Category Archives: Business

Sandwizzaa Strengthens Mumbai Footprint with New Malad Outlet

Mumbai, Jan 21:  Sandwizzaa, Mumbai’s beloved homegrown QSR brand renowned for its indulgent sandwiches and comfort-driven menu, has expanded its presence in the city with the opening of a new outlet in Malad. This marks another step in the brand’s steady growth across Mumbai, where it has built a loyal following over the years.

From its inception, Sandwizzaa has become a part of customers’ daily routines—a destination for quick meals, familiar flavours, and consistent quality. The Malad outlet continues this tradition, serving a suburb known for its mix of residential areas, offices, colleges, and high footfall.

Commenting on the launch, Pankaj Sharma, Director, Sandwizzaa, said:

“Mumbai has always been at the heart of Sandwizzaa’s journey. Each new outlet reflects our understanding of how our customers eat and live. Malad stood out as a neighbourhood that values convenience, familiarity, and value—qualities that align perfectly with our brand.”

The Malad outlet offers Sandwizzaa’s full range of vegetarian sandwiches, fries, beverages, and comfort favourites. Guests can also enjoy refreshing drinks, thick milkshakes, frappes, and cups of tea and coffee. Designed as a convenient walk-in space, the outlet caters to both quick bites and repeat visits throughout the day.

With this expansion, Sandwizzaa continues to grow across Mumbai, guided by a thoughtful, neighbourhood-first approach that blends convenience, quality, and affordability.

Jemimah Rodrigues chooses only the new generation period care Whisper Period Panty for trusted protection on her match days

Hyderabad, Jan 21: Period days shouldn’t come in the way of how a girl moves, plays, studies or lives her life. From early morning workouts and packed college schedules to match days and travel plans, today’s girl needs period protection that can keep up with her pace. Keeping this belief at the heart of its innovation, Whisper, India’s leading feminine hygiene brand with Indian cricketer Jemimah Rodrigues spotlights the Whisper Period Panty, a revolutionary, modern day period care solution designed for comfort, confidence and everyday movement.

Pads, often come with the concern of leaks and stains, and are at times uncomfortable to wear as they bunch or move from place, making girls and women adjust their lifestyles on period days. The Whisper Period panty is built for girls and women who choose to define their period day on their own terms, as it delivers 360 degree protection with the ease of wearing regular underwear. It is designed for continuous absorption all day, allowing girls to move freely through their schedules, whether they’re stepping out for class, heading to the gym, travelling, or playing sport, or even just chilling at home, without any fear of leaks or stains, and without worrying about frequent checking and changing.

The product is designed like a panty, which gives full coverage, while not bunching, moving so you don’t have to worry about leaks and stains. It is soft on skin, comfortable and easy to wear like a regular panty and to dispose.

Joining Whisper in this association, Indian cricket star Jemimah Rodrigues, known for her fearless approach on and off the field reinforces the brand’s commitment to creating period solutions that fit seamlessly into today’s lives. Through this partnership, Whisper and Jemimah aim to normalise conversations around periods while highlighting the need for solutions that support today’s girls.

Giving her perspective, Jemimah shared, “When you are batting for your country, the last thing you want is to worry about your periods. Your game needs your focus and your period product needs to deliver on that. I love that the Whisper Period Panty is made for continuous absorption all day supporting me from morning to night, while giving me 360 degree protection. It is comfortable and easy to wear and lets me focus on what I’m doing, whether that’s playing a match, training, or just getting through a busy day. Periods are a normal part of life, and we need solutions that fit into our routine and not vice versa. Kyunki ab Mudna Nahi, Bas Udna Hai”

Speaking on the association, Girish Kalyanaraman, Vice President and Category Head – Feminine Care, Procter & Gamble India said,

“At Whisper, we believe that period care should evolve with the lives of girls and women today. From first periods to college life and active routines, their needs are changing, and our innovations reflect that. The Whisper Period Panty is designed to offer dependable protection with comfort even on heavy flow days, allowing girls to go about their day with confidence and ease. Our association with Jemimah Rodrigues brings this belief to life, as she truly represents a generation that refuses to look back because of periods.”

South Indian Bank Launches e-Kanika Facility at Edapally Elangalloor Swarupam Sree Mahaganapathy Temple

Kochi, Jan 21: South Indian Bank (SIB) today inaugurated its innovative e-Kanika digital offering facility at the renowned Edapally Elangalloor Swarupam Sree Mahaganapathy Temple, marking a significant step towards enhancing digital convenience for devotees.

The e-Kanika service enables devotees to make offerings seamlessly by scanning a QR code, making the process faster, secure, and more accessible. This initiative reflects the Bank’s commitment to blending technology with tradition, while supporting the digitisation of customary practices.

The inauguration ceremony was attended by senior officials from South Indian Bank, including Biji S S, Senior General Manager & Branch Banking Head; Sony A, Senior General Manager & Chief Information Officer; Tinu Eden Ambatt, Regional Head – Ernakulam; David Manjaly, Cluster Head – MG Road; and Sruthi A R, Branch Head – Edapally. The event was also graced by temple trustees Dr. Subramania Raja and Ms. Indira Raja.

Shoppers Stop Reports Stable Q3FY26 Performance; Premiumization and Beauty Continue to Gain Share

Mumbai, Jan 21:Shoppers Stop Ltd., India’s leading destination for premium fashion and beauty, announced its financial results for the third quarter and nine months ended December 31, 2025, reporting a stable performance amid a challenging consumption environment while continuing to advance its premium-led growth strategy.

Overall sales for the quarter remained flat, impacted by festive calendar shifts, uneven discretionary demand, and elevated pollution levels in Northern India. Despite these external headwinds, the Company strengthened its premium portfolio, which delivered steady like-for-like growth and increased its contribution to total sales.

Key Financial Highlights – Q3FY26

• Premium brands contributed 69% of total sales, recording 6% YoY growth on a like-for-like basis

• Core Business sales stood at Rs 1,516 crore, flat YoY

• Beauty segment sales grew 14% YoY

• INTUNE sales increased 22% YoY

• Average Transaction Value (ATV) and Average Selling Price (ASP) rose 7% YoY each

• Customer entry grew 5% LFL, marking the second consecutive quarter of growth

Financial Performance Snapshot – Q3FY26

• Sales: Marginal YoY growth

• Gross margins: Moderation driven by category mix and promotions

• EBITDA and profitability: Impacted by softer demand and operating leverage, partially offset by cost discipline

Management Commentary

Commenting on the performance, Mr. Kavindra Mishra, Managing Director & CEO, Shoppers Stop Ltd., said:

“Q3 was marked by external factors such as festive calendar shifts and uneven consumption trends, which weighed on overall sales. However, we continued to make steady progress on our strategic priorities. Premium brands grew on a like-for-like basis and now account for 69% of our total sales, reinforcing the direction of our portfolio shift.

The re-launch of our Juhu store as one of India’s most premium experiential retail destinations reflects our long-term commitment to differentiated customer experiences. Categories such as Beauty, Handbags, and Watches continue to scale well, and our Beauty Distribution business has delivered strong year-on-year growth.

While discretionary demand remained subdued for INTUNE, we are taking a calibrated approach to strengthening the format through focused investments and measured expansion. As macro conditions improve, we believe our investments in premium offerings, personalization, and omnichannel capabilities position us well for sustainable growth.”

Progress Across Strategic Priorities

• First Citizen loyalty program contributed 84% of total revenue, with the member base expanding to 13.3 million

• Premium Black Card members reached a record addition during the quarter, contributing 21% of total sales

• Beauty category sustained strong momentum, driven by fragrances and luxury brand expansion

• Launched eight Estée Lauder Brands SIS stores during the quarter

• Beauty Distribution business delivered 58% YoY growth

• Private Brands portfolio showed steady traction, with the launch of FRATINI Girls, receiving encouraging customer response

INTUNE and Value Fashion

The INTUNE value fashion format delivered year-on-year growth, though performance was impacted by subdued discretionary demand. The Company continues to strengthen the format through targeted investments in existing stores while maintaining disciplined capital allocation.

Store Expansion and Financial Discipline

• Opened 3 department stores, 3 INTUNE stores, and 1 HomeStop store during the quarter

• Capital expenditure remained controlled, with continued focus on efficiency

• Working capital reduced during the quarter

• Net debt remained stable

Shoppers Stop remains focused on deepening its premium portfolio, strengthening customer engagement, and driving long-term value through disciplined growth and operational excellence.

RMZ, Andhra Pradesh Govt Announce $10 Billion Investment Partnership at WEF Davos 2026

RMZ and Government of Andhra Pradesh Announced a Strategic Investment Partnership at WEF Davos 2026 to Facilitate Investments up to USD 10 Billion

Davos, Switzerland, Jan 21: RMZ, one of Asia’s leading privately owned alternative asset owners and operators, and the Government of Andhra Pradesh today announced a strategic investment partnership at the World Economic Forum Annual Meeting 2026 in Davos, aimed at facilitating long-term global investment of approximately USD 10 billion into mixed-use, digital and industrial infrastructure across the State.

The partnership reflects RMZ’s long-horizon, platform-led approach to nation-building through the creation of mission-critical real assets and institutionally governed development ecosystems. It aligns with Andhra Pradesh’s vision to position Visakhapatnam as a next-generation mixed-use and digital infrastructure hub, while driving industrial and logistics-led development in the Rayalaseema region to support balanced regional growth and employment generation.

As part of the collaboration RMZ will develop a GCC at Kapuluppada Phase-1 IT Park in Visakhapatnam, with a potential built-up area of up to 10 million square feet over approximately 50 acres, aimed at attracting global enterprises and strengthening the city’s GCC ecosystem.

RMZ will also plan a hyperscale data centre cluster in the Visakhapatnam region with a targeted capacity of up to 1 gigawatt, developed in phases, requiring approximately 500–700 acres of land. The proposed data centre platform will support next-generation digital and AI workloads, with a strong emphasis on sustainability and green power integration.

In the Rayalaseema region, RMZ would develop an Industrial and Logistics Park at Tekulodu over approximately 1,000 acres, anchoring industrial manufacturing, warehousing and logistics activity in the region.

“Andhra Pradesh has consistently been at the forefront of technological advancement and the expansion of Global Capability Centres (GCCs) in India. This partnership builds on that momentum by strengthening the State’s digital and enterprise infrastructure ecosystem,” Mr. Nara Lokesh, Minister for ITE&C Dept., and Human Resources Development, said, “By partnering with a credible and trustworthy organisation such as RMZ, we are reinforcing our ability to attract global enterprises, scale high-quality employment and sustain long-term technology-led growth across key regions of the State.”

Commenting on the partnership, Mr. Manoj Menda, Chairman – Supervisory Board, RMZ, said,

 “Andhra Pradesh is emerging as one of India’s most compelling destinations for next-generation digital and industrial infrastructure. The State’s clarity of vision, speed of decision-making, and commitment to balanced regional development give long-term investors the confidence to deploy capital at scale. Through this partnership, RMZ aims to create globally benchmarked IT, data centre, and industrial ecosystems in Visakhapatnam and Rayalaseema that can attract global enterprises, generate meaningful employment, and support Andhra Pradesh’s ambition to become a major hub for technology-led growth.”

“RMZ enjoys a long standing presence in the state and the partnership is a reaffirmation of the trust that the Andhra Pradesh government has in the organisation,” said, Mr. Deepak Chhabria, President, RMZ Infrastructure, “Through this RMZ is bringing its experience in building and operating mission-critical real asset platforms to support the State’s vision for digital infrastructure, industrial growth and employment generation. Our approach is focused on creating scalable, sustainable ecosystems that can attract global capital while delivering long-term economic value for the region.”

Together, the proposed developments represent a potential investment of approximately USD 10 billion over five to six years, with the capacity to generate employment for around one lakh people across IT, data centres, industrial and logistics sectors.

 Andhra Pradesh reaffirmed its focus on speed of doing business through single-point facilitation and time-bound clearances, with predictable policy frameworks and execution certainty continuing to strengthen investor confidence in the State.

Mastek Reports Q3FY26 Results; Order Backlog Up 24.3% YoY, AI-led Momentum Continues

Mumbai, India, Jan 21: Mastek (NSE: MASTEK; BSE: 523704), a trusted AI-first digital engineering and cloud transformation partner, today announced its financial results for the third quarter and nine months ended 31 December 2025.

 Q3FY26 Financial Highlights

• Revenue from operations grew 4.2% YoY

• Operating EBITDA margin improved to 16.1%, up 60 bps QoQ

• Profit After Tax (PAT) increased 11.2% QoQ

• 26+ new AI-led engagements closed during the quarter

• Total order backlog grew 36.6% YoY

• 12-month order backlog rose 24.3% YoY

• Strong operating cash generation during the quarter

• Interim dividend declared at 160%

Management Commentary

Commenting on the results, Umang Nahata, Chief Executive Officer, Mastek, said:

“In Q3FY26, our revenue declined sequentially in rupee terms, primarily due to higher furloughs, planned project go-lives in the US and AMEA, and the right-shift of a few engagements. Despite these near-term headwinds and seasonal softness, we delivered another quarter of healthy EBITDA margin expansion driven by strong operational discipline and AI-led efficiencies.

Our 12-month order backlog grew sequentially, and the pipeline remains strong across the UK, US, and AMEA. We continue to see robust demand in the Healthcare segment and for AI-led solutions globally. With over 26 new AI engagements and 17 new client additions during the quarter, we remain confident in our long-term strategy and our ability to deliver sustainable and profitable growth.”

Deepak Kedia, Chief Financial Officer, Mastek, added:

“We reported an operating EBITDA margin expansion of 60 bps quarter-on-quarter, even after factoring in labour code changes and furloughs. PAT also grew sequentially, supported by a significant expansion in PAT margin. Strong operating cash flows during the quarter reflect our continued focus on financial discipline, execution efficiency, and value creation for stakeholders.”

Operational Highlights

• 17 new clients added in Q3FY26; total active clients increased to 333

• Employee strength stood at 4,676

• Last twelve months attrition improved to 17.6%

• Cash and liquidity position strengthened further during the quarter

Key Wins During the Quarter

• Secured a three-year engagement with a UK central government agency to support a national biometrics platform using AI-powered DevSecOps

• Won multiple engagements with UK financial regulators, US-based global asset managers, Fortune 500 enterprises, and public sector organizations across the UK, US, Australia, and Europe

• Expanded Agentic and Generative AI deployments across healthcare, financial services, manufacturing, and public sector clients

Sustainability & Recognition

• Achieved a CSA score of 82/100 in the S&P Global ESG Corporate Sustainability Assessment 2025

• Recognised by ISG, Everest Group, Gartner, and ET Making AI Work Awards 2025 for leadership in AI, digital transformation, and enterprise services

Rreal Tacos Acquires Haiku, Bringing Georgia’s Biggest Taco Brand to Tampa

TAMPA, FL /Jan 21— Rreal Tacos (Rreal, that’s not a typo), one of the fastest-growing restaurant brands in the Southeast and widely recognized as Georgia’s biggest taco brand, is officially expanding to Florida. The Atlanta-based company has acquired the former Haiku American-Asian Fusion restaurant in downtown Tampa, marking Rreal Tacos’ first Florida location and the beginning of a multi-unit expansion across the Tampa Bay region.

Known for its cult following, massive social media reach, and lines-out-the-door openings in Georgia, Rreal Tacos has built its reputation by delivering authentic street tacos made entirely from scratch — at scale. “We’re not just opening a restaurant — we’re entering a market that reminds us a lot of Atlanta before Rreal Tacos really took off,” said Damian Otero, CEO at Rreal Tacos. “Tampa is energetic, it’s growing fast, and it’s underserved when it comes to this category. It made a lot of sense for us.”

A Major Investment in Downtown Tampa

Rreal Tacos plans to invest approximately $2.5 million into the downtown Tampa location, transforming the existing space into the brand’s signature high-energy, design-forward restaurant experience.

Unlike many rapidly expanding restaurant groups, Rreal Tacos is not backed by private equity or outside investors, a distinction the company says allows it to move quickly, take creative risks, and stay obsessively focused on quality. Everything served at Rreal Tacos is made in-house daily — from slow-cooked meats and fresh salsas to hand-crafted tortillas produced through a multi-day process. The brand combines the authenticity of a street taco with the consistency required to serve thousands of guests each day.

Why Tampa — and What’s Next

Company leadership says Tampa stood out as a rare opportunity: a major metro with strong dining demand, vibrant downtown foot traffic, and significantly fewer comparable Mexican concepts than similar Southeastern cities. “Tampa feels like the Nashville of Florida,” Otero said. “Restaurants are busy, people here love going out to eat, and there’s real opportunity to build something special that feels local.” The downtown Tampa restaurant is expected to be the first of three planned Rreal Tacos locations in the Tampa Bay area, with future expansion potentially including St. Petersburg and Clearwater.

A Loud Arrival — and a Local Focus

Rreal Tacos is known for unconventional, high-impact marketing and community-driven initiatives that prioritize experience over traditional advertising.

Ahead of its public opening, the company plans to host a large-scale friends-and-family preview, inviting thousands of local residents, hospitality workers, and community members to dine at no cost.

Opening Timeline

Construction is currently underway at the downtown Tampa location. An official opening date will be announced in the coming months, along with hiring details and preview events.

For updates, follow Rreal Tacos on Instagram and TikTok, where the brand reaches hundreds of thousands of followers and regularly generates millions of views.

Flipkart Deepens Marketplace Governance Framework to Strengthen Trust, Accountability, and Platform Integrity

Bengaluru, Jan  20: Flipkart, India’s homegrown e-commerce marketplace, continues to invest in and strengthen its compliance governance framework to ensure fairness, authenticity, and trust across the platform. These systems are designed to operate with consistent standards, internal control, and audit-ready processes across the organisation. This proactive, layered approach is critical for governing a marketplace with millions of listings and over 1.4 million sellers. By combining sophisticated technology, structured human oversight, and formalized compliance policies, Flipkart maintains a trusted, well-governed environment, enabling genuine businesses to thrive and ensuring customers receive safe, quality products. 

Flipkart’s first line of defense is a standardized, risk-based onboarding and monitoring system designed to prevent non-compliant and fraudulent sellers from entering or operating on the platform.

Advanced Seller Vetting

New sellers onboarding with Flipkart are vetted using a risk-based model that moves beyond document submission. In addition to GSTIN and PAN checks, the onboarding system verifies the seller’s device, address, and pincode against historic fraud patterns using internal data models. All GST details undergo two-factor authentication, helping prevent misuse of credentials. These checks are further supported by fraud linkage analysis, ensuring that sellers with prior violations cannot re-enter the platform. 

Accountability & Real-Time Monitoring

Flipkart’s monitoring architecture pairs AI-led scale with human supervision and auditability, ensuring that automation is embedded within documented review processes, audit trails, and escalation protocols. The company’s real-time infringement scanning system identifies text and logo infringements on products using detection models, leading to manual validation and subsequent delisting of confirmed infringing items. Additionally, the Marketplace Quality Control team scans millions of listings monthly to ensure compliance with relevant regulatory requirements. In addition to tech-based measures, Flipkart conducts on-ground seller inspections and geo-tagged address verification, including surprise audits of certain sellers for whom heightened observation is indicated.

To amplify vigilance across the ecosystem, Flipkart has also launched an internal employee campaign that enables employees to identify and report seller or consumer abuse patterns ranging from fake listings and multi-account misuse to return manipulation and promotional fraud.

Institutionalizing the Seller Compliance and Transparency Framework Across the Marketplace

Central to this framework is the institutionalization of transparency as a seller’s right of due process. At the point of onboarding, sellers receive a detailed compliance snapshot, including the mandatory ‘Seller Terms of Use’. Ongoing awareness is driven through monthly compliance flyers, pre-festive conclaves, theme-based webinars, compliance policy communication, and escalation-triggered communication. Sellers also have visibility into listing takedowns via reason codes on their dashboards, with the opportunity to contest claims with proof of authorization or purchase. The framework is governed through dedicated compliance, trust and safety, and marketplace risk teams with structured reporting to senior leadership.

Flipkart’s governance systems are focused on early interception rather than merely reactive takedowns. Between October 2024 and October 2025, more than 10 million listings were actioned for counterfeit or compliance policy violations at the source, and 13,000 sellers were removed from the platform. Furthermore, Flipkart’s ‘Brand Assure’ program empowers trademark-registered brand owners to flag non-authorised listings or sellers, with the Trust & Safety team reviewing reported incidents in real time. As of December 2025, the program has onboarded over 11,000 brands and helped them resolve thousands of infringement incidents, including brand name, copyright, design, and logo infringements. The initiative has contributed to a substantial reduction in customer-reported fakes for the onboarded brands. These actions are executed through documented enforcement protocols to ensure consistency, proportionality, and due process.

Sakait Chaudhary, Senior Vice President and Head of Marketplace at Flipkart, said,

“Fostering a trusted and compliant marketplace is fundamental to Flipkart’s operations. We continuously invest in a strong compliance framework, powered by tech-led risk detection and real-time monitoring. This proactive approach and a robust system allow us to remove friction for our genuine seller partners while ensuring our customers always access safe, quality products from verified sources. Strong marketplace governance is not just a trust imperative; it is core to building a resilient, scalable digital commerce platform over the long term.”

The company’s investment in this compliance ecosystem is core to its broader vision of building a resilient, transparent, and responsibly governed digital commerce platform.

For a deep-dive into how Flipkart strengthens trust and platform integrity, read this Q&A with SVP and Head of Marketplace, Sakait Chaudhary. He details Flipkart’s ‘Seller-First’ compliance philosophy and due diligence processes that help provide a fair ground for its seller partners and ensure a safe shopping experience for its customer

Sheraton Hyderabad Celebrates Swaad Desh Ka with a Grand Republic Day Lunch

Hyderabad, Jan  20: As India marks 77 years of being a sovereign republic, Sheraton Hyderabad transforms patriotic fervor into a plate of memories with Swaad Desh Ka—where every bite tells a story of India’s culinary soul. Forget the usual buffet fanfare; this is about rediscovering the comfort of Chole Bhature eaten leisurely on a Sunday afternoon, the nostalgia of street-side Jalebi, and the simple joy of Masala Chaas that cools more than just the palate. It’s not just a lunch—it’s a return to the flavors that remind us why food is India’s most democratic love language.

Set to a soundtrack where classical ragas meet contemporary rhythms, the afternoon unfolds as a celebration that feels less like a hotel event and more like a gathering at a friend’s place—if that friend happened to have exceptional taste and a stellar culinary team. Whether you’re marking the occasion with colleagues, family, or fellow food enthusiasts, Swaad Desh Ka offers a relaxed yet refined way to honor the day while earning those valuable Marriott Bonvoy Points.

Event Details

When: Monday, January 26, 2026

Where: Feast, Sheraton Hyderabad Hotel

Time: 12:30 PM to 3:30 PM

BLS International Awarded INR 100 Crore PEC Aadhaar Enrollment Project by Government of Bihar

New Delhi, Jan 20: BLS International Services Limited, a global leader in AI & tech-enabled, government-to-citizen services, today announced that it has been awarded the project for Permanent Enrollment Centers (PECs) for Aadhaar enrollment by the Department of Education, Government of Bihar. The project is valued at approximately INR 100 crore, and BLS International will execute it over a five-year period.

The scope of the project includes the setting up and operation of Permanent Enrollment Centers at Block Headquarters, Sub-Divisional Headquarters, Offices of Municipal Bodies, District Headquarters, and other locations as specified. The centers established by BLS International will carry out work related to UIDAI Aadhaar Enrollment, Aadhaar Updation, Aadhaar Supplementary Services, and Aadhaar Lifecycle Management for residents.

Highlighting the significance of the project, Shikhar Aggarwal, Joint Managing Director at BLS International, said,

“We are committed to advancing digital inclusivity, making essential services like Aadhaar easily accessible and empowering every citizen to secure a digital identity. We have developed cutting-edge technology that seamlessly integrates with key systems, ensuring fast, secure, and user-friendly access for all. With our extensive service network and robust infrastructure, we are bridging the digital divide like never before.”

This project further strengthens BLS International’s position as a trusted partner to governments in India and globally. With a strong track record of delivering seamless services across more than 70 countries, BLS International continues to expand its presence in the areas of governance, financial inclusion, and citizen services.

In addition to this, last year, BLS International was awarded a work order from the Unique Identification Authority of India (UIDAI), Government of India, for providing services to establish and run District Level Aadhaar Seva Kendras (ASK), valued at approximately INR 2,055 crore.