano is now projecting a remarkable 40% increase in sales this Diwali, emphasizing the brand’s dedication to meeting and exceeding the expectations of its cherished patrons.
Moreover, as a strategic initiative to effectively address the surging demand, minimize transportation expenses, and guarantee prompt delivery to Tier 2 and 3 cities as well as rural areas, Bikano has recently launched a cutting-edge facility in Greater Noida. This expansion underscores Bikano’s commitment to fulfilling the increasing demand and fortifying its presence in these vital markets.
Manish Aggarwal, director of Bikano, Bikanervala Foods, expressed his optimism, “This year, Bikano once again aims to illuminate households with our exquisite range of Diwali offerings. Each product has been meticulously crafted to bring joy and sweetness to the celebrations. We are confident that our diverse product offerings and pack sizes will cater to various festivities. We’ve witnessed a remarkable surge in consumer confidence and purchasing power, and with our expanded manufacturing facilities, we are well-prepared to deliver joy to every corner of the country.”
Kush Aggarwal, head of Marketing at Bikano, echoed the sentiment, emphasizing, “Diwali, the festival of lights, holds a special place in our hearts. It’s a time when families come together to celebrate love, prosperity, and togetherness. At Bikano, we take immense pride in participating in these cherished moments. Our extensive range of Diwali offerings is a testament to Bikano’s commitment to being a part of your celebrations. We’ve curated a diverse selection of products, ensuring there’s something for everyone. This year, we anticipate not only meeting but surpassing our sales projections as we continue to grow and expand our footprint both nationally and internationally. The love and trust our customers place in us inspire us to strive for excellence and deliver joy to every household. We look forward to participating in your Diwali celebrations and creating memories that last a lifetime.”
Bikano’s success has been built upon its unwavering dedication to quality, variety, and customer satisfaction. With a diverse range of offerings catering to every taste and budget, Bikano is ready to transform this Diwali into an unforgettable celebration of sweetness and togetherness.
Bagline, a multi-brand bag retailer under the ownership of Brand Concepts Ltd., announced the opening of its latest store in Bengaluru. According to a press release issued on Friday, the new outlet occupies 600 square feet of retail space and is situated within the recently inaugurated Phoenix Mall of Asia in Hebbal.
“We are thrilled to bring another Bagline store offering our signature style and premium collections to the beautiful city of Bengaluru. Our unwavering commitment to delivering excellent products and exceptional craftsmanship is exemplified by our new store at Mall of Asia,” said Abhinav Kumar, chief executive officer of Brand Concepts.
The establishment provides an extensive assortment of luggage, handbags, wallets, and fashion accessories featuring renowned brands like Tommy Hilfiger Travel Gear, United Colors of Benetton, The Vertical, Sugarush, and Aeropostale.
The inauguration of this store signifies Bagline’s second presence in Bengaluru, following the initial establishment at Mantri Mall.
Currently, Bagline manages a network of over 35 retail stores spread across more than 20 cities in India, in addition to its online retail platform.
Established in 2007, Brand Concepts is a company based in Indore, specializing in the production and retail of bags, travel gear, and fashion accessories for both the Indian and international markets.
Davide Traxler, the global chief executive of Delsey Paris, announced that the European premium luggage brand is planning to establish India as a manufacturing hub. This initiative is a key component of the company’s global strategy to relocate 50% of its production away from Mainland China.
The French brand sees India as one of its rapidly expanding markets, contributing 5% to its overall revenue. With ambitious goals, the company aims to double this revenue within the next three years.
“India is one of the economies that we have very positive outlook for the next five years. We are all looking for what’s going to happen in the US, what’s going happen in Europe, but everyone seemed very confident in India. And that is very important because it’s such a huge population and a huge market. It is certainly a land where we want more presence, investing more and also sourcing more and purchasing raw materials,” said Traxler.
According to a recent Crisil report, the revenue of India’s luggage industry is projected to increase by 5% this fiscal year. This growth comes despite a challenging comparison to the previous fiscal year, which experienced a remarkable 40% surge. The rise is attributed to the increasing prevalence of hard luggage produced by the organized sector, coupled with sustained growth in tourism and corporate travel.
“There was a lot of concentration in mainland China, but we have moved about 50% of production and distributed it to other countries in Southeast Asia and India is part of this rebalancing of our production,” said Traxler.
The company stated that there has been consistent growth in travel over the past three decades, emphasizing the direct correlation between luggage demand and the frequency of people’s travel.
“India is doing well and overall the company is doing well. We have more than doubled the turnover in the past two years and India is part of this trend,” the executive said. Traxler said that the consumer has changed its approach towards the purchase of luggage.
“Consumers are shifting from a very practical and utilitarian touristic approach of a functional luggage to something that is more to a certain extent, an extension of their style. So, people are looking for the colour they like, for the shape they like,” he said. As a result, its best sellers that used to be black and dark grey are now ivory or green or brown. Delsey Paris has collaborated with United Colors of Benetton in the design of a co-branded luggage and travel accessory range. The products in collection will be sold via brands’ websites and through Benetton and Delsey Paris point of sales worldwide. “We will have more license agreements,” Traxler said.
The brand produces about four million pieces a year and in India it wants to ramp up the production gradually. “Potential of the market is huge in terms of sales and in terms of production. Initially, we will produce only for India, but the next step will be to export the products,” the executive said.
Traxler said the main challenge is restriction on travels, which is impacted by geopolitical elements. “There are more countries where people are not so comfortable to go. The richness of the past 20 years has been the amount of exchange, learning to know each other better and knowing to respect different cultures and to understand them. The less there is this exchange, the more incomprehension and lack of cooperation,” he said.
Delsey Paris markets its collections online and in over 6,000 shops in more than 110 countries.
The festive season sale sparked a much-needed surge in online shopping following a subdued start to the year in the first half. E-commerce companies and online brands reported a steady uptick in sales, with categories like electronics, food, grocery, and jewellery witnessing double-digit growth over last year.
Despite offline retail operating at full capacity, statistics from consulting firm Grant Thornton Bharat suggest that over 50% of total festive sales were generated through online platforms, compared to 45% in 2022.
Unicommerce, a platform assisting businesses in online sales, reported a 37% increase in e-commerce order volumes during this year’s festive season sale compared to 2022. In the realm of gross merchandise value (GMV), online retail witnessed a growth of 22%.
Reports from the industry suggest that the gross merchandise value (GMV) for the festive month is approximately in the range of $10-11 billion. A substantial portion of the increased value is attributed to the sale of high-value items, particularly in large categories such as smartphones and appliances. This growth was facilitated by financing options offered through marketplaces and partnering lending institutions.
GMV represents the total sales generated by merchants on an e-commerce platform, excluding discounts. The e-tailer earns a margin of 5-20%, depending on the category, which constitutes its revenue.
“This year, ecommerce is expected to account for more than 50% of all festive sales in India, up from 45% in 2022,” said Naveen Malpani, partner, Grant Thornton Bharat. “Online sales are expected to grow at 18-20% over the festive month of 2022 driven by around 140 million online shoppers making purchases during this period.”
Digital payment firms mirrored the sales patterns, with transactions witnessing an almost 50% year-on-year growth. Specific segments, including food and grocery, consumer durables, and jewelry, contributed significantly to this increase.
Started on October 8 this year, the festive season sales featured smaller sale events leading up to flagship occasions like Flipkart’s Big Billion Days and Amazon’s Great Indian Festival.
Information from the National Payments Corporation of India, the entity overseeing Unified Payments Interface, revealed a 71% surge in merchant transactions during September and October, totaling over 12 billion transactions. This represents an increase of approximately 7 billion compared to the corresponding period last year.
Most sellers and brands note that a substantial portion of the sales occurred within the initial two to three weeks of the festive season. Ganesh Sonawane, co-founder of the ergonomic accessories maker Frido, mentioned that sales remained robust until October 18, after which it returned to a more typical business pattern.
“First flagship sale and the last sale event usually drive most of the sales and that’s played out this year too. In this cycle, we have seen premium products doing better than relatively cheaper ones,” said an ecommerce merchant who sells across Flipkart, Amazon and other platforms.
The direct-to-consumer fitness brand Boldfit experienced a twofold increase in sales during this year’s festive months compared to the previous year. However, there were reports of ‘purchase fatigue’ among consumers starting from the third week of October.
Online shopping has become more enticing this year due to affordable credit, EMI offers, and deep discounts. Offline shopping has also demonstrated robust growth, although industry executives have noted that certain sectors have not performed as well.
“Electronics and jewellery grew by about 10% over last year, but lifestyle buying was muted, even showing degrowth,” said Rajeev Agrawal, chief executive officer, Innoviti Payments, which offers payment solutions to large organised retail stores.
Average ticket size of transactions went up, showing that the rich generally bought more premium products. Agrawal said that this year the average ticket size of transactions in the food and grocery category was up 14%, lifestyle was up 9%, electronics 8% and jewellery 4%.
“Similar to what we witnessed during the Big Billion Days this year, choices in smartphones, laptops, tablets and home appliances indicate a strong premiumisation trend pan-India,” said Arief Mohamad, vice president – customer growth and loyalty, Flipkart
Tier two and three locations showed promising growth for online sellers this year.
Amazon said 80% of their customers who shopped during these months came from smaller towns. Overall, 40 lakh new customers bought from Amazon this year, the company said. It also saw over 65% of its Prime membership holders who shopped in the festive period come from tier two and three towns.
Malpani of Grant Thornton Bharat said that smaller cities contributed to 80% of all festive sales on e-commerce platforms, up from 75% last year.
“The ecommerce platforms have made a concerted effort of regional language support, localised product assortments etc. to reach and serve consumers in these cities,” he said.
Papa John’s ‘Pizza with Purpose,’ featuring the Shaq-A-Roni, has now made its debut in the UK.
The 15.5-inch pizza is crafted using Papa John’s distinctive never-frozen, six-ingredient dough. It is generously topped with tomato sauce, extra pepperoni, and extra cheese. After being baked to perfection, the pizza is sliced into eight foldable slices.
The creation of the pizza was a collaborative effort with basketball Hall of Famer, Papa John’s board member, and franchisee Shaquille O’Neal.
In the United Kingdom, Papa John’s has joined forces with Young Enterprise, a non-profit youth organization affiliated with Junior Achievement Worldwide, to champion this initiative. Serving as the official charity partner, Young Enterprise will oversee the direct distribution of funds raised in the market. Papa John’s commits to donating the equivalent of $1 from each Shaq-a-Roni pizza sold, contributing to Junior Achievement’s ongoing mission of fostering youth empowerment globally.
“We’re excited to launch the Shaq-a-Roni pizza on our menu made in partnership with our board member and long-standing franchisee, Shaquille O’Neal. The Shaq-a-Roni is one of the biggest pizzas on our menu, so we hope our customers will enjoy sharing the XXL slices with friends and family,” Rebecca Rose, Senior Director of Marketing at Papa Johns said.
For the last three years, Papa Johns has raised over $9m for community organizations through sales of the Shaq-a-Roni pizza.
Dabur India, a leading domestic FMCG company, is witnessing a significant rebound in rural markets. CEO Mohit Malhotra anticipates that growth in these markets will soon match that of urban markets within the next 3-4 quarters. The decline in inflation, coupled with the easing of commodity prices, is contributing to a gradual volume recovery in rural areas. This trend is effectively reducing the gap in growth rates between rural and urban markets.
Despite disruptions in rainfall in certain regions of the country, the recovery in the rural market is expected to persist. This resilience can be attributed to factors such as an increase in Minimum Support Prices (MSP), favorable winter crop sowing, and the ongoing election season.
Moreover, the unemployment rate in rural areas of India has declined, and the consumer confidence index has surged to an all-time high, nearly reaching the pre-COVID levels, according to his statement.
“There are definite very good recovery signs, which actually I am seeing. The festive season which is coming in, should augur very well for us going forward in the future. So I am very hopeful,” Malhotra said.
The corporation, possessing influential brands like Dabur Chyawanprash, Dabur Honey, Dabur Honitus, Dabur PudinHara, Dabur Lal Tail, Dabur Amla, Dabur Red Paste, and Real, is expanding its presence in rural areas through the introduction of affordable small-sized packaging.
Asked when he expects rural growth to come at par with urban markets, Malhotra said: “It’s a matter of time. I think it will take another three-four quarters… before rural comes at par with urban”.
However, he added that the urban market is also driven by new-age channels such as modern trade and e-commerce, which are contributing around 20-25 per cent of the FMCG business.
“So they are growing much ahead. For the rural, which is mainly GT (general trade as Kirana), to grow at that percentage is very difficult because the rural market has a large base and for a large base to grow at that percentage is difficult. So urban, I think for some time it is going to drive the growth,” he said.
Rural has a major population and almost 70 per cent of the total consumer base is from those regions, Malhotra added.
Pre-COVID, rural was growing ahead of urban, driving the growth in the FMCG sector, while urban was lagging behind, he added.
“Now, we are seeing gradual slow volume recovery happening in the rural market… if I look at the last quarter, we see rural growth of around 6.7 per cent urban growth overall 11.2 per cent.
“So, while the gap between urban and rural is narrowing, the gap is still there. Rural is still lagging urban but I think in due course of time as we lap over the lower bases rural recovery will continue to happen,” he said.
Rural markets generally contribute around 35 per cent of the FMCG industry and had shown positive growth in consumption during the March quarter this year, after a gap of six straight quarters, according to a report from data analytics firm Nielsen IQ.
Dabur as per its strategy is looking at both urban and rural markets, which are expanding with the launch of more premium products, as average disposable income in India is increasing.
In the urban market, where expansion is driven by e-commerce, modern trade channels, and expansion of mini metro and class one town, it is focusing on premiumisation with large pack sizes, while in the rural, it is targeting the aspirational buyers with low units price packs, Malhotra added.
“We get the best of both worlds,” he said adding “While in the rural areas, we go with the price points which are more accessible and the urban level we are premiumising.”
Now, 85 per cent of the country’s population is a consuming class, which includes the top and bottom of the pyramids. The aspirations between the urban and rural markets are becoming common with the growth of social media and smartphone availability.
Moreover, it is also trying to introduce some new brands in the premium category and also to relate with the millennials.
Bakingo Founders Himanshu Chawla, Shrey Sehgal, and Suman Patra
Bakingo, the online cake delivery startup, has raised $16 million in its first round of growth capital from private equity firm Faering Capital.
The funds will be utilized to bolster its distribution reach, with plans to increase from 75 dark kitchens to 150 and venture into 10 additional cities, as stated in a press release by Bakingo. The company also intends to establish exclusive brand stores to provide customers with firsthand product experiences and invest in technology to improve its production, supply chain, and forecasting capabilities.
Established by Himanshu Chawla, Shrey Sehgal, and Suman Patra, Bakingo provides an array of cakes and desserts, featuring its distinctive Cheesecake, Gourmet Cakes, Jar Cakes, and a selection of over 100 SKUs.
Additionally, the brand personalizes over 200 cake designs and asserts delivery within 2 hours across 13 cities.
The Gurugram-based bakery startup has recently expanded its operations to Jaipur, Chandigarh, Lucknow, and several smaller cities such as Meerut, Panipat, Karnal, and Rohtak.
Faering Capital, an Indian private equity firm, has amassed more than $720 million in capital through three funds and has collaborated with 30 companies. The recent investment in Bakingo marks Faering Capital’s fourth venture from its $346 million Fund 3. Noteworthy additions to its portfolio encompass Go Digit General Insurance, Niva Bupa Health Insurance, Vastu Housing Finance, Nykaa, Plum, and Finova Capital.
Korea Post, the state-operated postal service agency of South Korea, announced on Monday the reinstatement of its Express Mail Service (EMS) for shipping kimchi across the United States.
The Kimchi Express Mail Service (EMS) was halted in November 2020 amid the COVID-19 pandemic. However, as of November 6, it recommenced operations in Japan. The United States now becomes the second country to resume kimchi EMS services.
For secure transportation and to minimize the potential for package rupture, Korea Post recommends that senders enclose kimchi in plastic, occupying about 70% of specially designed cans, which should be tightly sealed. This packaging directive is intended to address the difficulties associated with the air transport of fermented food.
“The resumption of services to Japan and now to the entire US means that our citizens abroad can reconnect with the taste of home,” President of Korea Post Cho Hae-keun said.
United Spirits, the largest liquor company in India, has reported lower-than-expected demand momentum in the current quarter. However, the company anticipates a recovery driven by upcoming festivities and the cricket World Cup.
“We remain cautiously optimistic that demand will pick up, though we don’t see the signs right now,” Hina Nagarajan, managing director at Diageo-controlled USL, told investors on an earnings call. “But we still have a big festival season to go through – Diwali and then Christmas, etc. So, we are cautiously optimistic and we are definitely investing and activating for growth.”
The company will persist in directing its attention towards factors it can influence.
It aims to “have the right investment going on for our brands and we will see what happens in the quarter,” she added.
The Indian spirits market experienced a 10% growth in the first half of the calendar year, standing out as the sole discretionary category to maintain robust momentum, especially when compared to cutbacks in other lifestyle segments like apparel and electronics by consumers. Traditionally, the December quarter marks a peak period for spirits, driven by factors such as weddings, festivals, and the winter season.
The producer of Johnnie Walker and Smirnoff reported that demand was relatively subdued in September due to a delayed festive season, and October did not show significant improvement. The company noted a slowdown in discretionary spending during this period, with the festival-related pickup not matching the buoyancy observed in previous years.
“Durga Puja on the eastern side of the country becomes the lead indicator, because that’s where the festivities begin even before the Diwali celebrations happen in the north,” USL chief financial officer Pradeep Jain said on the earnings call. “Having seen October now, we just haven’t experienced the kind of national pickup that we get typically in every year.”
In the September quarter, United Spirits Limited (USL) recorded a 12.2% increase in sales compared to the previous year, but the growth in the popular or mass-priced segment was limited to just 1%. The company attributed this to increased pressure on lower-priced products due to inflation, while the premium whisky and scotch portfolio continued to show strength. Liquor companies, facing a record surge in prices of raw materials like extra neutral alcohol (ENA), glass, and packaging materials over the past two years, are now experiencing a moderation in these cost increases.
Radico Khaitan, known for brands like Rampur and Magic Moments, mentioned that prices of specific packaging materials have recently shown a decline. However, the company is carefully observing the trends in Extra Neutral Alcohol (ENA) and glass bottles, where volatility continues to be a concern.
We use cookies to ensure that we give you the best experience on our website. If you continue to use this site we will assume that you are happy with it.
