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Limelight Diamonds Expands with New Chennai Store, Eyes Growth in Lab-Grown Diamond Market

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Limelight Diamonds Expands with New Chennai Store, Eyes Growth in Lab-Grown Diamond Market

Limelight Diamonds, a prominent brand in the lab-grown diamond jewelry sector, has officially opened its first store in Chennai, marking the 23rd outlet in India. The Mumbai-based company plans to launch seven more stores by the end of the year to meet the growing demand for lab-grown diamonds.

Top Executive Expresses her Excitement 

Founder and Managing Director Pooja Sheth Madhavan expressed her excitement about the new store’s opening, noting the positive response the brand has received. “Chennai is a city that beautifully blends rich tradition with contemporary style, making it an ideal location for Limelight. 

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We are thrilled to bring our unique blend of traditional craftsmanship and modern luxury to this vibrant city,” she said. Madhavan hopes the new store will be just as well-received as their other locations, offering high-quality, expertly crafted jewelry with distinctive designs.

The Growing Lab-Grown Diamond Industry 

The lab-grown diamond industry, according to Madhavan, is seeing significant growth, with a year-on-year increase of 15-20%, driven by broader consumer acceptance. She pointed out that awareness of lab-grown diamonds has surged, with most customers now recognizing that they are chemically identical to mined diamonds, being composed of carbon.

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The affordability of lab-grown diamonds—thanks to the savings on mining costs—has made them an attractive alternative for consumers looking to enhance their jewelry collection, Madhavan added.

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Handpickd to Expand Its Fresh Produce Delivery Service Across Gurgaon and Delhi NCR

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Handpickd to Expand Its Fresh Produce Delivery Service Across Gurgaon and Delhi NCR

Handpickd, India’s pioneering direct-to-consumer (D2C) platform for fresh produce, is planning to roll out more than 30 new micro-markets across Gurgaon and Delhi NCR over the next year. The platform, co-founded by Anant Goel, Nitin Gupta, and Sahil Madan, aims to revolutionize how fresh fruits and vegetables are delivered to consumers.

The story of Handpickd

Goel, who previously launched Milkbasket, India’s first overnight and contactless grocery delivery service, introduced Handpickd in April 2024 through the Apple and Google Play stores. Since its launch, Handpickd has fulfilled over 100,000 orders and delivered more than 400,000 kilograms of fresh produce across two micro-markets in Gurgaon. Currently, the brand operates at an annual revenue run rate of Rs 10 crore.

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“We don’t just sell fruits and vegetables—we facilitate a kind of matchmaking,” Goel explains. “When a customer walks into a store and picks out their fresh produce, they’re matching themselves to the items they need. That’s what we’re doing online at scale—helping customers select exactly what they want.”

Handpickd’s USP

What sets Handpickd apart from other apps is its flexibility. Unlike traditional platforms that force consumers to order set quantities or pre-packaged sizes, Handpickd allows users to select exactly how much produce they want. Customers can also specify the ripeness and size of their items, with the app’s algorithm ensuring that the order meets these exact preferences.

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To address inefficiencies in the fresh supply chain, Handpickd has implemented a zero-inventory model that minimizes waste. Additionally, any produce that doesn’t meet initial sorting standards is reintroduced into the supply chain at the right moment, eliminating the need to discard unsold items. This approach ensures that customers receive fresh, high-quality produce while also reducing waste.

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Pasta Street Makes Its Debut in Delhi NCR with New Punjabi Bagh Outlet

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Pasta Street Makes Its Debut in Delhi NCR with New Punjabi Bagh Outlet

Pasta Street, the popular dining chain known for its Italian flavors, has expanded its presence into the National Capital Region with a new outlet in Punjabi Bagh, Delhi, located on Club Road. 

Pasta Street’s Main Attractions

The restaurant offers a diverse Italian menu, featuring everything from pizzas and ravioli to gnocchi, mocktails, cocktails, and delicious desserts. Guests can enjoy the unique experience of watching chefs craft their meals in an open kitchen.

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Manish Kumar, Executive Director of Pasta Street, shared his excitement about the expansion, saying, “Delhi is a prime market for the hospitality industry, and we’re eager to make our mark here. Following our success in Bengaluru, we plan to open five more outlets across Delhi-NCR, including in Gurugram and Noida, by the end of 2025, bringing an authentic taste of Italy to the region.”

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About Pasta Street – the Italian Restaurant 

Founded in 2011 by Italian entrepreneur Massimiliano Gini, Pasta Street was born out of a passion for sharing genuine Italian cuisine with India. Since its launch in Bengaluru, where it now operates eight outlets, the brand is focused on growing its footprint, with new locations planned for Noida, Gurugram, Mumbai, Pune, and Hyderabad in the near future.

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McDonald’s Opens Its Largest Outlet in Noida’s Anthurium Project

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McDonald’s Opens Its Largest Outlet in Noida’s Anthurium Project

McDonald’s has unveiled its biggest outlet in Noida, located within the Anthurium project in Sector 73. This new 9,000 sq. ft. store is situated inside Noida’s first Digital Office Space and features a modern design with spacious seating and state-of-the-art amenities.

Top Executive Opines on this Announcement 

Harsh Gupta, CEO of Sundream Group, expressed excitement about the opening, saying, “We’re excited to welcome McDonald’s to Anthurium as part of our efforts to elevate the dining experience within this unique development. 

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The addition of this outlet highlights our commitment to offering top-tier amenities at Anthurium, a project that blends innovative office spaces with high-end retail options. Its prime location and excellent connectivity make it an ideal addition to Noida’s growing commercial landscape.”

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About Anthurium – A Major Noida Project 

Anthurium, developed by Sundream Group, is a prominent project in Noida offering a combination of digital office spaces and premium retail outlets, creating a dynamic environment for both work and leisure. McDonald’s continues to expand globally, serving millions of customers across more than 100 countries.

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Biryani Still Tops, But Pizza Orders Dip in Zomato’s 2024 Year-End Report

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Biryani Still Tops, But Pizza Orders Dip in Zomato’s 2024 Year-End Report

Zomato has shared its annual report for 2024, offering a glimpse into the food preferences of Indian consumers. Once again, biryani dominated the platform, securing over 9 crore orders, maintaining its place at the top for the eighth consecutive year. 

Pizza Comes in 2nd Place 

Pizza followed in second place with 5.8 crore orders. However, the data revealed a slight dip in both biryani and pizza sales compared to the previous year.

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In 2023, Zomato saw 10.09 crore biryani orders. In 2024, that figure dropped to 9.13 crore. Similarly, pizza sales experienced a notable decline, with the number of pizza orders falling by 1.6 crore, from 7.45 crore in 2023 to 5.84 crore in 2024. This represents a decline of over 20% in just one year.

Dosa Comes 2nd in Swiggy

Zomato did not disclose the performance of other dishes, but competitor Swiggy shared that dosa emerged as its second most popular item in 2024, with 2.3 crore orders, surpassing pizza.

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Despite the slight decline, biryani remained the undisputed favorite on both platforms. Zomato reported that Indians ordered three biryanis every second on their app, while Swiggy saw more than two biryanis ordered per second.

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Chaayos Halves Losses in FY24, Achieves Profitability Amid Slower Growth

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Chaayos Halves Losses in FY24, Achieves Profitability Amid Slower Growth

Delhi NCR-based tea café chain Chaayos has significantly reduced its net loss, cutting it by over 50% to INR 54 crore in FY24 from INR 109.3 crore in FY23. 

This improvement came on the back of cost optimization efforts and achieving EBITDA profitability.

Chaayos Cuts Down on its Losses

However, the sharp decline in losses was accompanied by subdued revenue growth. Operating revenue grew just 4.89%, reaching INR 248.6 crore in FY24 compared to INR 237 crore the previous year. Including other income, total revenue rose 7%, climbing from INR 253.4 crore in FY23 to INR 271.2 crore in FY24.

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The company’s EBITDA performance marked a turnaround, improving from a loss of INR 22.1 crore in FY23 to a positive INR 28.3 crore in FY24. This translated into an EBITDA margin of 11%, a significant leap from -9% the year prior.

About Chaayos

Founded in 2012 by Raghav Verma and Nitin Saluja, Chaayos operates a wide network of tea-centric cafés across India while also selling premixed teas through its website and online marketplaces. To date, it has raised about $85 million from prominent investors such as Tiger Global, Alpha Wave, and Elevation Capital, with its most recent $53 million Series C round supporting its expansion.

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Chaayos faces competition from tea café brands like Chai Point, Chai Sutta Bar, and MBA Chaiwala, while also contending with coffee-focused chains such as The Third Wave Coffee, Blue Tokai, and Starbucks.

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Bhavish Aggarwal’s Core Team Shrinks as Senior Executives Exit Ola Electric

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Bhavish Aggarwal’s Core Team Shrinks as Senior Executives Exit Ola Electric

Two key leaders at Bhavish Aggarwal’s Ola Electric have stepped down. Chief Technology and Product Officer Suvonil Chatterjee and Chief Marketing Officer Anshul Khandelwal officially resigned on Friday, as confirmed by the company in a regulatory filing.

Top Executives Quit Ola Electric 

Both Chatterjee and Khandelwal were long-time associates of Ola, beginning their journeys at the ride-hailing platform before transitioning to Ola Electric. Chatterjee joined Ola in 2017 as head of design, while Khandelwal came on board in 2018 to lead marketing efforts.

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Their resignations are part of a growing list of senior exits across Ola’s various ventures, including its AI initiative, Krutrim, this year.

“Suvonil and Anshul have been integral to Bhavish’s core team for several years. Suvonil, in particular, has spearheaded several key projects, including Ola Maps and Krutrim,” said a person familiar with the matter. “They had informed Bhavish of their decision to leave a few months ago.”

Several Top Executives Have Quit in the Recent Past

Chatterjee, who previously held the role of Head of Design at Flipkart, was a prominent figure in Ola’s leadership team. In his resignation email, he stated, “Formally sending in my resignation effective today, December 27, 2024.”

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Similarly, Khandelwal expressed gratitude in his resignation letter addressed to Ola Electric’s CFO, Harish Abichandani. “It has been an incredible journey, and I am thankful for the chance to contribute to Ola’s inspiring vision. However, I request to be relieved of my duties effective today due to personal reasons.” Ola Electric attributed both resignations to personal reasons but has yet to announce their replacements.

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Vijay Agicha Steps Down as Chief Investment and Transformation Officer at PayU

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Vijay Agicha Steps Down as Chief Investment and Transformation Officer at PayU

Vijay Agicha, who served as the Chief Investment and Transformation Officer at Naspers-backed PayU, has resigned from his position, according to sources familiar with the matter. 

Agicha is reportedly considering a move to an investment firm, where he is expected to focus on fintech investments.

A string of leadership departures at PayU in recent months

His exit follows a string of leadership departures at PayU in recent months. Earlier this year, Suresh Rajagopalan, former CEO of PayU-owned Wibmo, which provides authentication services for digital payments, also left the organization.

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“Vijay has been a driving force behind four major acquisitions and has contributed significantly to shaping a robust fintech ecosystem through strategic minority investments during his tenure. As he moves on from PayU, we extend our best wishes for his future endeavors,” said a PayU spokesperson.

PayU seeing a big leadership change 

PayU has been undergoing significant leadership changes since selling its global operations to Israeli fintech provider Rapyd in August 2023.

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In September 2023, PayU’s longtime Global CEO Laurent Le Moal stepped back from his operational role, transitioning to an advisory position for Prosus and PayU. Around the same time, Global CFO Akash Moondhra and PayU Finance CEO Prashanth Ranganathan also left the company.

These changes came amid broader shifts at Prosus and its parent company Naspers. Bob van Dijk, who had served as CEO of both entities for a decade, announced his departure in September 2023. He was succeeded by Fabricio Bloisi in March 2024.

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PharmEasy’s Valuation Plummets Amid Financial Struggles: Report

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PharmEasy’s Valuation Plummets Amid Financial Struggles: Report

PharmEasy, once a high-flying online pharmacy with a peak valuation of $5.6 billion, is now estimated to be worth just $456 million, marking a sharp decline. 

This significant drop followed a filing by investor Janus Henderson, revealing a substantial devaluation of its shares. Janus Henderson’s 12.9 million shares in PharmEasy were marked down to $766,043, a sharp fall from their initial purchase price of $9.4 million.

PharmEasy’s Concerning Financials

The downturn is reflected in PharmEasy’s financials. Its parent company, API Holdings, posted a staggering loss of Rs 2,533 crore for the fiscal year 2024 (FY24), a 15% drop in revenue to Rs 5,664 crore compared to Rs 6,644 crore in FY23. While revenue suffered, the company managed to reduce its losses by over half, largely due to significant cuts in goodwill impairment charges.

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Despite having raised over $1 billion in funding to date, PharmEasy has faced mounting financial pressures. These difficulties were exacerbated when the company postponed an $843 million IPO that was initially scheduled for November 2021. 

A $300 Million Loan

To weather the storm, PharmEasy turned to debt financing, securing a $300 million loan from Goldman Sachs, which later became difficult to repay. In 2023, the company issued a rights offering to raise capital, successfully raising around $417 million.

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A more recent filing from April 2024 indicates that PharmEasy also raised approximately $216 million, with support from the Manipal Education and Medical Group, along with existing investors.

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Swiggy Instamart’s 2024 Report: Big Spenders, Unique Purchases, and Everyday Essentials

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Swiggy Instamart’s 2024 Report: Big Spenders, Unique Purchases, and Everyday Essentials

Swiggy Instamart’s annual report for 2024 paints a vivid picture of how Indians embraced quick commerce in their daily lives. From stocking up on groceries to splurging on gold coins and gadgets, customers across the country made Instamart a go-to destination for both routine and extravagant shopping.

Big Spenders Lead the Pack

Two prolific shoppers from Delhi and Dehradun together spent over ₹20 lakh on Instamart this year, filling their carts with everyday essentials like atta, milk, and cooking oil.

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Top Picks Across India

Milk was the undisputed favorite of the year, featuring in 1 out of every 15 orders nationwide. Other popular items included curd, dosa batter, chips, and soft drinks. Fruits and vegetables made up a significant chunk of orders, appearing in 20% of all baskets.

The year also saw some interesting spending patterns:

Pet Pampering in Mumbai: A devoted pet owner spent more than ₹15 lakh on dog and cat food, leading the pet care category.

Tech Splurge in Chennai: One shopper spent ₹1,25,454 on gadgets, including gaming earphones and a hair straightener.

Mango Madness in Hyderabad: A mango lover shelled out ₹35,000 during May, stocking up on the king of fruits.

Gold Rush in Ahmedabad: A customer set a record by spending ₹8,32,032 on gold coins during Dhanteras.

Poker Parties in Delhi: Diwali celebrations in the capital featured poker chip purchases totaling ₹4,60,000.

Tonic Water Craze: Mumbai saw a single-day purchase of tonic water worth ₹8,20,360, while a Goa resident spent nearly ₹35,000 on tonic water over the year.

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Swiggy Instamart’s 2024 data highlights the growing role of quick commerce in both everyday convenience and indulgent spending, reflecting the evolving shopping habits of Indians.

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