The Indian consumption story is back to its normal and astounding growth numbers are on table. For example, Dabur India has witnessed highest ever volume growth of 21% in the AMJ (April, May, June) quarter. The company’s CFO Lalit Malik also reveals some interesting consumption pattern from rural Indian markets.

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The Nielsen study says, consumption is back after the demonetisation, GST huddle and the macro economy looks good. In this context, what was Dabur's performance in terms of sales/revenue in the AMJ quarter?

Buying from e-commerce platform can be tricky sometime and more specifically, when the purchase is related to make-up, skin-care among other, consumers have a tendency to seek advice. Reason being, Nykaa, the online beauty retailer emphasises on its content team. The team is at core when it comes to engaging, educating consumers with its products and usages. Madhavi Irani, Chief Officer—Content, Nykaa speaks to Indianretailer.com where she reveals “a content consumer is a more discerning, evolved customer”.

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IKEA, the world's largest furniture retailer ensures that every individual feels good at home in India with its sustainable product range. The retailer is equally thrilled to be in the country serving its people need. In an interview, Susanne Pulverer, Store Manager(New Delhi) and India sustainability lead at IKEA India tells more about the company's strategy and objective for the country. 

What kind of Go Green initiatives IKEA has taken recently?

Thailand based Siam Makro plans to invest Rs 1000-1200 crore in the next five years with a plan to set up 15 wholesale cash and carry stores across north India. The company, which is going to launch its first ever wholesale cash and carry store in New Delhi in the mid week of July, is also equally ecstatic about coming up with an e-commerce channel for the Kiranas in India, in two months of its first store launch. Additionally, the company is optimistic of creating around 5000 direct, indirect employment in the country in a span of next 5 years.

SAIF funded FarEye has recently launched delivery experience suite Delight. Delight aims to helps businesses to provide a seamless, personalized experience to the customers. The company was founded by Kushal Nahata in the year 2013 and its B2C logistics technology services are used by Walmart, DHL, Noon and Amway among other.

In a conversation with Indianretailer.com, Nahata says his company continues to grow at an astounding 362% year on year (Deloitte reports).

Eyewear startup brand Glassic which designs and manufactures designer sunglasses, inaugurated its flagship store at Indiranagar, Bengaluru recently. The company was available on platform for three years until recently. Co-founded by brothers Kailash and Devesh Nichani in 2015, Glassic makes designer eyewear affordable to masses with a strong focus on quality. Speaking at the occasion of its offline foray, Kailash Nichani said, “Our first store will be an extension of our mission to delight customers with durable fashion and affordability in eyewear segment.”  

When you speak retail, you can’t sideline inventory and logistics. And with arrival of AI, machine learning, it becomes imperative to know what lies next in the retail centric logistic services.

In a candid chat Sandeep Padoshi, Co-founder, Wow Express expresses his desire in exploring new verticals through advanced technologies.

You recently raised Rs 30 crore Series A funding. What's next for WOW Express?

New Delhi: Detel, the economical feature phone and accessories brand has announced partnership with Amazon India recently. Before that, Detel’s products could be ordered via its official website or B2BAdda.com. Interestingly, the mobiles and accessories range of Detel is within the price segment of Rs. 499 to Rs. 1,149. Henceforth, all new products to be launched by the brand in the mobiles and accessories category will also be listed on Amazon. In an interview, Yogesh Bhatia, MD, S. G.

The increased air-conditioning space in a household and change in lifestyle are the two growth drivers that have been driving decade-old Ripple Fragrances to plan out national level expansion along with offering customised home fragrance products. An elaborate and exclusive chat with the Managing Director, Kiran Ranga, reveals more.

What is the brand ethos of Ripple Fragrances?

BIBA, the loving ethnic wear brand, has recently launched a campaign called, “Change the Conversation” to break certain taboo associated with our socio-economical belief system. The films picked up topics like gender prejudice in arranged marriages and recently launched film on dowry. These films have been receiving very warm responses from society and the retail community alike. To know the objective behind such thoughts, Retailer speaks to Siddharth Bindra, MD, BIBA.

Raising funds through investors has been the common trade trick of the season. However, there is an exception. The recent Infibeam IPO is an eye opener that has stunned us all. Moreover, the latest updates of the IPO being oversubscribed also have made the IPO more interesting. To know the story in detail, Retailer Magazine catches up with the Founder & Managing Director, Vishal Mehta to unfold the following.

There are few successful malls in India and Quest Mall remarkably wins the luxury mall acclamation in the preferred category. reason being, the mall has housed most prominent brands in luxury retail segment including names like GUCCI, Burberry, Canali, Rolex and others. Sanjeev Mehra, Vice- President, QUEST Properties India Ltd talks to Retailer Media and says food is one of the most important ingredients to make a successful mall besides speaking on the mall strategy.

Since Khadim’s started its retail journey in Kolkata, the brand has been serving masses with comfortable, affordable & durable shoes for all members of a family from generations. Siddarth Roy Burman, MD, Khadim’s India Pvt Ltd, speaks candidly about the brand’s journey, milestones along with expansion plans.

India as a country is boasting an increasing number of educated and responsible parents, who pledge to provide the best to their kids. Canada based Posh Baby and Kids, an exclusive distributor of premium Dwinguler and Baby Care products, has announced its arrival into the Indian market. The company is going to introduce exclusive line of Dwinguler Playmats and Baby Care Playmats across the country. These premium play mats provide a safe, clean, and non-toxic floor space for babies and young children.

What started as a sheer love for fashion, of organising fashion exhibitions to showcase luxe brands in the May 2013, the entrepreneur duo Sharnamli Mehra Adhar & Mitali Wadhwa already started noticing promising results. The retail entrepreneurs organise exhibitions and trunk shows by the name of The Pink Post Inc, which is a daylong exhibition and show. Till now, brands like Outhouse, Furla, Le Mill, Arpita Mehta, and other fashion week brands have already participated with them.

In business community there is a popular belief. As we say morning shows the day so as the business model of a venture shows how sustainable the business will become.

And the founders of Rekinza, just did the same. They founded a business model around offering solution to a certain day-to-day need of a woman.  Retailer Media catches up with the founders to know more.

Ravneet Singh Phokela, Chief Business Officer, Ather Energy has recently joined Ather Energy-a Bengaluru based start-up, promised to bring smart electric scooter. Prior to Ather, Ravneet was with Flipkart as Vice President and Practice Head of their Strategic Brands Group where he led many consumer centric strategic decisions. He speaks to Retailer; about the smart strategy today, brands need to embrace in order to offer extra-ordinary consumer experience.

What made you to join a start-up company leaving behind a popular brand?

When the established retail giants of the country is taking omni-channel as the new route to grab customers, Aditya Birla Group has launched all about fashion-Abof.com to propose a consummate retail experience. The newly launched online retail destination is already a rage among the youth as Abof.com has got the most trendy and celebrity-inspired apparel, footwear and accessories that belong in every fashionista's wardrobe in India.
Speaking to Retailer Media, Prashant Gupta, President & CEO, Abof.com unfolds the story behind making Abof.com a rage among the millennial.

In an interaction with Indian Retailer, Manpreet Gulri, Country Head, Subway, shares his expansion plans in India.

How you have designed your online engine and what are the promotional strategies you have kept in place to generate sufficient conversion online?

Globally, SUBWAY restaurants have online platforms to enable remote ordering. However, in India, we are exploring possibilities for the effective implementation of the same.