Aishwarya Biswas

AMAZING: FFDC Kannauj Sets the Gold Standard in Fragrance Training India’s fragrance legacy isn’t just surviving — it’s being professionally trained, refined, and elevated. In this impactful episode, Rashi Khanna speaks with Shakti Vinay Shukla , the driving force behind the @Fragrance & Flavour Development Centre (FFDC).FFDC Kannauj From the historic lanes of Kannauj to delivering industry-aligned, hands-on training programs in fragrance, flavour, and essential oils — FFDC is creating skilled professionals, not just students. This is where tradition meets technical mastery. Where heritage becomes a career. 🌐 www.ffdcindia.org #RaByRashiFoundation #ShaktiVinayShukla #FFDC #IndianPerfumery #Kannauj #FragranceIndustry #FlavorAndFragrance #PodcastConversation

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The Hidden Growth Killer When guidelines don’t translate to prescriptions — brands silently lose ground. A leading Amox-Clav brand was losing share in paediatric pneumonia despite being fully aligned with IAP and WHO guidelines. Doctors knew the science — yet chose cephalosporins. Why? Convenience bias. Dosing uncertainty. Pharma nudging. Lack of follow-up systems. This is therapy drift — the silent growth killer in pharma. We helped the brand turn it around through academy-endorsed CME tools, clinic-integrated patient education, and automated follow-ups. The outcome: realigned prescriptions, stronger brand leadership, and measurable growth. #PharmaMarketing #TherapyDrift #BrandGrowth #DoctorEngagement

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Most beauty brands are looking in the mirror but not in the right direction. Instagram may be where beauty trends are born, but YouTube is where beauty decisions are made, by 491 million regional, intent-rich users actively searching, comparing, and deciding. In this sharp piece for Economic Times, my partner at Pravis Growth Partners, Ritu Sharda lists down why beauty brands in India are missing the big picture — and how a strategic YouTube ecosystem, built with local creators, search-led planning, and performance-driven optimization, can bridge the gap between visibility and real business impact. 👉 Read the article: “Beauty and the Big Miss” #DigitalMarketing #YouTubeMarketing #BeautyBrands #ContentStrategy #PravisGrowthPartners #GrowthMarketing #RegionalLanguages #SearchDrivenMarketing Prashant Sinha

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A consortium of Aditya Birla Group and David Blitzer is considering bidding for Royal Challengers Bengaluru, adding a third contender to the race. The franchise, owned by Diageo arm United Spirits, may be valued at $1.5–2 billion. Existing bidders include a group led by Ranjan Pai and another backed by EQT and Azim Premji. The sale process is expected to conclude soon. #khabartank #breakingnews #ipl #rcb

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Tanishq (Titan) will give a MAJOR FLIP to the relatively new Lab Grown Diamond (Lab Dia) segment with the launch of a brand "beYon" - with their first store in Mumbai ! Till very recently Tanishq has been stating that they have no plans for Lab Dia. Over the last decade (before the advent of Lab Dia) there was a growing market in India for 'American diamonds' or CZ's (Cubic Zirconia) as a more affordable option to Mined Diamonds, but Tanishq continued to stay away from this jewellery category. BUT now ... with Lab Dia having the EXACT physical and chemical composition of Mined Diamonds AT 1/4th the price. Jewellery trade has always invested more marketing inputs on the HIGHER MARGIN diamond studded jewellery, which has remained steady at around 25-35% for the National Jewellers and just 5-10% of the Regional/Local Retailers. (With the sharp rise in gold prices, the share of studded would have drop this year.) The Indian jewellers - both large chains as well as standalone stores have been trying very hard to resist the shift to Lab Dia - not even as an additional product alternative - because of the fear of a sharp drop in the value of their existing inventory of Mined Diamond jewellery (which is normally at a level of 1 years sale.) But with the daring move by Tanishq .. after a lot of consumer research ... the entire Jewellery trade will have to review their studded jewellery business strategy .. #diamond #diamondjewellery #LabGrownDiamonds #naturaldiamonds #mined diamonds #EthicalLuxury #tanishq Titan Company Limited, World Gold Council, GJEPC India (The Gem and Jewellery Export Promotion Council) De Beers Group #dtc #DiamondsAreForever Fiona Diamonds, Avtaara Jewellery LLP, Jewelbox, Svaraa Jewels, Limelight Lab Grown Diamonds, Ayaani Diamonds, Maiora Diamonds, Syndiora India, Avira Diamonds, Aupulent, Itara Jewelry, Natures Diamond - Lab-Grown Diamonds & Jewellery, The Retail Jeweller India, The Art of Jewellery Titan ventures into lab-grown diamonds with beYon, exclusive store to open in Mumbai Read more at: https://lnkd.in/dn44MYk9

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Tira Beauty is redefining what it means to build a modern beauty brand — and our three dynamic brand ambassadors are at the heart of this evolution. In a category where personal expression drives choice, Tira’s segmentation strategy is intentionally designed to resonate with diverse beauty communities across India. By partnering with three distinct ambassadors, each representing a unique persona, preference, and beauty philosophy, Tira is creating a brand ecosystem that feels personal, inclusive, and culturally relevant. Together, they ensure Tira connects meaningfully with audiences across age groups, regions, lifestyles, and aspirational segments. This multi-ambassador approach is more than a marketing choice—it’s a strategic commitment to celebrating the richness of India’s beauty diversity. With every campaign, Tira is not just showcasing products, but empowering consumers to see themselves reflected in the brand. Three ambassadors. Three identities. One Tira. A unified beauty platform built on segmentation, personalization, and impact.

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𝗪𝗵𝗲𝗻 𝗖𝗼𝗺𝗽𝗹𝗶𝗮𝗻𝗰𝗲 𝗚𝗼𝗲𝘀 𝗪𝗿𝗼𝗻𝗴: 𝗘𝘃𝗲𝗻 𝗦𝘂𝗰𝗰𝗲𝘀𝘀 𝗖𝗮𝗻 𝗧𝘂𝗿𝗻 𝗶𝗻𝘁𝗼 𝗖𝗿𝗶𝘀𝗶𝘀 Bira 91, one of India’s most celebrated start-up success stories in India is now facing an existential crisis not because of competition or product failure, but due to a procedural misstep. In its journey toward an IPO, the company made what seemed like a small change; renaming itself from B9 Beverages Private Limited to B9 Beverages Limited. Just one word dropped: 𝗣𝗿𝗶𝘃𝗮𝘁𝗲. That one change triggered chaos. Across states, regulatory bodies treated the “new” name as a new entity. Licenses, product registrations, and label approvals, all were suddenly invalid. Sales were halted, approvals frozen, and operations disrupted across India. It’s a stark reminder of how compliance in India is not just a box-ticking exercise it’s a strategic risk domain. The web of procedural rules is complex, fragmented, and often unforgiving. Even large corporates tread carefully as former Diageo India CEO Hina Nagarajan once remarked, retaining the old name “𝗨𝗻𝗶𝘁𝗲𝗱 𝗦𝗽𝗶𝗿𝗶𝘁𝘀” was a deliberate decision to avoid a similar operational catastrophe. At #ProSecure, we are seeing this first-hand across industries how a minor oversight in licensing, documentation, or procedural compliance can snowball into business disruption, reputational damage, and financial loss. Our message is simple:  • Don’t let procedural complexity derail your growth story.  • Get your compliance, licensing, and documentation handled by professionals who understand the risk landscape end to end. 𝗜𝗻 𝗯𝘂𝘀𝗶𝗻𝗲𝘀𝘀𝗲𝘀 𝘀𝘂𝗰𝗰𝗲𝘀𝘀 𝗼𝗳𝘁𝗲𝗻 𝗱𝗲𝗽𝗲𝗻𝗱𝘀 𝗮𝘀 𝗺𝘂𝗰𝗵 𝗼𝗻 𝘄𝗵𝗮𝘁 𝘆𝗼𝘂 𝗯𝘂𝗶𝗹𝗱 𝗮𝘀 𝗼𝗻 𝗵𝗼𝘄 𝘆𝗼𝘂 𝗰𝗼𝗺𝗽𝗹𝘆. #Compliance #RiskManagement #BusinessContinuity #ProSecure #CorporateGovernance #IndiaBusiness #RegulatoryRisk #ProSecureConsulting https://lnkd.in/gYdWvWA9

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Good Conversation with Hariharan Premkumar on the consumer Incumbent vs Insurgent space Key takeaways: - Insurgents with a good product, clear brand positioning, speed of execution and efficient capital allocation tend to succeed. - Scale, however comes from ground on feet and the offline channels. - Incumbents who innovate through acquisitions, eventually grow the market for all. #Consumption #StockMarket #FMCG #D2C #Disruptors #FMCGisLife https://lnkd.in/dqM-TBxd

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Nandita Sinha, Venu Nair, and Vineeta Singh — together with their stellar teams at Myntra and SUGAR Cosmetics — came together to launch Molten Beauty, a bold #GenZ-first brand at the intersection of skincare and makeup. What makes this launch exciting: India’s beauty & personal care market is projected to hit $30B by 2027 (Euromonitor), with skincare + makeup leading growth. Hybrid beauty (skincare + makeup) is already a $19.6B global market, growing at ~7% CAGR (Grand View Research). Clean beauty in India is forecasted to triple this decade, powered by ingredient-conscious Gen Z consumers. Molten enters the market with: ~15 SKUs, priced ₹250–₹400 Vegan, cruelty-free, ingredient-driven formulations Distribution via #Myntra, M-Now (#QuickCommerce), and Moltenbeauty.com Beyond the launch, what’s worth watching is the strategic playbook: Platforms like Myntra evolving from distributors to brand incubators Gen Z pushing brands to deliver fun + functional products with transparency Affordable clean beauty shaping up as the “fast fashion of beauty” in India I’ve explored this in depth in feature on Images Business of Fashion (IMAGES BoF) — with insights into Molten Beauty’s positioning, global inspirations, and what it means for India’s $350B digital-first retail future. Read the full store here https://lnkd.in/gXiZf4QQ Seen in the picture (L to R) Kunal Sharma, Manika Mittal, Heemaal Kaul, Mamta Naik, Vineeta Singh, Nandita Sinha, Avneet Kaur, Manaswee Parmar and Venu Nair Myntra Fashion India Fashion Forum Kaushik Mukherjee #MoltenBeauty #HybridBeauty #SUGARCosmetics #VenuNair #NanditaSinha #VineetaSingh #KaushikMukherjee #BeautyBusiness #BeautyInnovation #RetailTrends #DigitalFirst #MoltenBeauty #MoltenOnMyntra #CareAndColour

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Every generation of the Indian beauty market has had a brief. Right now, the brief is: make it look like what is already winning. And the market is obliging. Efficiently. At scale. I don't think this is a creativity problem. Creativity is not what's missing. It's a structural problem. The ecosystem that funds, shelves, and amplifies beauty brands today is optimised for pattern recognition — not pattern breaking. Stakeholders want proven models. Retailers want products that fit existing search categories. Algorithms reward what looks familiar. When every incentive points in the same direction, the output looks the same. That's not a coincidence. That's a system working exactly as designed. Here is what that system doesn't price in. Familiarity lowers the barrier to trial. It does not build loyalty. The moment a newer, cheaper version appears — and it always does — the cycle resets. You haven't built a brand. You've built a placeholder. The market is tilting towards traction over trust. Those are not the same destination. India's beauty market has extraordinary raw material right now. Data. Distribution. Design capability. Manufacturing quality that rivals global benchmarks. Consumer insight that is genuinely world-class. What it is rationing is patience. And patience is the only input that compounds into identity. Brands are not built on resemblance. They are built on resonance — which means standing for something specific, consistently, long after it stops being convenient. That takes longer than a trend cycle. It also survives one. Spoke about it, this week — on India's copy-paste beauty economy, what's driving it structurally, and what building beyond it actually requires. The next distinctive Indian beauty brand won't come from a better brief. It will come from the courage to throw the brief out. https://lnkd.in/grwcPG2R

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Anjana Ghosh, Former Director of Bisleri, Launches Smart Force by Scale Sherpas India’s FMCG market exceeds INR 9 lakh crore, with General Trade contributing nearly 65 percent of sales through over 6.5 million kirana stores. Modern Trade, though smaller at about 10 percent, is growing faster in urban and premium segments. Together, these channels create a complex execution environment for FMCG companies. While India has no shortage of strong products and founder led innovation, many high potential brands stall at the same inflection point where scaling distribution building field capability and institutionalising execution becomes fragmented and risky....

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LUXURY EDUCATION IN INDIA IS AT A CROSSROADS India’s luxury industry is expanding. But its talent infrastructure is still evolving. The challenge today is not aspiration — it is readiness. Luxury education must move beyond: • Brand glamour • Fashion romanticism • Surface-level global exposure It must integrate: • Cultural literacy • Operational rigor • Strategic judgment • Real industry articulation The future of luxury in India will be shaped not only by brands — but by the quality of builders behind them. This is why education cannot imitate; it must contextualise. Admissions for the next LCBS intake are currently underway. #LuxuryEducation #LuxuryBusinessSchool #IndianLuxury #CapabilityBuilding #FutureOfLuxury

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India’s luggage market is quietly entering a massive transformation phase. For decades, luggage was treated as a commodity purchase. Today, it is becoming a lifestyle category. And that shift is creating a ₹500 Cr brand opportunity. Here’s what the data tells us - India’s luggage & travel accessories market is already ₹80,000+ Cr and is projected to grow at 20%+ CAGR over the next decade. But the real story lies beneath the numbers. 1. India’s Travel Boom Is Just Beginning India recorded 2+ billion domestic trips annually. Air travel demand is exploding. The government plans to build 220+ airports by 2030 under the UDAN scheme. India is expected to become the 3rd largest aviation market globally. More travel means one thing: More luggage. But not the old-school luggage. Consumers want better design, durability and brand identity. 2. The Market Is Still Largely Unorganized Despite the massive size, a large share of luggage sales still comes from: • Local bag markets • Unbranded manufacturers • Low differentiation products Which means something important. The category is wide open for brand building. Exactly the type of market where new D2C brands can emerge. 3. A New Wave of Luggage Startups Is Emerging Some interesting players already building here: • Safari Industries — one of India’s legacy luggage brands • Nasher Miles — fast growing D2C luggage brand • Uppercase — sustainable luggage brand • Assembly — premium travel gear startup • Mokobara — design-led travel luggage brand These companies are not selling just luggage. They are selling a travel lifestyle. 4. The Customer Is Evolving The new Indian traveler is different. They care about: • design aesthetics • lightweight materials • smart compartments • premium look • brand identity Your suitcase is no longer just a bag. It is part of your travel personality. Just like sneakers or watches. 5. Where The Real Opportunity Lies The next wave will not be won by: “Cheapest luggage” It will be won by brands that build an X-Factor. That X-Factor could be: • Design-first luggage • Smart luggage tech • Sustainable materials • Travel ecosystem products • Community-driven travel brands Think beyond luggage. Think travel lifestyle brand. The Big Insight The next ₹500 Cr luggage brand in India will not be built by selling bags. It will be built by owning the traveler’s identity. Design. Durability. Travel lifestyle. That’s where the future lies. At Xbridge Ventures, we constantly study sectors where large markets meet weak branding and evolving consumers. Because that’s exactly where the next generation of Indian brands are born. Understanding Businesses Through a VC Lens. #Startups #D2C #IndianStartups #ConsumerBrands #TravelIndustry #StartupIndia #BrandBuilding #XbridgeVentures

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As India’s markets grow larger and more democratic, investor protection cannot remain a performative response to retail noise. The real burden of regulation is not to constantly discipline the smallest participant, but to demonstrate, unmistakably, that the regulator’s presence is independent, consequential, and unafraid. In a market increasingly funded by household capital, the mightiest promoters and the most influential corporations must operate not merely within the letter of compliance, but within the spirit of fiduciary restraint. That is the hardest test of a markets regulator: to prove that power does not dilute accountability, that influence does not soften enforcement, and that public capital is never treated as private convenience. This is where SEBI’s true potential, and its existential purpose, will ultimately be judged, writes Srinath Sridharann. https://lnkd.in/gWFTZ2Rh #SEBI #IndiaMarkets #promoterpower #retailtrading

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“Kids” is a white space sitting in plain sight. Most of the market is built for babies - safety, softness, and care. But kids are different. They have opinions, identities, and a sense of ownership over what they carry every day. That shift changes how you design products, build brands, and think about the category. In a country like India, with millions of kids growing up with stronger opinions and more choice than ever before, this isn’t just a niche, it’s a massive opportunity.

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#D2C beauty and personal care brand ClayCo. Cosmetics Private Limited  has secured ₹29.99 Cr (about $3.3 Mn) in a fresh funding round from London-based early-stage investment firm Twenty Nine Capital Partners. The startup’s board allotted 1,529 Series A non-cumulative CCPS of face value of ₹50 each at a premium of over ₹1.96 Lakh to Twenty Nine Capital Partners V Limited Partnership on December 12, 2025, according to its MCA filings accessed by Inc42. The allotment of securities was made on December 23, 2025. An exclusive for Inc42 Media

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Most celebrity beauty brands fade within a few years. Kriti Sanon’s HYPHEN reached ₹400 crore in just 2 years. That kind of growth is rare in India’s beauty industry. To understand the scale: • Katrina Kaif’s Kay Beauty → ~₹200 crore after 5 years • Alia Bhatt’s Ed-a-Mamma → ₹300–350 crore valuation with Reliance backing • Kriti Sanon’s Hyphen → ₹400 crore revenue in just 24 months, completely bootstrapped So the real question is: What did Kriti Sanon do differently? During the COVID period, Kriti reportedly spent significant time understanding skincare ingredients and formulations. Being an engineer by education, she approached the category with a research mindset. But the bigger strategic move came later. Instead of building everything from scratch, she partnered with the team behind mCaffeine (PEP Technologies) operators who already knew how to scale a digital-first beauty brand. Hyphen launched in July 2023. What followed was fast growth: • Year 1 → ₹100 crore revenue • Year 2 → ₹400 crore revenue • Customer base → 1M to 4M users • 60% repeat purchase rate • Available across 19,000+ pin codes • 100% vegan, clinically tested products But the real story is not just celebrity power. It’s execution. Three things stand out: 1. Operator + Celebrity combination Kriti brought attention and credibility. The mCaffeine team brought operational expertise. That combination is rare. 2. Pricing built for India Hyphen products sit between ₹400–₹1500, positioning the brand for India’s growing middle-class skincare market. Not luxury. Not cheap. Accessible premium. 3. Focus on repeat customers A 60% repeat purchase rate means the brand is not just selling once. Customers are coming back. That’s where real brand value is built. The bigger shift happening in India’s consumer brands is this: Earlier, celebrities endorsed products. Now some of them are building businesses. And when a strong operator team sits behind the brand, the results can scale very quickly. From a marketing perspective, it’s an interesting model. Attention from the celebrity. Trust from the product. Scale from the operators. That combination is powerful. Curious to hear your thoughts: Do you think celebrity-led brands will dominate India’s D2C market in the next 5–10 years? Dibyajyoti Parambramha #brandbuilding #marketingstrategy #digitalmarketing #consumerbrands #startupgrowth #d2c #founderjourney #businessstrategy

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#WhatsApp is no longer just for friends and family, it’s where business is happening. But most brands are still using it like a broadcast tool and end up breaking trust. I wrote this piece for The Free Press Journal (#BrandSutra) on how brands can use WhatsApp to: - Build deeper relationships with customers - Personalise at scale (without crossing the line) - Balance privacy, relevance, and business goals Read it in the link below or flip to the last page of today’s Free Press Journal if you have a copy handy! Curious - What’s one WhatsApp campaign you’ve seen that actually felt personal and not spammy?

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