Orders on online food delivery platforms drop by 60%

In a seed round headed by Inflection Point Ventures, Order for Health (O4H) has raised INR 1 crore. In order to increase market presence, streamline operations, scale production, and create new stores, O4H intends to use its money for strategic expansion.

Order for Health is a mindful food company that offers sustainable, wholesome, and delicious meal options, redefining the way people consume food. With an emphasis on high-quality ingredients, O4H offers a range of healthful options, such as salads, bowls, wraps, and drinks, all of which are intended to promote a balanced way of living.

The Founding Team believes that “At O4H our mission is to make healthy eating both accessible and enjoyable by offering fresh, nutritious meals that support overall well-being. Our menu features nutrient-rich options, all made from real, preservative-free ingredients. With a strong reputation among the lifetime customer the brand takes pride on its 4.5-star rating and over 30,000 positive reviews on Swiggy and Zomato, we have become one of Bangalore’s top health food destinations. Our Mediterranean and Pan-Asian-inspired offerings are designed to meet key nutritional needs, providing 40-60% of daily protein and 35-50% of fiber intake. We are committed to redefining food consumption by making healthy eating an easy, satisfying lifestyle choice.”

O4H has reached a considerable operational size, processing over 13,500 orders each month and earning ₹6 Crore (about 0.7 million USD) annually. Over 30% of Bangalore's market is effectively served by O4H, which operates out of four cloud kitchens.

O4H is positioned as a major participant in the city's healthy food delivery market because to this strong operational structure.

 

 

 

Ready to drink cocktail startup O’ Be Cocktails is raising an undisclosed amount in Pre-Series A Round led by Inflection Point Ventures. 

The funds will be utilized for enhancing capabilities, team building and expanding into new markets. 

“Indian market is witnessing a steady growth in alcoholic segment post pandemic years.  Ready to drink cocktails is an emerging category which is not much explored and has huge market potential.  With O' Be Cocktails’ phenomenal range of classic cocktails it promises to be a go to product for youngsters looking to socialize with premium cocktails.  IPV aims to extend their support and help the company expand geographically,” shared Mitesh Shah, Co-founder, Inflection Point Ventures.

O' Be Cocktails are high-quality ready to drink craft cocktails made with the best spirits and natural ingredients for social gatherings at home and house parties. Each cocktail is created using the finest spirits and all-natural ingredients, resulting in a consistently delightful taste. With a range of flavors such as Mojito, Cosmopolitan, Long Island Iced tea and Gin & Tonic, O' Be Cocktails blends the art of mixology and science of consistency, creating a cocktail category for social gatherings at home and house parties.

O' Be Cocktails is operational in 9 states in India and Bhutan. It is supported by a network of 22 private distributors and 2 government contracts, ensuring their products are readily accessible in over 1700 premium wine outlets. 

“Today consumers look for sustainable, premium, and convenient brands as part of their lifestyle and want to drink better and not more. Cocktails is a growing culture in India, O’ Be Ready to Drink Craft Cocktails targets GenZ and Millennial consumers for social gatherings at home and house parties. We want to lead the Ready to Drink (RTD) category growth in India and SE Asia with our range of O’ Be Cocktails. IPV has been a great partner in understanding the category and the market, along with the known and unknown challenges – they understand the DNA of the startup and provide the right support. We look forward to continually work and grow with them sustainably,” added Nitesh Prakash, Founder & CEO, O’ Be Cocktails.

In the Indian Alcoholic Beverage (Alcobev) market, which is valued at $35 billion, the Ready-to-Drink (RTD) category constitutes $200 million (0.6% of the market), with a projected annual growth rate of 10.29% in value and 12.15% in volume from 2021 to 2026, as per Triton Market Research. In comparison, the US Alcobev market, worth $313 billion, has a more significant RTD category at $22.5 billion (7.2% of the market), and it's expected to grow at a 12.42% annual rate from 2022 to 2027.

 

Allied Blenders and Distillers Limited (“ABD”), is boosting its play in the Prestige and above segments in whisky with unique offerings built on core consumer insights. In its quest for this objective, ABD has launched a cool and stylish 180ML pack in ‘Hippy’. 

The Hippy is ABD’s re-imagination of the 180ml SKU, popularly known as the ‘quarter’, to a cool and stylish pack.

“Constantly innovating is one of ABD’s core values. The Hippy is a great example of this core value brought alive on the back of consumer-centric thinking. It is an offering that allows for widening of the occasions where consumers can engage with our brand on account of its style quotient and mobile form factor,” shared Alok Gupta, Managing Director, ABD.

The company was amongst the first to make this packaging format accessible to consumers of the semi-premium whisky for Sterling Reserve Whisky. The Hippy is a contemporary take on the ‘quarter’ and has appeal across all age groups. 

It is currently available in Maharashtra, West Bengal, Uttar Pradesh, Assam, Daman and Tripura.

“For long, alcobev consumers have suffered from the ‘brown-bag syndrome’ where they would be hesitant to be seen with their humble ‘quarter’ or ‘pau-a’. The Hippy allows consumers to break free of inhibitions and flaunt their Sterling Reserve BX Whisky,” added Bikram Basu, Chief Strategy and Marketing Officer, ABD.

 

Allied Blenders and Distillers limited (ABD), is shifting gears to a higher value portfolio towards a future marked by premiumisation. In pursuit of this vision, ABD announced a new business vertical, ‘PremBrands’, to focus on its premium brand portfolio. 

The current portfolio of premium brands consists of Sterling Reserve B10 Whisky, X&O Whisky, Srishti Whisky and Kyron Brandy. ABD has lined up a slew of premium brands to be launched in the near future.

“At ABD we are very conscious of the imperative of being ‘future-ready’. We will stay agile to meet our strategic goals and deliver on the premiumisation agenda. The creation of the PremBrands vertical will ensure sharper focus on the higher value portfolio. I am delighted to have a seasoned leader like Ankur on board to steer the revenue and margin agenda for the company,” shared Alok Gupta, Managing Director, ABD.

The company also announced the appointment of Ankur Sachdeva as the Chief Revenue Officer. He will re-engineer the current and new lines of revenue to deliver rapid growth and enhanced product margins. 

Ankur Sachdeva brings over two decades of extensive experience in the Alcohol Beverage industry. Ankur’s last assignment was with Radico Khaitan as President of Operations. He was instrumental in their turnaround story, building on-premises capabilities, making CSD hugely profitable and developing new businesses.

“I am thrilled to be joining ABD at this pivotal moment in its journey. I see immense potential in the company’s existing and new brand portfolio and the concentrated efforts towards premiumisation. I am eager to be a part of the exceptional team at ABD and contribute to its continued growth and success,” added Ankur Sachdeva, Chief Revenue Officer, ABD.
 

 

Radico Khaitan Limited, one of the largest IMFL companies in India has announced that the company will unveil the next two whiskies in the Jugalbandi series of eight Indian Single Malt whiskies, Jugalbandi #3 and #4, at The Whisky Show, London (29th September – 1st October 2023). 

The Rampur Jugalbandi series is a limited release at cask strength. 

Jugalbandi #3 and Jugalbandi #4 will be rolling out to the UK, USA, EU, Singapore, and Global Travel Retail October 2023 onwards.

In the world of music, Jugalbandi translates to “entwined twins” and refers to a duet of two solo musicians and instruments that own the stage in perfect partnership. The essence of this ancient art form has been captured in the new Rampur Jugalbandi Single Malts, where the two casks used in each expression complement each other in perfect harmony.

Anup Barik, Master Distiller at Rampur Distillery shared, “We always strive to continue innovating with each new release. I love marrying together pairs of different casks in the Jugalbandi series and am excited to have Rampur Select available again. We are looking forward to unveiling these three new expressions from the House of Rampur at The Whisky Show in London.” 

On the launch of two new expressions, Sanjeev Banga, President of International Business at Radico Khaitan, said, “With our Rampur Indian Single Malt portfolio, we have always strived to take India to the World. There is a lot of mysticism about India and the global consumers are always intrigued by the Indian culture and heritage. The Jugalbandi series is a testament to our brand creation capabilities and celebrates an ancient Indian artform. We are proud to showcase our Indian heritage with the third and fourth launch of this series at The Whisky Show. The first and second expressions in the Jugalbandi series sold out in record time and we are excited to see the reaction to this next range of limited-edition, collectible whiskies.” 

Earlier this year, Radico Khaitan had launched Sangam World Malt Whisky which combines the finest malts sourced from traditional European origins as well as from the New World, weaving a tapestry of nuanced flavours and creating a harmony that is both delicate and refined. 
 

 

Mumbai has welcomed a new, wholesome, honest, old school, decadent ice cream from Meemee’s.

 

Founded by Meha Agrawal, Meemee’s is distinguished by its full-bodied flavours and adventurous formats such as Toasties and Tubsters.

 

“Meemee's is my heartfelt tribute to the timeless allure of pure, indulgent ice cream. With a playful twist on classic flavors and innovative formats like Toasties and Tubsters, we aim to bring joy and surprise to every scoop, one bite at a time,” shared Agrawal.

 

A Toastie is essentially a bite-sized waffle ice cream sandwich or taco in appearance. Each mini treat is packed with Meemee’s signature flavours and topped with chocolate and other crunchy bits. 

 

With Tubsters Meemee’s tugs at the imagination again by layering signature scoops with delicious textured treats and other delectable surprises into a single-serve container. These flavours recall popular and familiar desserts, but in a completely new and unexpected frozen 300ml tub format. 

 

The most celebratory invention of them all is Meemee’s iconic Ice Cream Cakes, which delight ice cream enthusiasts and antagonists alike. This unique creation is the perfect stand-in for regular cake with its alternating layers of rich Meemee’s ice creams, ganache and cake in flavours such as Belgian chocolate and classic vanilla.  

 

Meemee’s journey began with 100ml and 500ml ice cream tubs that lay the foundation of her expanding ice cream repertoire.

 

The brand has Brown Butter Almond, Toasted Coconut Macaron, Simply Mango and Mixed Berry Mascarpone flavours to name a few.

 

Meemees has plans to expand and provide tasty ice cream experiences to more customers in India. Their goal is to become a popular presence in the ice cream industry in cities such as Mumbai and Pune this year and next.

 

In the next five years, they aim to establish themselves in 5-6 major cities, including Delhi, Bangalore, Hyderabad, Calcutta, and Goa.

 

Reflex Gurugram has launched its first exclusive new beer on tap, the Cryo Citra IPA, to celebrate the arrival of summer.

This beer is a must-try for craft beer enthusiasts who desire for delicious modern brews that push the limits of traditional brewing techniques.

The "cryo-hopping" method, which is a particular brewing procedure, is used to create the Cryo Citra IPA.

“I am thrilled to announce the launch of our latest innovation, Cyro Citra IPA, in the vibrant market of Gurgaon. As the summer season approaches, we wanted to create something truly special for the beer lovers in the city. With its unique flavours, we hope to see Cyro Citra IPA take a special place in our patron’s taste buds,” shared Suman Bharti, Founder at Reflex Gurgaon.

Utilizing concentrated, pelletized hop powder that has undergone meticulous processing to preserve the vital oils and flavors of the hops is how this method works. This beer has a prominent bitterness that is offset by a silky, slightly sweet aftertaste and is suited to individuals who like citrusy and tropical fruit flavors.

Cryo Citra IPA has a lovely fragrance with hints of grapefruit, mango, and passionfruit.

“Our team of passionate brewers has carefully crafted Cyro Citra IPA to deliver an explosion of citrusy goodness, perfectly balanced with the distinctive bitterness of hops. It's a beer that embodies the spirit of innovation, making it a perfect companion for those seeking new and exciting flavors,” he added.

 

Medusa Beverages Pvt. Limited which brews its beer ‘Medusa’ in India, is all set to announce the launch of Medusa Beer in Uttarakhand.

The company is releasing its first batch in Uttarakhand in the first week of June. 

Medusa seeks to capture swelling demand in the country by clocking in sales of three Lakh cases in their first year in Delhi itself.

“It is extremely heartening to give the brand a new address and launch Medusa in Uttarakhand. We always look for spaces, where there are gaps or territories within the portfolio where we can serve consumers’ needs. We are hoping to see a good turnout of young customers and receive an overwhelming response. In the spirit of attempting the same, we are really looking forward to being a PAN India participant in our further business expansion plans,” shared Avneet Singh, Founder, Medusa Beverages Pvt Ltd.

Medusa is based in India with a national marketing division and eccentric and contemporary packaging. The beer is available in about 650 retail outlets in Delhi and in some of the high-end café in retail outlets with a distribution width of 90 percent. The brand is available in more than 2000 retail outlets with the brewery located in Punjab.

Since the brand’s inception in 2018, Medusa has witnessed exponential growth. The brand is currently available in 7 states including Delhi, UP, Punjab, Chandigarh, Chhattisgarh, Silvassa, Himachal Pradesh and now in Uttarakhand and growing multifold.

 

Derived from the Persian word for Bar, Maikada, a sophisticated and inviting progressive bar & lounge, has made its grand debut at The Shalimar Hotel in the vibrant Kemps Corner neighbourhood.

With its unique blend of cozy ambiance and chic decor, it has quickly established itself as a premier destination for discerning individuals seeking exceptional cocktails and delectable culinary delights.

Yash Advani, Founder of Maikada has partnered with Ritik Bhasin, Shashi Thadani and Sunny Sara from the Orion group, introducing this dining establishment that ensures a unique culinary experience.

“Our dedicated team has put in extensive effort to meticulously craft an ambiance that caters to various occasions, whether it's a lively gathering with friends or a romantic date night. Our vision was to create a space that embraces everyone, combining original and impressive cocktails, exquisite cuisine, and music to forge indelible memories,” shared Advani.

At Maikada, the cocktail menu takes centre stage. The drinks are meticulously curated by their mixologist to offer a unique selection.

"Our aim was to present a menu that stands out from the rest, providing our guests with an unparalleled drinking experience," explained Advani.

Delighting the senses, Maikada offers a diverse menu that seamlessly marries Indian cuisine with global bites, and pan-Asian flavours. From bar bites to main courses, the culinary journey at Maikada promises to captivate even the most tasteful palates.

Not merely a bar, but a haven of celebration, Maikada embraces music from various genres to create an all-inclusive atmosphere. Every Saturday, guests can immerse themselves in the pulsating rhythms of commercial nights, while Fridays offer the perfect blend of techno and deep house beats with their Enigma night, catering to a more niche crowd.

As guests explore the space, they will encounter a captivating wallpaper adorned with diverse spirit animals. This addition adds an element of fun and allows guests to forge a deeper connection with the venue. According to Tanvi Shah, the visionary behind Maikada's interior design, "Our intention was to curate an experience that is both playful and unique, ensuring our guests feel truly immersed in the ambience."

 

Alcoholic beverage maker Glenfiddich, releases its 21-year-old expression in India.

The malt is matured in a combination of American and European oak casks for 21 years and finished for four months in bourbon barrels seasoned with the Caribbean rum.

The rum is blended to the Speyside distiller’s secret recipe from several tropical Caribbean islands to awaken distinctive notes of ginger, lime and banana.

Gran Reserva is encased in a deep orange presentation box with references to the warm and mellow depths of flavour, that are the result of maturation in oak casks. The coloured box has been enhanced with gold foiling and a charcoal interior.

“The launch of Gran Reserva in India reflects our commitment to offer the best premium malts to the Indian consumers.” Said Sachin Mehta, Country Director- India.

Angad Singh Gandhi, Glenfiddich India Brand Ambassador, said The whisky's warmth is roused by the Caribbean rum finish, which brings out subtle yet lively fruity aromas on the palate.

Gran Reserva is presented in a classic glass bottle, with a paired-back logo, embossed in gold to allow the warmth of the liquid to shine through.

Glenfiddich is a single malt whisky owned and produced by William Grant & Sons Distillers Limited, an independent family-owned distiller founded by William Grant in 1886 and still controlled by the fifth generation of the family. Glenfiddich has gained a reputation for supporting the creative arts in India with various initiatives including the annual Artists in Residence programme and World’s Most Experimental Bartender Competition.

 

Mumbai’s award-winning microbrewery, bar & restaurant Gateway Taproom has crossed over the sealink and it is set to open its second taproom in the much-loved art district of Mumbai - Kala Ghoda, this October.

Known for its hip, artsy-vibe and streets dotted with dainty cafes, Kala Ghoda makes for the perfect location for a casual bar.

Gateway Taproom comes as a respite to busy shoppers and working professionals in the area who are looking to wind down after a tiring day over a quick round of drinks and food.

The new outlet in Kala Ghoda is spread over 1100 sq ft., and offers a seating capacity of 48 people. The interiors have been designed keeping the district artist aesthetic, with white brick walls and contrasting shades of orange to complement.

The menu offers a wide variety of Sprits, Cocktails, G&Ts, Sangrias & Wines in addition to the brand’s signature Craft Beers. The food menu consists of dishes inspired from various regions of Europe. 

For teetotalers, the menu also has a wide selection of mocktails such as Espresso Tonic with orange, honey and mint; Spiced Guava with strawberry and lime; and Watermelon Mint with melon and coconut, amongst many others. Guests can also try Smoothies; Juices; Soft Beverages; Gourmet Teas and Fresh Ground Coffees.

Gateway Taproom, Kala Ghoda will open doors to the public this October, just in time for the festivities.

 

In a step towards expanding its premium brandy portfolio, Tilaknagar Industries Limited has announced the unveiling of Mansion House Reserve French Style Brandy, the premium variant of its flagship brand, Mansion House.

The unique feature of the exclusive Mansion House Reserve French Style Brandy is its blend which is made from special kind of ‘Ugni Blanc’ grapes handpicked from the Sahyadris in India that impart a  slightly sweetish and lingering taste to the blend.

This premium launch comes right after the unveiling of India’s first premium flavoured brandy by TI under its renowned Mansion House brand.

In the first phase, the new Mansion House Reserve Brandy will be made available in Tamil Nadu which is the largest brandy consuming state in India. This will be followed by launch in other prominent markets.

“The high demand for premium products is evident and this is also driving the cocktail culture in India. We aim to offer a superlative experience to consumers through our range of premium brandy products. As a market leader in this category, we also aspire to put the spotlight on brandy across markets and geographies and highlight the versatility of this drink to consumers,” shared Amit Dahanukar, Chairman and Managing Director, Tilaknagar Industries.

Currently, TI is India’s largest premium brandy manufacturer and its brand, Mansion House is the country’s highest selling premium brandy. In FY22, approximately 6 million Mansion House Brandy cases were sold and the millionaire-brand registered a robust 25 per cent year-on-year growth.

Under the Indian-Made Foreign Liquor (IMFL) category, brandy is the second largest product segment. It accounts for 20 per cent of the total IMFL sector by volume.

India is one of the largest markets for brandy globally. As per the company’s estimates, the premium brandy market in India is expected to grow at a robust Compounded Annual Growth Rate (CAGR) of 10-12 per cent.

 

Beverage brand Bored Beverages has raised over Rs 2.5 Cr in a Seed Round led by Inflection Point Ventures, along with private investors Bhawana Bhatnagar, Founder - WeFounder Circle, Soumya Kant, Co-founder - Clovia, and from the Dot In Network.

“India as an alcohol consumption market has been steadily on a rise. The young population — Gen-Z, and Millennials – want to explore and expect unique combinations to be served. We believe Bored Beverages has understood this need of the market and is ready to roll out a range of beverages, which suits the palates and makes the experience pleasant and worthy,” shared Mitesh Shah, Co-founder, Inflection Point Ventures.

Prabhtej Singh Bhatia, Founder of Simba Beer will be joining in the journey of building Bored Beverages as a strategic investor and mentor.

The funds raised will be utilized towards the expansion of the team and scaling of sales and marketing operations and will also be used towards establishing a well-set distribution channel and building the brand in the market.

Bored Beverages is building a cross-category portfolio of alcoholic beverages for the Millennials and Gen-Z by bringing out newer brands with various flavors and different alcohol percentages, using various traditional and non-traditional ingredients.

Their first product in the market – No Label is a mead, which is an alternate alcohol made from fermenting Honey.

Started by two childhood friends Vinayak Malhotra (managing Sales & Marketing, Finance & Strategy) and Anant Gupta (managing Production, Product Innovation & Brand Marketing), Bored Beverages is currently available in four cities: Delhi, Gurgaon, Mumbai, and Pune.

The brand plans to position itself in the Ready-to-Drink alcohol market on the back of its distinctive marketing strategy, effective on-market trade techniques, and an inventive product pipeline.

“The seed funding is going to play a pivotal role in achieving the vision for Bored Beverages which is to break the monotony of traditional alcohol in the Indian market. With No Label Mead as our first product towards building a cross-category portfolio company, we plan to bring to the market new alcohol and new flavours for consumers to experience,” added Vinayak Malhotra, Co-founder of Bored Beverages.

The global mead market is growing rapidly at a CAGR of 18.7% to touch $1621 million by 2028. The global ready-to-drink market is growing at higher rates than spirits, wine, and beer, signaling a major shift in consumer interest in this category across all demographics. Robust demand for flavored alcoholic beverages and the adoption of low alcohol content beverages are predicted to fuel the ready-to-drink alcohol industry and outperform the wider beverage alcohol. The US is the fastest growing and trending category.

 

Stranger & Sons Gin, from India, has partnered with non-profit organization Healthy Hospo to support health and well-being for 3,000 hospitality professionals across the world through an education platform that emphasizes sleep, exercise, work-life balance etc.

This contemporary Indian Gin prioritizes investing in the hospitality community first.

“We’re delighted to partner with the Healthy Hospo team for such an impactful hospitality initiative! We, at Stranger & Sons, have always believed in building a wholesome community. We look forward to supporting trade through educational lessons which promote mental well-being and overall health of professionals across the globe,” Dimi Lezinska, Head of Brand Advocacy at Stranger & Sons.

Stranger & Sons Gin and Healthy Hospo have teamed up with the vision of a healthier, happier hospitality sector. This in turn will lead to higher quality customer service and improved retention in businesses which is crucial considering the long-lasting damages caused by the recent pandemic.

Knowing how health and well-being are key to any successful hospitality business, the last 2 years have been tougher than anyone could have imagined. But the industry has shown great resilience and continues to warmly deliver hospitality to weary travelers and eager guests alike. Meanwhile, more than half of the people in the sector are going through mental health and financial issues, on top of the global staffing crisis.

“At Healthy Hospo we are incredibly grateful for such an opportunity to work with Stranger & Sons. It moves my heart, knowing our collaboration will impact 3,000 bartenders around the world. We are also very excited to relaunch our digital classroom, with even more educational tools which are vital for a healthier and happier life in hospitality,” added Jason-Candid Knüsel, Managing Director of Healthy Hospo.

Stranger & Sons is a contemporary Indian Gin, the debut spirit from Third Eye Distillery in Goa, founded by Sakshi Saigal, Rahul Mehra and Vidur Gupta in 2018. The brand is currently available in India, Singapore, Thailand, Taiwan, Mauritius, New Zealand, UK, Italy, USA and the United Arab Emirates.

 

Artist, Designer and illustrator, Param Sahib is known for his quirky, offbeat design sensibilities. Jade Forest partners with him to create a one-of-a-kind limited edition label that captures the essence of India.

The label is dedicated to the soul of India, its various colours, components and hues that define our diversity. 

“Art has the power to bring communities together. Be it a social message for a cause, or simply narrating a story, it gives a freshness and purity to the delivery of a message. We see this collaboration with Param as a way to tell a shared story and to inspire belongingness,” shared Punweet Singh, Co-Founder at Jade Forest.

The thought behind this collaboration is a simple one; differences should encourage diversity, not divide.

“The idea behind this label was to capture the colours, elements and hues that represent the diversity of India. When one looks at this bottle, I want them to think - 'India'. This campaign with Jade Forest is unique because while a lot of focus is given to Pride month and working with people from the community around this time, this campaign talks about inclusivity for people from all walks of life,” added Param Sahib.

Through this campaign, Jade Forest aims to truly make a difference in the community, and not only be a messenger of social change. A part of the proceeds from the sale of the Limited Edition Ginger Ale will be donated to Naz Foundation, a non-profit that works in the field of empowering the LGBTQIA+ community & adolescent children with HIV from economically marginalized communities.

These limited edition bottles, priced at INR 99, will be sold exclusively on the Jade Forest website.

 

With an ambition of a Pan-India presence, the company is on an expansion drive, targets to open 1,000 new outlets across the country

Noida-based beverage manufacturing company AWSM Ltd, which currently owns six popular brands and already launched two of them, The Clinque a premium class (Micro Brewery, Bar & Lounges) in Noida and another is The Beer House Café (Bar & cafe) in Ghaziabad is on expansion spree.

“Based on the new launching plan, we expect to have workforce of around 60,000 people in the next 6 months”, said Dr. Piyush Dwivedi, Chairman of AWSM Ltd. by adding that we stepped into F&B chain with two brands from our existing business and currently we are expecting F&B segment to account for 50% of total business.

The company is on a mission to open 1,000 more outlets and venture into new markets like Delhi NCR, Mumbai, Bangalore, Hyderabad, Kolkata, Pune, Goa, Nagpur, Ahmedabad, Lucknow, and Chandigarh.

By the end of 2022, AWSM Ltd plans to launch new brand outlets Rang Utsav (fine dining Restaurant), 1000 Cafe (Indian multinational chain of coffee houses), Club 1000, House of Barrels (Bar & Lounges).

“Currently, we focus on growth and expansion through a FOCO model. We are expecting to gain new momentum while launching some of our new brands like Rang Utsav, 1000 Cafe, Club 1000 and House of Barrels in the vibrant market of India. Overall, we plan to launch 1,000 new outlets in every urban area in the coming year,” added Ayush Dwivedi, Director of AWSM Ltd.

AWSM Ltd’s expansion plan is in line with the group’s aim to boost the employment opportunity of around 2 lakh people in the next 12 months.

 

Tāmras Gin, a new small-batch, hand-crafted, copper-distilled Indian dry gin, has recently launched in Mumbai.

With a distillery in Goa, Tāmras Gin’s name is derived from Sanskrit words meaning copper and lotus flower. The name is an ode to the brand’s copper-distilling process and their lotus botanicals.

Tāmras Gin was created by Devika Bhagat and Khalil Bachooali, the co-founders and co-distillers of Adventurist Spirits Distillery; an independently-owned, family-run business established in 2020 in Colvale, North Goa.

The gin’s recipe has been developed by award-winning Master Distiller from Germany, Julia Nourney. It is traditionally copper-distilled, made in small batches in a hand-crafted, 230-litre Mueller Copper Still with individual botanical distillates, and is slow-diluted over 28 days.

The finished product is bottled and labelled at the brand’s distillery itself in a decorated bottle from Saver Glass, France and a wooden stopper from Labrenta, Italy. It is priced at Rs. 3200 plus taxes in Mumbai.

 

Magna, a word-play for magnificent, has opened its door for customers at Thane.

 

Situated at the Thane club, Magna Bar and Café is the fourth venture of the restauranteur Niketa Sharma that is providing a unique affair of one-of-a-kind food courses, espresso variants and cocktail recipes.

The 120 seater coffee to cocktail all-day-café offers private dining victorias, dome dining for the perfect dates, romantic proposals, and swing seating for the casual catchups.

As the CEO of Thane club for 9 years now, Sharma turned this family-owned property into a cool hub with distinct and exceptional restaurants like Love Leaf Café, a fast-food American cuisine poolside café, Masaledaar - a revamped version of north Indian and Indian Chinese, launched in September; and Magna, a rooftop café and bar introduced recently to the Thane club.

 

“I have an almost of a decade’s experience in hospitality and now this is my 4th restaurant launch in one year. With Magna I want to create a great sensory and culinary experience, in a neighbourhood that has immense potential for growth”, she added by adding that Magna is a versatile bar and café with a chic, feminine, Instagram-able vibe and with a global palette for all tastebuds.

“We have together curated a one-of-a-kind menu for Magna, bringing Asian, Mediterranean and other global cuisines keeping in mind the ever-exploring palate of Thane,” added Chef Prasad Parab who has worked on the menu for the restaurant.

The restaurant is targeting at work colleagues for their meetings, college students to hang out with their friends, families to have intimate gatherings and couples to have a romantic rendezvous.

 

Bombay Sapphire launches Ready-to-Drink (RTD) enabling its consumers to now enjoy the premium gin as a bar-quality Gin & Tonic serve.

 

The much-anticipated offering combines the brand’s heralded, vapour-infused London Dry Gin with the perfect balance of tonic water, for a superior taste experience. 

 

BOMBAY SAPPHIRE has been disrupting the category ever since its iconic blue bottle landed on shelves within a sea of green glass.

 

"Bombay Sapphire is known for stirring creativity in various capacities and disrupting the market with its innovative vision. Besides versatility and convenience, one of the key focuses while launching the Bombay Sapphire RTD was to emphasize and ensure that the quality of the drink remained intact,” shared Adtnu Tiwari, Senior Brand Manager, Premium White Spirits, Bacardi India Private Ltd.

 

The perfectly balanced gin’s amalgamation with tonic offers a premium quality cocktail to-go with no artificial flavours or colours added to the final product.

 

The sleek, matte finish packaging has been carefully designed to preserve the standard of the serve, both on-shelf and once purchased. The material helps protect the liquid from sunlight keeping the G&T fresher and colder for longer.

 

Available individually or in a pack of four, the can is 100% recyclable.

 

Heineken has today announced that it has entered into an implementation agreement with Distell Group Holdings Limited (‘Distell’), Namibia Breweries Limited (‘NBL’) and Ohlthaver & List Group of Companies (‘O&L’) to integrate their respective and relevant businesses in Southern Africa into one enlarged company.

As per the statement, a recommended offer by HEINEKEN for Distell, which values the businesses 1] to be acquired at approximately €2.2 billion and is subject to, inter alia, Distell shareholder approval.

The proposed acquisition from NBL of its 25% shareholding in HEINEKEN South Africa (‘HSA'), which values the whole of HSA at approximately €1.5 billion, and is subject to, inter alia, NBL shareholder approval and the acquisition of O&L’s 50.01% interest in NBL Investment Holdings (Proprietary) Limited (‘NBLIH’), the controlling shareholder with a 59.4% shareholding in NBL. HEINEKEN already owns a 49.99% interest in NBLIH. NBL’s current market valuation is approximately €400 million.

At completion, HEINEKEN will contribute these acquired assets plus its 75% directly owned shareholding in HSA and certain other fully owned export operations in Africa, into an unlisted public holding company (referred to as Newco). HEINEKEN will own a minimum of 65% of Newco, with the remainder held by Distell shareholders who elect to reinvest.

“We are very excited to bring together three strong businesses to create a regional beverage champion, perfectly positioned to capture significant growth opportunities in Southern Africa. Distell is a highly regarded, resilient business with leading brands, a talented workforce and a strong track record of innovation and growth in Africa. With NBL, there are exciting opportunities to expand premium beer and cider in Namibia and grow the iconic Windhoek brand beyond its home market,” shared Dolf Van den Brink, chairman & CEO, Heineken.

Heineken’s total investment in Newco will be approximately €2.5 billion, in return for a 65% shareholding. The total investment comprises:

A cash pay-out of approximately €1.3 billion for the transactions involving Distell and NBL above; and the contribution of its currently owned assets, including 75% of HSA, 100% of its export businesses in certain other African markets, and its minority interest in NBL.

“What we have achieved with NBL is truly amazing, but the time has come to unleash its full potential, by giving NBL access to the world. Having worked with HEINEKEN for many years and knowing that they too are passionate about beer and share similar family values and culture to that of O&L, we are confident that HEINEKEN is best placed to do just that,” added Sven Thieme, CEO, NBL.

 

A new entrant making its footprint in the fast-growing beer market in India, 7Ink Brews, makes a grand entry in Pune by offering Copter7, a range of commercial beers, Smooth Lager Premium and Strong Beer Premium, in the city.

The sundowner was hosted at one of the lively places in Pune, Elephant & Co, Kalyani Nagar on 8^th September 2021.

The Co- Founder of 7Ink Brews, Kunal Patel graced the event along with some of the known socialites and personalities from the Food & Beverage industry.

The young and dynamic food and beverage (alcoholic and non-alcoholic) company is founded by Mohit Bhagchandani and is co-founded by Adil Mistry and Kunal Patel.

“I have always aimed at providing a product that is consistently classic and authentic. My team has worked relentlessly to achieve our goals and I am sure the Punekars will enjoy every sip of our beers,” said Mohit Bhagchandani, Founder and Managing Director, 7Ink Brews.

The brand is built around the attributes of champion cricketer, Mahendra Singh Dhoni who also happens to be the brand ambassador and shareholder.

The story behind naming the beer Copter7 has been inspired by MS Dhoni’s signature ‘helicopter shot’ and jersey number 7.

Also, the product’s striking packaging and labelling are additional noteworthy features that are designed on the lines of Dhoni’s different jerseys and their colours. What sets the brand apart, is the fact that this is one of the first instances where a brand has been created around a personality’s attributes and charisma.

Copter7 commercial beers will be available in select wine shops, restaurants and pubs in Pune.

 

Bhaskar Chakraborty has been appointed as the Executive Pastry Chef at JW Marriott Kolkata.

He has an illustrious career spanning over 12 years in the hospitality industry, Chef Bhaskar brings a dynamic and innovative energy to JW Marriott Kolkata’s eclectic culinary scene.

The chef’s strong values of promptness, creativity and his rootedness in gastronomic traditions have been the stepping stones of his exponential success.  Providing strategic and tactical leadership in facilitating overall performance of the baking department of the hotel, supervising teams to deliver excellent service along with retaining valued customers are some of his key responsibilities.

Embodying and experimenting with the different flavors from around the world, this expert pâtissier puts his heart and soul into the kitchen by focusing on unparalleled quality and dedicating his attention to detail and uniformity. His astute knowledge of desserts and pastries, their preparation, flavors and presentation makes him a coveted name in the hospitality world. His firm belief in quality ingredients, the precise method and maintaining consistency throughout his career has given him the accolade of an excellent pâtissier.

He has worked with The Oberoi Group, The Leela Palace and Sheraton Grand Hotel and Convention centre before joining Marriott in Kolkata.

 

Bacardi India, one of the country’s largest international spirits companies, has launched Martini Fiero, welcoming the newest innovation to the Martini portfolio.

Martini Fiero is a contemporary take on vermouth that offers a tantalising taste retaining all the goodness of Martini’s original white wine mixed with zesty and bold flavours of citrus, bittersweet orange, and wormwood.

“With the constant growth of premiumisation in India, Bacardi has been focusing on expanding its portfolio of premium brands in the country. As consumers become more affluent, even within the context of the Indian market, people are drinking better and hence trading up to premium global brands,” shared Aastha Gupta, Brand Manager for Premium White Spirits (India and South East Asia), Bacardi India Private Ltd.

Over the past few years, Bacardi has further strengthened its position in India as a premium brand. Known for its diverse brand portfolio, Bacardi aims at bringing superior quality spirits to the market.

Martini Fiero is now available to buy in Delhi, Gurugram, Mumbai, Bangalore, Goa, Pune, and Nagpur.

 

Amidst the 21 day lockdown imposed by the government due to the Coronavirus scare, Britannia, Parle, PepsiCo, Dabur, Hindustan Unilever, Coca-Cola, ITC, Nestle, Mondelez and Perfetti Van Melle have written to the government through the FICCI asking for immediate exemption from movement restrictions. This is aimed at avoiding any kind of food shortage that would lead to panic. Further, they also want that the sector to be termed as an “essential service.” In one of the letters, the company said, “Central and state authorities are issuing different advisories and notifications on a daily basis, local administrations are enforcing shutdowns of factories and creating ambiguity at the ground level and leading to unnecessary enforcement.”

“To maintain regular supplies, it is necessary that this sector is not put under any work and movement restrictions. Along with the food and beverage sector, food ingredients companies should also be allowed to operate smoothly,” the letter said. It said many companies are facing challenges from local administrations who are asking them to shut down operations.

Impact of the lockdown on the food shortage - 

The restrictions would not just have a food shortage in the country but it would also have a direct impact on farmers and their produce. The companies in the letter elaborated on ways they have undertaken safety measures, they were restricting entry of visitors to all plants, monitoring hygiene conditions at warehouses and distributors, undertaking extensive sanitisation in factory premises and cutting down on shifts. The foods market is estimated to be worth about `2.3 lakh crore, or roughly 55% of the country’s FMCG industry. Following the lockdown across the country in the wake of the Covid-19 outbreak, only essential services are being allowed to operate, bringing the economy to a grinding halt.

The plead in the letter that F&B is to be placed under “essential” is a huge move to keep the food and beverage supply ongoing in the country during this pandemic outbreak.

 

 

The country’s two biggest foods and beverage giants Nestle and Coca-Cola announced that they will be suspending production on a temporarily at their plants. This is to be done with the exception of limited essential products, following the nation-wide lockdown amidst the Covid-19 scare.

Nestle, maker of our favourite Maggi noodles, Nescafe coffee, Cereal infant cereal and KitKat chocolate, said in a BSE filing that due to the countrywide lockdown, operations in some of its locations, inclusive of manufacturing, distribution centres, warehouses, offices and suppliers, have been temporarily suspended.

Nestle said, “The company is closely monitoring the situation and will take all necessary measures as directed by the government and authorities. The impact on the operations of the company cannot be assessed at this point,”  Although the India unit of the Swiss foods maker did not specify the products for which it was suspending manufacturing.

A Coca-Cola spokesperson said the company has temporarily suspended production at its manufacturing facilities. The maker of Coke and Thums Up soft drinks, Minute Maid juice and Kinley water, which has a large footprint of over 50 bottling operations including franchisee partners, will operate manufacturing facilities only for essential beverages such as water in very small numbers.

A nation-wide lockdown has been extended till 14th of April to contain the Covid-19 outbreak, with only essential services being made available.

Not just Nestle and Coke, Dabur too on Monday had said it is temporarily suspending production, except for essentials like ayurvedic medicines, Chyawanprash and sanitisers. The coming together of all these food and beverage giants to fight Coronavirus is indeed a great move all over the country to contain the disease outbreak.

 

Cross Border Kitchens (CBK), a multi-brand, multi-kitchen, multi-format internet-driven F&B company, is planning to have a multi-city presence. It projected to be present in 7 major cities in India with different formats.

The brand expects to have 570 live PoS and plan to deploy CAPEX of Rs 18 crore. It hopes to create 2000 to 2500 employment opportunities. 

Launched in early 2019, CBK is 3 kitchens strong in Delhi-NCR and operates 6 incredible food delivery brands across multiple cuisines.

CBK’s Offerings

CBK is committed to providing consistent high-quality food across multiple cuisine types, at every possible price point, and via every possible format. The team is guided by achieving excellence in all large and small processes that go into achieving the core objective.

Operational excellence, marketing expertise, and technology backbone support, each of these key processes helping the company bring to market 7 operational brands (with an additional 4 launching in the next 30 days) in 4 different cuisine type at a wide range of price points.

CBK’s brands are deeply integrated with all the aggregators including Zomato and Swiggy and provide customers with a wide variety of choices across price & cuisine spectrums.

Currently, CBK service in anywhere between 10-12 thousand orders every month and is on the path to register Rs 4 crore in revenue by end of the financial year with 3 live kitchens operational in Delhi NCR.  

Recent Fundraise

Cross Border Kitchens has raised an angel round led by Shreedhar Gupta. Shreedhar has invested in CBK in his personal capacity and also joins in as a board member.     

Shreedhar Gupta comes with over 20 years of experience in setting up, running and expanding various businesses in the start-up and automotive sector.

Ishita Yashvi, Mayank Singh, Ahsan Qureshi and Mohit Mehta, Co-Founders, Cross Border Kitchens, said, “We are an Inventive Culinary Community that utilizes technology, culinary art, marketing, and operational excellence to deliver a memorable gourmet experience. Shreedhar comes with a string of successful investments in start-ups. His business acumen will help us scale at an accelerated rate and in achieving our mission to deliver a wholesome food experience at every doorstep at the click of a button.”  

Shreedhar Gupta added, “I am very excited to be part of a team with such energy, excitement, and integrity. I play very safely with my investments and I’m confident that investing in CBK is one of the safest yet best investments I’ve made so far. Not only am I positive of multifold returns but also grateful that this investment in CBK will help me get involved with good food, something I’m very passionate about.”

 

Luxury mall developer DLF is planning to focus more on food and beverages by allocating around 20 per cent of space to food and beverages.

The Gurgaon-based developer that runs malls across Delhi, Noida, Gurgaon and Chandigarh has earlier allocated approximately 12 per cent of the total space to F&B.

"We realised that we need to change our offerings to cater to the millennials who are looking for experiences,” shared Pushpa Bector, ED, DLF Malls to PTI by adding that if we don't give them that, then retail will also witness slowdown as the footfalls will reduce.

The group is also planning to rework on its strategies to increase the share of F&B to 18-20 per cent.

"From the current set up of 12 per cent, we can easily ramp it up to up to 20 per cent,” she added.

As a part of this strategy, the company on Tuesday announced the re-launch of its mall, which it had shut operations since February this year.

"The mall, earlier known as DLF Place, Saket, after successful operations for 10 years, will now commence operations in a new avatar of a modern-day neighbourhood, for our customers in November this year," Bector said.

The new mall DLF Avenue has been curated to cater to the demands of the millennial and will have nearly 38 per cent of space for food and beverages.

 

Want to experience love at first sip? After announcing the launch of its beer Proost69 White Ale, Proost69 Mild Lager, Grano69 Beverages is coming up with Proost69 Weizen Beer and Proost69 Strong Lager.

With the prime motive to acquaint the consumers with what true, freshly brewed beer tastes like, the brand launched in Delhi in September 2018. The company brews its beers at world-class facilities at some of the best locations in Europe and is class-apart from the ones brewed in this part of the world. The brand has set its foot in the capital with renowned outlets like 100% Rock, Warehouse Café, The Beer Café, The Lord of the Drinks and more. 

The co-founder and director of Proost69, Tarun Bhargava, noticed the lack of a fresh tasting beer in the Indian market that had a superior taste yet was reasonably priced. That’s when he saw an opportunity and came up with the idea of making a beer with an exquisite and elite taste which was affordable and more approachable. 

“We, at Proost69, are excited to announce the launch of a beer with a taste so elite yet affordable filled with freshness and uniqueness. With our focus on providing and maintaining the top-notch quality, our flavour balances are just enough to create magic. All that goodness with supreme European craftsmanship is a level-up in itself,” says Tarun. 

A quality like that of Proost69 is sure to enthral the beer lovers in the country and have them coming back for more. The product packaging is its eye-catching trademark design, the mighty owl, absolutely fitting for the night-owl millennials today, across the world.

Proost 69 White Ale and Mild Lager available in Delhi are priced at Rs. 170 per pint and at Rs 150 for a 500ML can.

The White Ale is a blend of wheat brewed to perfection infused with notes of vanilla and orange zest; a perfect fit for a traditional wheat beer lover with its unique twist, all brought together with a hint of coriander. Bottle conditioned with ingredients that work all the time to keep the beer fresh, you just feel like popping one open any time of the day and savouring the fresh flavours.

The Mild Lager launched in November 2018 is manufactured using exquisite German craftsmanship and is perfect for a sub-tropical country like India.

Also being crafted and launched alongside is the Weizen variant, an authentic wheat beer with an infusion of citrus and fruity flavours with distinct notes of banana and mango. It’s truly one of its kinds. 

Completing the set would be a Strong Lager, set to launch in January 2019. It will change how beer lovers across the country perceive strong beers.  Contrary to the typical bitter tasting strong beers in India, this beer will have nothing but a premium and fresh mouthfeel with the high of a strong beer. 

With the growing beer-drinking population in India and the global exposure they have, these beers would end up being the perfect go-to beverage in the market. The brand is bullish about their prospects in the Indian market, and plan to expand to other markets over time.

 

फूड सेफ्टी एंड स्टेंडर्ड एक्ट 2006, के उल्लंघन का हवाला देते हुए, असम सरकार ने बैले ब्रांड के पैक्ड पानी के मैन्युफैक्चर, स्टोरेज और वितरण पर बैन लगा दिया है।

राज्य सरकार ने इस ब्रांड के पानी के उत्पादन को 30 दिन के लिए बैन कर दिया है, जो 18 जनवरी से लागू हो चुका है। दरअसल, फूड एंड ड्रग एडमिनिस्ट्रेशन (FDA) द्वारा टेस्ट किए गए इसके कुछ सैंपल में फ्लोराइड की मात्रा बहुत अधिक निकली जिसके बाद सरकार ने यह कदम उठाया।

FDA ने अपने बयान में कहा, 'जनता के स्वास्थ्य के हित में, पैकेज्ड पानी के उत्पादन को 30 दिन के लिए बैन कर दिया गया है जो 18 जनवरी से लागू हो चुका है।'

कालाकुची और सतगांव में उदायक एग्रो प्रोडक्ट्स प्राइवेट लिमिटेड बैले पैकेज्ड पानी की मैन्युफैक्चरिंग करता है।

खाद्य सुरक्षा, कामरूप (एम), गुवाहाटी के नामित अधिकारी एल आर नामपुनी का कहना है, 'दिनचर्या के रूप में, खाद्य सुरक्षा अधिकारी अपनी टीम के साथ गुवाहाटी में कालाकुची, सतगांव के उदायक एग्रो प्रोडक्ट्स प्राइवेट लिमिटेड के यहां पहुंचे और पीने के पानी के कुछ सैंपल इक्ट्ठे किए। हमने पाया कि इसमें फ्लोराइड और माइक्रोबायोलॉजिकल पैरामीटर की मात्रा निर्धारित मात्रा से ज्यादा थी।'

 

Citing the violation of Food Safety and Standards Act, 2006, the Assam State Government has banned the manufacture, storage, distribution and sale of Bailley brand packaged drinking water.

The State Government has prohibited the brand on the production of water for next 30 days, with effect from January 18. The move comes after the Government found high fluoride content in some of the samples that were tested by FDA (Food and Drug Administration), Assam.

“In the interest of public health, the packaged drinking water has been banned from production for a period of 30 days, effective January 18,” says an FDA statement.

Udayak Agro Products Pvt. Ltd manufactures Bailley packaged drinking water in Kahilakuchi and Satgaon in Guwahati.

L R Nampui, designated officer, food safety, Kamrup (M), Guwahati, says, “As a part of routine work, food safety officers set out on the duty with their team to M/s Udayak Agro Products Pvt. Ltd in Kahilakuchi, Satgaon in Guwahati and collected the samples of packaged drinking water in which fluoride and microbiological parameters were found in violation of the prescribed norms."

 

In order to upgrade quality of food served on trains, the IRCTC is to set up new kitchens and upgrade existing ones, parliament was told on Wednesday.

"The Indian Railway Catering and Tourism Corporation Limited (IRCTC) has been mandated to carry out the unbundling by creating a distinction primarily between food preparation and food distribution on trains. In order to upgrade quality of food preparation, IRCTC is to set up new kitchens and upgrade existing ones," Minister of State for Railways Rajen Gohain told the Lok Sabha in a written reply.

He said that the new policy which was floated on February 27 last year mandates the zonal railways to hand over the kitchens managed by them to IRCTC.

"Food Plaza, fast food units and food court will continue to be managed by IRCTC. At present, IRCTC has taken over almost all units in phased manner," he said.

He also said that the procedure laid down for allotment of contracts for running various stalls at railway platforms have also been simplified.

The minister said that the revamping of existing railway catering system by carrying out unbundling under Catering Policy 2017 is aimed at providing quality hygienic food to customers at affordable prices.

Highlighting the initiatives of the IRCTC to upgrade the mobile catering services in the trains, Gohain said: "The menu of prepaid trains has been revised to upgrade the quality of meal served to the passengers and the meal trays of bio-degradable material with air tight sealed cover for packing of meals from kitchens has been introduced initially in selected Rajdhani and Duronto trains."

Beside two initiatives, the IRCTC has also launched provision of hand sanitizers in prepaid trains and this is provided to the travelling passengers before service of meal.

The Minister further said that the IRCTC has deployed supervisors for on-board monitoring of catering services. "The on board monitoring staff have been provided with pre-installed complaint or feedback monitoring application on mobile tablets. Further, CCTV cameras have been installed in base kitchens for real time monitoring," Gohain said.

"Sixteen base kitchens of the IRCTC have been up-graded with modern and mechanised equipments. Food safety supervisors have been deployed in IRCTC managed base kitchens for audit of food safety, hygiene and sampling of the cooked food and raw material," he said.

The Minister further said that the service trolleys have been introduced in Rajdhani and Duronto trains for smooth service and the IRCTC has also introduced the billing through POS machines in selected mobile units to avoid overcharging of meal by service providers.

"The railways has also introduced ready to eat meals in order to enable the passengers to have variety in meals in the train," he added.

 

Online food delivery company Zomato has appointed for Egon Zehnder executive Rohithari Rajan as the global head of the ad-sales business. Prior to Egon Zehnder, Rajan was a Principal at Bain & Company.

"I worked with Rohit while I was at Bain, and learned a lot from him in my time there. Rohit has played an instrumental role in driving growth at all of the previous organizations he's been at, and we’re thrilled to leverage his knowledge and experience to strengthen our Ad sales business globally.” said, Deepinder Goyal, founder, and CEO of Zomato.

According to the company, Rajan has spent the first six years of his career at Hindustan Unilever, where he helped set up Shakti, a business initiative that doubled Unilever's direct reach in rural India. As a rural business specialist, he also worked with the United Nations Development Program in New York, developing a toolkit for pro-poor business models to deliver development goods in low-income regions, and helping the UNDP formulate its strategy for private sector engagement.

"Zomato is arguably one of the most resilient and innovative companies in its space. I’m delighted to be a part of Zomato and look forward to working with this team towards our mission of delivering better food to more people across the world,” said Rajan.

An MBA from the Indian Institute of Management Ahmedabad, and Economics graduate from Delhi University, Rajan has also authored a short novel based on rural India named- IIM-Ganjdundwara.

 

Tata Global Beverages Ltd today said it would exit loss-making subsidiaries and focus on profitable ones that can be scaled up.

The company, however, would have to maintain subsidiaries in certain locations, owing to legal issues, Chairman N Chandrasekaran told shareholders at the annual general meeting here.

"The whole idea is to have subsidiaries which can be scaled up and are profitable," he said.

"It is important to pick up growth rate and grow profitably. Growth in the domestic market is required. Mix of product portfolio is critical and is going to be a big focus for us," Chandrasekaran said.

The growth, he said, could be either organic or inorganic.

Tata Global Beverages' market share in the domestic tea market was 20 per cent, while it was three to four per cent for coffee.

The company would make an investment of Rs 150 crore in addition to the ongoing capex of Rs 300 crore, he said.

Regarding the Tata Starbucks outlets, he said that each store takes two to three years to achieve break even, but the coffee chain as a corporation had already achieved the same.

In his speech to the shareholders, Chandrasekaran said the company posted a flat revenue growth of one per cent in the last fiscal.

Referring to international markets, he said growth continued to suffer because of marginal presence in many overseas countries.

Even though in volume terms, the company continued to be "number one" in the Indian market, the same was not true in value terms, he said.

On prospects in West Bengal, the top company official said the Tata Group is committed to the state and looking for the "right opportunity" in terms of investment.

"We have good presence of TCS and companies like TGBL and Starbucks are present (in West Bengal). When the opportunity comes, we will definitely invest in the state," Chandrasekaran added.

 

United Spirits Limited has acquired 26% stake in HipBar Private Limited, a payment technology start-up for Rs27 crore, underpinning its focus on e-commerce to drive sales.

HipBar allows consumers to select from a range of alcoholic beverages and make payment using the mobile wallet to have the product either delivered at their doorstep in places where it permitted or pick it up from a retail store. "This investment allows us to discover ideas that anticipate shifts in consumer behaviour and enables us to remain at the forefront of trends," said Anand Kripalu, Managing Director at Diageo India.

Founded in 2015, currently HipBar operates in Bengaluru and Chennai and will continue to run as an independent enterprise driven by its founding team, the company said.

With the physical retail space in India's liquor market shrinking, United Spirits, the country's largest alcoholic beverages maker, said last month, it is seeking to harness e-commerce to reach out to customers. HipBar works closely with the beverage alcohol industry and the government to custom build software and deploy technology projects in a compliant manner.

 

The iconic American beverage maker PepsiCo’s has posted sales and earnings beating analysts’ estimates in the first quarter, buoyed by increased volumes of Frito-Lay chips as the drinks business continued to struggle.

PepsiCo, like rival Coca-Cola, has focused on introducing new, innovative drinks and products. But it was food brands that drove gains in the quarter.

The beverage-maker had previously said it had shifted its spending too far in the direction of upstarts and away from its biggest names, so it has since refocused attention on its most recognizable labels.

Core earnings were 96 cents a share in the latest quarter, beating the 93 cents that analysts were expecting. Revenue was $12.6 billion, compared with a forecast $12.4 billion. The results are a promising sign, although the North America beverage division is still beset as consumer tastes shift away from colas.

Consumption of carbonated soft drinks fell to a 31-year low in the US in 2016, according to Beverage-Digest, a trade publication. PepsiCo has relied instead on growth in its snack business. Health conscious consumers who have moved away from sugar-laden sodas haven’t made the same moves away from chips.

PepsiCo has also introduced organic and better-for-you versions of some of its biggest snack brands. Growth in the Frito-Lay division helped boost sales in the quarter. The maker of Mountain Dew and Cheetos also benefited from cost cuts as chief executive officer Indra Nooyi continues pursuing at least $1 billion in annual savings.