Author: Neel Achary

Kelachandra Coffee to Showcase Indian Specialty Brews at World of Coffee 2025

Bangalore, India – June 23, 2025: Kelachandra Coffee, India’s largest privately held coffee plantation company, is delighted to announce its participation in World of Coffee 2025 Geneva, to be held from June 26–28 at Palexpo SA, Geneva, Switzerland. This global platform highlights India’s rising prominence in the world of specialty coffee, with Kelachandra at the forefront—championing innovation, rich flavor profiles, and sustainable practices.

Visit Booth 2573 to experience the best of Indian coffee and don’t miss an exclusive cupping session with Emeline Herel, a dedicated barista with over five years of experience, known for her craft and passion for the bean.

With over 13,000 visitors from 150 countries, more than 430 exhibiting companies, and 120 roasters participating, World of Coffee Geneva stands as one of the most influential gatherings in the global coffee calendar. As one of Asia’s most respected coffee producers, Kelachandra joins this vibrant platform to represent the rising stature of Indian coffee, rooted in sustainability, innovation, and heritage.

The Geneva edition of World of Coffee will host the prestigious SCA Lecture Series, Green Coffee Connect, and numerous workshops aimed at addressing global coffee challenges—from climate change and logistics disruption to market consolidation and quality innovation. In this dynamic environment, Kelachandra Coffee will represent the rising profile of Indian specialty coffee on the global stage.

“We’re excited to bring Indian specialty coffee to Geneva—a city that has long been a hub for global trade, innovation, and sustainability,” said Neleema Rana George, Head of Coffee Works and Technology at Kelachandra Coffee. “Our single-origin, hand-harvested coffees from the Western Ghats reflect the richness of India’s biodiversity, the depth of our soil science, and the precision of our post-harvest innovation. World of Coffee Geneva is the perfect platform to showcase how India is not just catching up—but leading in quality and traceability.”

Kelachandra cultivates shade-grown, Rainforest Alliance-certified Arabica and Robusta across 15 estates spread over 6,300 acres in the Western Ghats—one of the world’s eight “hottest hotspots” of biodiversity. As part of their showcase, Kelachandra will participate in cupping sessions and networking forums to engage with international roasters, green coffee buyers, and sustainability champions.

“We see Geneva as a convergence of values that matter deeply to us—transparency, equity, quality, and community,” said Ryana Kuruvilla, Head of People & Culture at Kelachandra Coffee. “At Kelachandra, 55% of our workforce is women. We believe great coffee begins with great people—and we’re proud to present a story of inclusion, heritage, and transformation through every cup we share.”

Kelachandra’s presence at Green Coffee Connect will also spotlight their commitment to climate-smart agriculture, regenerative farming techniques, and responsible sourcing models that align with the European Union Deforestation Regulation (EUDR).

“Sustainability is not a checkbox for us—it’s a living principle that shapes every decision, from seed to shipment,” said Rishina Kuruvilla, Head of CSR & Sustainability at Kelachandra Coffee. “Our work with agroforestry, carbon sequestration, water conservation, and ethical sourcing under the EDUR (Ethical & Directly Uplifting Relationships) framework makes Indian coffee not only world-class in flavor but also in impact. We look forward to sharing these values with the global coffee community in Geneva.”

As the specialty coffee sector navigates a rapidly evolving landscape, Kelachandra Coffee’s participation in World of Coffee Geneva reaffirms India’s potential as a key player in the future of sustainable coffee. Attendees can meet the Kelachandra team on the expo floor, taste their award-winning coffees, and explore collaborative opportunities.

Universal Sompo extends Insurance Coverage to Pets

Mumbai, 23rd June, 2025: Universal Sompo experiences a high demand for Pet Assure, a comprehensive and customizable pet insurance product tailored to meet the evolving needs of India’s growing community of pet parents.

Urban India is witnessing a dramatic shift in pet ownership trends, driven largely by Millennials and Gen Z. Now pets are no longer just companions but cherished as family members. This cultural transformation has fuelled rising demand for structured, preventive, and tech-enabled pet care solutions, particularly in Tier 1 cities, and increasingly across Tier 2 and Tier 3 regions.

Pet Assure has been designed to support this growing responsibility by offering extensive coverage for pet dogs and cats aged between 3 months and 10 years. The policy includes protection for routine outpatient consultations, diagnostics, surgeries, critical illnesses, accidental injuries, and third-party liabilities. Optional benefits further extend to coverage for terminal diseases, pregnancy-related complications, dental care, post-treatment recovery, theft or loss, emergency pet minding, and even cremation expenses.

Customers can choose from flexible sum insured options ranging from ₹10,000 to ₹2,00,000, with policy tenures of one to three years. Premiums start at an affordable ₹1499 per annum, making pet insurance accessible to a broad range of pet parents across the country.

“Pets today are cherished family members and deserve the same level of healthcare and financial protection. With Pet Assure, we’ve built one of the most inclusive and customisable pet insurance offerings in the market,” said the Pet Parents Fraternity at Universal Sompo. “This is a step toward not only meeting a growing market demand but also fulfilling our commitment to holistic customer well-being.”

Real-life testimonials already speak to its value. Mr. Jagrit Joshi, a pet parent working as a Digital Activations Lead, shared:

“As veterinary costs and pet ownership in Indian cities surge, pet insurance is transitioning from luxury to a necessity. My pet dog, Coco, was unwell and advised diagnostic tests. Ultrasound findings revealed crystal formation and a cyst in the prostate, for which he underwent surgery. The Pet Parent Fraternity at Universal Sompo stood in strong support throughout and ensured timely settlement of all claims expenses.

As pet tele-health services gain popularity and veterinary care grows more advanced, Universal Sompo’s commitment and pet insurance offering is a timely and responsible initiative. More than just a financial safeguard, Pet Assure is a step toward redefining pet care in India, ensuring pet parents have peace of mind and their furry family members receive the care they deserve.

Bold Experience, OG Flavor, Zero Sugar: Thums Up XForce Thunders Loud and Proud

June 23, 2025: Thums Up XForce, the latest sensation from the house of India’s iconic billion-dollar homegrown brand, Thums Up, has disrupted the zero-sugar drinks category, bringing the most thunderous experience of consuming a zero-sugar beverage to the young consumers. With over 100,000 pre-bookings before its official release, Thums Up XForce created massive anticipation ahead of launch.

Even after 50 years since its launch, Thums Up continues to bring disruption into the category with innovative launches and marketing strategies. Thums Up XForce is made for those who live by their own rules, the true trailblazers with a G.O.A.T mentality, always striving to outdo themselves. With its unmatched, bold taste and iconic fizz, Thums Up XForce embodies the brand’s signature spirit of “All Thunder,” offering consumers the same Thums Up experience without any sugar or calories.

But XForce isn’t only about what’s inside the can. Sleek, modern, and instantly recognizable, its edgy, youthful design is a bold statement. The packaging captures the essence of Thums Up’s adventurous personality, positioning Thums Up XForce as “Thunder in a Can,” a powerful symbol of the classic Thums Up confidence. It clearly conveys that this is a drink for those who live life at full volume, never settle for less and are always leveling up

Sumeli Chatterjee, Category Head – Sparkling Flavours, Coca-Cola India and Southwest Asia, said, “Our strategy with Thums Up XForce is all about responding to changing consumer behaviors, especially the rising demand from young adults for bold, authentic experiences without settling or compromise. By innovating within our homegrown brand, we’re extending Thums Up’s legacy and stepping confidently into the fast-growing zero-sugar category. This consumer-first mindset helps us lead the market with a product that truly connects, while meeting the evolving lifestyle preferences of today’s generation.”

Since debuting in March, it has quickly made its strong presence felt in India’s Diet and Light beverage category.

Channelplay is Redefining Volume Hiring with GenAI: A New Era for Entry-Level Job Seekers in India

India, 23rd June 2025: As India’s retail market surges toward $1.3 trillion, brands face a critical challenge, hiring quality frontline talent at scale. To address this, Channelplay which manages recruitment for market leaders including Apple, Microsoft, and Nykaa, has introduced an AI-driven solution that is reshaping the retail talent landscape.

In an economy where 10 million entry-level retail and sales positions need to be filled annually, Channelplay’s AI-powered system is processing over 25,000 applications monthly with 80% accuracy in candidate-job matching—numbers that were previously unimaginable in India’s fragmented hiring landscape.

“We’re not experimenting with AI, we’re operationalizing it,” said Sundeep Holani, Co- Founder and Co- CEO of Channelplay. “Our goal is simple: to make hiring faster, more accurate, and more candidate-friendly, at scale.”

Channelplay’s GenAI recruitment engine addresses critical bottlenecks across a five-step hiring flow: — from sourcing to screening to final selection.

Smart Job Prioritization: An AI-driven ranking model helps recruiters focus only on roles where the candidate pipeline needs attention, optimizing human effort and reducing wasted bandwidth.

Hyper-Relevant Candidate Matching: The system pairs candidates with opportunities based on their skill rating, salary expectations, and location preferences, resulting in 2.5x higher job application-to-selection ratios compared to traditional sourcing methods.

AI-Powered Screening: Dynamically generated screening questions enable recruiters to assess candidates in under two minutes, with AI determining job fit based on responses and historical data.

Intelligent Reassignment: Candidates not selected for one role are automatically matched to the next best-fit position, ensuring maximum placement efficiency while reducing third-party job portal costs.

Channelplay Jobs App: The company’s dedicated mobile application serves as the central hub where AI-curated job opportunities are presented to candidates based on their profiles. The app eliminates the traditional job search frustration by showing only highly relevant positions that match the applicant’s skills, location, and salary expectations.

“We’re not using AI to replace humans, but to amplify decision-making across the funnel,” adds Gaurav Arora as Senior Product Manager. “This is about building a recruitment system where the right person always finds the right job — faster, fairer, and smarter.”

With its foundational AI systems already in place, Channelplay is now focusing on the next phase of its evolution by building tools that further redefine the hiring experience. These include WhatsApp‑based AI voice screening bots, predictive demand models that help clients open the right roles at the right time, and AI‑driven upskilling recommendations tailored to candidates who weren’t selected, ensuring every interaction adds long‑term value to both talent and employers.

Channelplay aims to have 80% of its hiring workflow augmented by AI by the end of 2025, delivering unmatched speed and precision while preserving the human touch where it matters most.

Japanese Bathing Essentials: 3 Must-Have Ingredients for World Bathing Day

World Bathing Day is the perfect moment to pause, unwind, and embrace the transformative power of a good bath. Drawing inspiration from Japanese bathing culture, renowned for its harmony between nature and self-care this ritual is more than cleansing; it’s a moment of deep nourishment. To bring that same serenity home, here are three luxurious ingredients to add to your bathing routine that combine Japanese influence with modern skincare science.

1. Hokkaido Milk : Japan’s Moisture Miracle

From the snowy fields of northern Japan, Hokkaido milk is a beloved skincare treasure known for its rich, creamy texture and intense hydration. It hydrates deeply with 1/3 skin moisturizers, providing deep hydration and ensuring the skin feels happy and well-moisturized. The rich lather gently cleanses while the mood-uplifting fragrance transforms your bath into a refreshing, feel-good ritual, perfect for a calming and indulgent experience.

ITC Fiama brand ambassador Sara Ali Khan said, “Great skin is not just about looking good, but feeling confident in your own skin. I always choose products that are gentle yet effective, and the Fiama Japanese Hokkaido Milk Bar with Blueberry has become a staple in my routine. It hydrates deeply with 1/3 skin moisturizers, providing deep hydration and ensuring my skin feels happy and moisturized. It also contains Vitamin F, which supports skin health, and a mood-uplifting fragrance, adding a refreshing sensory experience to my skincare routine.”

2. Berry Trio: Nature’s Antioxidant Super blend

Goji berry, acai berry, and blueberry three powerful berries packed with skin-loving antioxidants come together to create a rejuvenating bathing experience. Known for their ability to reduce dullness and restore skin vitality, this berry blend energizes tired skin and helps maintain a healthy glow.

• Goji Berry: Traditionally used in Asian wellness rituals, it helps firm and tone the skin.
• Acai Berry: Rich in omega fatty acids, it nourishes and improves skin texture.
• Blueberry: Bursting with vitamins A and C, it revives dull skin and promotes radiance.

3. Vitamin F: The Skin Barrier Guardian

Vitamin F is not classified as a conventional vitamin. Rather, it refers to a class of important fatty acids that your body is unable to create on its own, mainly linoleic acid (Omega-6) and alpha-linolenic acid (Omega-3). These fatty acids are essential for strong, healthy skin. In Japanese-inspired bathing rituals, maintaining balance and protecting the skin is key, and Vitamin F delivers just that.

Startupbootcamp Australia and BRK Ventures Launch Energy Transition Pre Accelerator

Startupbootcamp Australia partners with BRK Ventures to launch Pre–Accelerator Program for Energy Transition Startups  

Ahmedabad 23rd June 2025 : Startupbootcamp India (SBC India) has been set up as a joint venture between Startupbootcamp Australia, a global network of industry-focused accelerators, and BRK Ventures, an organization focused on supporting early-stage startups. SBC India is opening a highly specialised pre-accelerator programme for very early stage clean energy focused business ideas.

The programme aims to catalyse breakthrough solutions for India’s clean energy future by supporting early-stage startups with mentoring, funding, and growth support.

The pre-accelerator programme will support climate-aligned innovation in 6 high impact domains that include:

AI-Driven Energy Systems and Smart Grids: Making energy systems smarter, more efficient, and reliable using AI.

Renewable integration and smart energy infra: Tools for seamless renewable integration while maintaining grid stability.

Next-Generation Energy Storage & Grid Flexibility: Advanced battery systems, storage methods, and orchestration software

Green Hydrogen: Driving decarbonization in manufacturing and heavy industries through hydrogen innovation

Net Zero & Decarbonisation: Enabling individuals, businesses, and communities to drive systemic climate action

Blockchain-Enabled Decentralized Energy Markets: Leveraging blockchain for automation, trust, and decentralization in energy.

SBC Australia has worked with global corporations like Shell, Mitsubishi Corporation, Bosch, EnergyAustralia, China Light and Power, Alliander, AusNet, BP, GE, Schneider Electric and tech partners like Google, Microsoft, AWS. Their entry into India in partnership with BRK is designed to identify groundbreaking opportunities in the clean tech startup ecosystem.

Commenting on the launch of the programme, Trevor Townsend, CEO, Startupbootcamp Australia, said, “We’re excited to partner with BRK Ventures to launch Startupbootcamp India and support the next wave of climate tech innovation. India has the talent, urgency, and scale to drive impactful climate solutions that resonate both locally and globally. By backing early-stage founders in energy transition sectors, we aim to foster commercially viable ventures that accelerate decarbonisation and create meaningful international collaboration opportunities.”

Kamal Bansal, Managing Partner, BRK Ventures, added, “India’s energy transition needs a 360 degrees approach to battle several problems like increasing pollution in large cities, flooding, climate change affecting agricultural produce and much more. We are keen to be a partner in finding solutions that can help India emerge as a powerful $35 trillion economy by 2047. Our belief is to support climate tech focused startups in their very early days with strategic partnerships like SBC Australia to position Indian startups solving India and global climate change problems.”

SBC India, which is launching its first programme in India, is expecting over 300 applications as they hit the last date of receiving them by July 31st. The programme goes live in August for a duration of 3 months. There will be a showcase day organised in Nov 2025 with marquee VCs and early stage investors to evaluate the businesses for funding and further growth support.

The pre-accelerator program has been designed to help the entrepreneurs at idea and seed-stage, in creating a roadmap to roll out their ventures through access to resources, community and funding. The programme will also help the selected founders by connecting them into a network of industry experts who mentor on Startupbootcamp programs globally with an aim to provide both an international and local perspective of business challenges in the clean-tech sector and specific help and assistance in the challenges of starting and scaling a clean tech company.

BRK Ventures brings local knowledge and capital to fill the early-stage funding and support gap, especially for pre-revenue and climate-focused startups, by building a bridge to global accelerators and markets. The partnership will accelerate innovations across the most pressing climate and energy challenges, enabling startups working in areas like AI, blockchain, hydrogen, and renewable systems to commercialize their technologies and drive measurable impact in India’s net-zero journey.

3F Oil Palm Launches Mega Plantation Drive in Dima Hasao, Assam under NMEO-OP

Mumbai / Digandu Village, Dima Hasao, Assam | 21 June 2025: To boost domestic edible oil production, 3F Oil Palm Pvt. Ltd., in collaboration with the Government of Assam, launched the annual mega oil palm plantation drive under the National Mission on Edible Oils – Oil Palm (NMEO-OP) at Digandu Village 5, Dima Hasao district on Friday.

The plantation has been established on a 20-hectare site owned by Mr. Maijen Hagjer, a local farmer dedicated to sustainable agricultural practices. A formal program was held at the Digandu Community Hall near to the plantation site.

3F Oil Palm Pvt. Ltd., one of India’s leading integrated oil palm companies, is playing a pivotal role in Assam’s oil palm development efforts. Representing the company, Mr. Srinivasarao Kilari, Vice President, said “At 3F Oil Palm, we strongly believe that oil palm cultivation can be a transformative crop for the North-East. Our mission is to empower farmers through sustainable agriculture, ensuring long-term income stability and access to markets. We are committed to providing world-class planting material and timely technical guidance. This plantation in Dima Hasao is just the beginning and our focus is on building an entire ecosystem of support that benefits both farmers and the environment.”

The event was graced by Ms. Rupali Langthasa, Member, Autonomous Council, Diyungbra, Dima Hasao District, as the Guest of Honour, who expressed strong support for initiatives that contribute to farmer empowerment and local economic development.

Key government officials present at the program include Ms. Narmada Khersa, District Agriculture Officer, Dima Hasao; Ms. Kalpana Barman, State Nodal Officer – Oil Palm; Mr Pankaj Sharma, Zonal Head; Mr Jevin D. Thousen, District Nodal officer; Mr. P. Dutta, General Manager – Northeast Region, 3F Oil Palm Pvt. Ltd.; Ms Sujatha Phonglo ADO of Diyungbra block, Gram Pradhans of 11 villages participated.

Their presence highlighted the collaborative spirit between the government and private sector in implementing NMEO-OP’s objectives in Assam and the wider North-East region. The event concluded with ceremonial planting at the site, symbolizing a shared vision for a greener, more self-reliant agricultural future.