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Café Coffee Day (CCD) Case Study

Café Coffee Day, popularly known as CCD, is not only a coffeehouse for the individuals of India but has become India’s favorite place for coffee and conversations today. Founded in 1996, the Bengaluru-based Indian multinational chain of coffeehouses has emerged to be one of the favorite haunts of the millennial and the Gen Z group within a short time.

CCD had served over 1.6 billion cups of coffee annually in six countries when it discovered that it was on the brink of bankruptcy. This is why it decided to shut down its operations outside India. It was present in a list of countries — Austria, Czech Republic, Malaysia, Nepal, and Egypt before this decision.

The first Café Coffee Day outlet was set up by CCD owner V. G. Siddhartha on July 11, 1996, in Bangalore, Karnataka, with the slogan’ A big deal can occur over some espresso’.

Café Coffee Day quickly extended through the urban areas in India, including new stores with more than 2000 bistros opened all over the nation by 2016. In a range of 20 years, CCD has blended its approach to progress, with the fame and cherish it has reaped.

History of Cafe Coffee Day
How CCD Started the Journey?
Mounting Debts and Controversies
The Missing of the Founder of CCD and his Death
Cafe Coffee Day Business Plan And Marketing
The Present Day CCD
Achievements of CCD

History of CCD

The history of Café Coffee Day lies in its origins as a pioneering Indian coffee chain, founded in 1996 by V.G. Siddhartha, with the vision of bringing coffee culture to India and making it a popular hangout spot for the youth. Café Coffee Day Global Limited Company is a Chikkamagaluru-based business that produces coffee on its very own land of 20,000 acres. It is the biggest maker of arabica beans in Asia, sent out to different nations including the U.S., Europe, and Japan.

V. G. Siddhartha began the Café chain in 1996 when he started Coffee Day Global, which is the parent of the Coffee Day chain. The first outlet was opened on July 11, 1996, in Bangalore, Karnataka.

Soon after the foundation of CCD Coffee, the biggest challenge faced by Café Coffee was to make a revolutionary change in Indian culture where the majority of the population preferred drinking tea rather than coffee.

CCD Founder - V. G. Siddhartha — CCD Founder – V. G. Siddhartha along with his wife Malavika

CCD quickly extended to different urban cities in India, with more than 1000 bistros opened in the country by 2011. In 2010, it was declared that a consortium driven by Kohlberg Kravis Roberts would invest INR 10 billion in Coffee Day resorts which are owned by CCD. It was during the same time the brand changed its logo to the present logo that is used by the company to feature the chain as a spot or place to talk.

Cafe Coffee Day Logo

This was finished with real changes in the format of the stores, including the expansion of parlors a complete redo of the interiors, and, above all, its slogan “A lot can happen over coffee.” The organization is vertically incorporated to cut expenses: from owning the plantations to becoming the coffee, preparing the espresso machines, and making the furniture for the outlets.

CCD Case Study

How CCD Started the Journey?

CCD started its journey with the incorporation of its parent Coffee Day Global Limited Company in 1996 by V.G. Siddhartha. It was on July 11, 1996, when the first CCD outlet was set up at Brigade Road, Bangalore, Karnataka.

Siddhartha did his Master’s in Economics from Mangalore University and had an enthusiasm for innovation. VG Siddhartha dived deep into the stock market in his early career. He had worked for JM Financial and Investment Consultancy in Mumbai when he was just 24 years of age. Veerappa Gangaiah Siddhartha Hegde acted there as a Management Trainee/Intern in portfolio Management and Securities Trading on the Indian Stock Market under Vice-Chairman Mahendra Kampani.

However, after completing his 2 years of work anniversary with JM Financial Limited, VG Siddhartha had to return to Bangalore when he received the capital from his father to start a business of his choice.

VG Siddhartha started by buying a stock market card for INR 30,000, and a company called Sivan Securities, which was later renamed Way2wealth Securities Ltd. The venture capital division of the company came to be known as Global Technology Ventures (GTV).

Siddhartha emerged as a full-time proprietary investor in the stock market in 1985. Furthermore, he also became the owner of 10,000 acres of coffee farms by then.

“When coffee trading was liberalised in the ’90s, I doubled the money I had invested in the plantations within a year,” said VG Siddhartha.

It was then that the Amalgamated Bean Coffee Trading Company Ltd (ABCTCL), a company that focused on coffee exports, was born in 1993.

Siddhartha’s plantations began to produce 3,000 tonnes of coffee, and with the help of ABCTCL, he traded over 20,000 tonnes. This way, in around two years, the company became the second-largest exporter from India.

As soon as its first coffee outlet or CCD store was set up on Bangalore’s crowded Brigade Road, it began to start a new journey.

The company soon expanded far and wide with its revolutionary concept, which allowed the millennials to sit and talk while sipping on their favorite beverage.

CCD is India’s largest coffee chain to date and is owned by Coffee Day Global, a subsidiary of Coffee Day Enterprises.

CCD First Outlet opened in Bangalore in 1996

He was inspired by the proprietors of the “driving espresso brand in Germany, — Tchibo”. This motivation gave Siddhartha a dream of an alternate world generally speaking and opened his eyes. It likewise gave a heavenly idea. With that thought, cup by cup he made his billion-dollar domain.

The company owned around 1,700 cafes, 48,000+ vending machines, 532 kiosks, and more than 403 ground coffee-selling outlets. The annual turnover of Coffee Day Enterprises was worth INR 4,264 crore, as per a Moneycontrol report of 2019.

Mounting Debts and Controversies

Café Coffee Day had accumulated a total debt of around INR 6,550 crore, as was reported in March 2019.

The coffee price hit a 13-year low in the international market, which also dragged the Indian prices when the Indian coffee exports were down by 10 %. To combat this debt, Siddhartha had to sell his entire 20.32% stake in the Bengaluru-headquartered IT services firm, Mindtree to the engineering major, L&T for around INR 3,200 crore. He was the largest shareholder in Mindtree and exited the company after remaining invested for close to two decades.

The mounting debts were just unsettling not only for the business but for Siddhartha as well. Even with the sale of his stakes, going ahead turned out to be tough because the working capital requirements could not be met.

All these led Siddhartha to strike a deal with the global beverage maker Coca-Cola for an equity sale in the flagship Café Coffee Day (CCD) at an enterprise valuation of around INR 10,000 crore. Besides, Blackstone was also reportedly in talks with the company to buy a majority stake in the real estate venture of the founder, known as Tanglin Developments, for around INR 2,800 crore.

VG Siddhartha slowly started to come under the radar of the Income Tax Department, which first raided the premises of the Café Coffee Day owner in September 2017. They discovered around INR 650 crore of concealed income from the documents seized when they concluded the search and seizure operations.

The income tax raids were also eventually conducted at 20+ locations, including Mumbai, Bengaluru, Chennai, and Chikmagalur, by the senior officers of the Income Tax Department of Karnataka and Goa regions.

The Missing Founder of CCD and his Death

Siddhartha had been found missing since July 29, 2019, and this news of the missing MD was further confirmed by Coffee Day Enterprises.

Siddhartha had been found missing since July 29, 2019, and this news of the missing MD was further confirmed by Coffee Day Enterprises. Siddhartha had allegedly told his driver that he would be going for a walk near the bridge and asked him to wait at a distance on the 29th of July 2019. The driver lodged a missing complaint with the police after waiting for two long hours for his return. A fisher claimed that he saw someone jumping off the bridge, but it was only allegedly true until two days later when his body was found in the Nethravathi River backwaters.

The Café Coffee Day boss VG Siddhartha had supposedly left a letter where he expressed his unhappiness over not creating “the right profitable business”. Besides, he also alleged that a senior income tax officer allegedly harassed him.

“I have failed to create the right profitable business model despite my best efforts. I would like to say I gave it my all. I am very sorry to let down all the people that put their trust in me. I fought for a long time, but today I gave up as I could not take any more pressure.”

“I could not take any more pressure from one of the private equity partners forcing me to buy back shares, a transaction I had partially completed six months ago by borrowing a large sum of money from a friend. Tremendous pressure from other lenders led to me succumbing to the situation. There was a lot of harassment from the previous DG income tax in the form of attaching our shares on two separate occasions to block our Mindtree deal and then taking the position of our Coffee Day shares… This was very unfair and has led to a serious liquidity crunch,” goes the last letter from the CCD chief.

In September 2019, the organization named reviewing firm Ernst and Young to examine their books of records. They also asked the inspector to investigate the conditions of the last letter composed by Siddhartha and the focus he put on it.

Without leaving much room for speculation regarding the company leadership, Malavika Hegde, the widow of Siddhartha, addressed all realities and showed radical honesty by taking charge of the sinking ship in December 2020. She is the daughter of the former Chief Minister of Kerala SM Krishna. She has a degree in engineering and has been associated with the coffee business since 2008. She was appointed as a non-executive director of the company in 2013.

Malvika took office at the most unprecedented time, burdened with the multiple responsibilities to take the company out of the debt mountain of whooping INR 7000 crore, make the company profitable, and retain the trust of her employees.

CCD Business Model And Marketing

CCD has adopted a very effective business strategy, which is compartmentalized below.

Innovation and Expansion

The humongous amount of sustenance and refreshments made CCD possible. Besides, the ambitious moves of CCD and its rapid expansion into level 2 urban communities of India and other remote areas were some triumphant techniques that encouraged CCD to be on the fronts of its rivals like Starbucks and Barista.

Its different auxiliaries like Coffee Day Fresh ‘n’ Ground, Coffee Day Square, Coffee Day Resorts, Coffee Day Beverages, and so forth have helped the organization to satisfy the client’s needs and stay ahead simultaneously.

Also, CCD’s regular involvement on Twitter, Facebook, and Instagram further engaged its customers. Café Coffee Day also brought in the character, Beano, to connect with the purchasers in 2016.

Strategy of Distribution

In 2020, there were 1,752 CCD outlets crosswise over 29 states of India. Café Coffee Day has likewise extended outside India with its outlets in Austria (Vienna), the Czech Republic, Dubai, Malaysia, and Cairo, Egypt. The Indian sorted-out division has the potential for around 5,000 bistros, yet less than 1,000 bistros exist, as of now.

S.No.	Elements	Illustration
1	People	17000+ employees, 20 in R&D, 70 in HR
2	Technology	The latest technology in a coffee plantation, Curing, roasting, and Probat roasting machines
3	Channels	Cafe, Lounge, Square
4	Value Proposition	Identifying target customers, defining the benefits, and providing the best value to satisfy
5	Profit Formula	Financial sustainability of the firm in long run basis
6	CSR	Provide free education and training to villagers and offer them jobs

Difference In Concoction

These are some prominent moves that made CCD stand out from its peers and rivals:

Past nourishment, the emphasis is on getting the experience right. CCD propelled its application to follow shopper conduct, customize offers and advancements, empower cashless exchanges through implicit wallets, and fabricate unwaveringly.
In 2016, CCD partnered with Freecharge to empower cashless exchanges at the outlets, where the clients could utilize their portable numbers to pay and finish the exchange in under 10 seconds. Be that as it may, Harminder Sahni, author, and MD Wazir Advisors, consider these as strategic contributions.
To further lift involvement, CCD started Café Concerts in 2016 with attention to live gigs in Mumbai, Delhi, Pune, and Bengaluru. Cafe concerts were unique at the time when it was introduced by CCD and played a big hand in hooking the young crowd.

The 3As Strategy

The chief components influencing rivalry in the espresso retail area include evaluating, item/administration quality, brand recognition, taste, and item assortment.

To separate itself from rivalry, CCD has manufactured its retail procedure on 3As:

Affordability: CCD ensures that it attracts every kind of customer — be it a school/college student or an office goer, at an affordable price.
Accessibility: The goal of the brand was to ensure that the cafes should be within arm’s reach. CCD believes in serving people across the country by providing the same experience everywhere.
Acceptability: CCD ensures that consumers should buy and drink their product without compromising on taste. The strategy was to bring people together to relax and unwind. The company further encouraged its customers with its catchy tagline that says “Let us catch up on CCD” which every Indian must have heard at one point or another.

The Present Day CCD

Case Study of Cafe Coffee Day — Number of cafes of Cafe Coffee Day across India from financial year 2014 to 2024

At its peak in 2019, CCD operated 1,752 outlets across 243 Indian cities. However Café Coffee Day reportedly shut down around 280 outlets in the wake of FY20 and with this, the company reported a total of 1480 outlets, as per the reports dated June 30, 2020. CCD closed 19 more stores in the past 12 months, reducing its total to 450 in 141 cities.

The Bengaluru-based coffee chain recorded a 10% rise in net revenue, reaching INR 1,013 crore ($120.6 million) for the 12 months ending 31 March 2024.

Coffee Day Enterprises Ltd (CDEL) reported a total default of INR 433.91 crore on interest and principal payments to banks, financial institutions, and unlisted debt securities, including NCDs and NCRPS, for the quarter ending June 30, 2024. The total loan funds of the company amounted to INR 1,159 crore, including INR 102 crore in long-term borrowings and INR 1,057 crore in short-term borrowings, with net debt at INR 881 crore as of FY24.

The company had been trying to pare its debts with the sale of its non-core assets after the death of its founder. CCD has announced to repay its debts worth INR 1644 crore to 13 of its lenders. This had been possible with the sale of its technology business park to Blackstone Group and Salarpuria Sattva at an enterprising value of INR 2,700 crore. The company also sold its stakes to Mindtree and L & L&T previously.

The company’s net debt was worth INR 2,909.95 crore in the FY20 and as per the latest reports dated March 31, 2021, CDEL’s net debt came down to INR 1,731 crore.

It was during the same time that CDEL announced that it had appointed Justice Manjunath to “suggest and oversee actions”, who will supervise the recovery of over INR 3,535 crore, which was allegedly siphoned out of the company into Mysore Amalgamated Coffee Estates Limited (MACEL), which goes as a personal firm promoted by its late founder V G Siddhartha.

The last report said that the “Management of the Company is putting its best efforts to get back the company on track.” It further added that “the debt levels have reduced significantly from the beginning of the financial year March 2021.”

CDEL’s net operational revenue was measured on a consolidated basis in FY21, which was valued at INR 853 crores against INR 2,522 crores in FY20.

The brand currently has a presence in the coffee, logistics, and hospitality segments. The coffee business of the company, which includes its popular café chain brand Café Coffee Day (CCD), contributed around 47% of its consolidated net revenue. The other remaining parts were a result of its logistics business and logistics, which accounted for 45% and 8% of the revenues.

CCD currently operates 450 cafes, which run in 141 cities, and 265 CCD Value Express kiosks. Furthermore, it also boasts of having 52,581 vending machines as of FY24 to “dispense coffee in corporate workplaces and hotels under the brand”.

Achievements of CCD

2007 – Cafe Coffee Day won the Times Food Award under the category of “Best Coffee Bar” from the Times of India
2008 – Cafe Coffee Day won the Burrper’s Choice Award for being cast a ballot as the “Coolest Café” by the clients of burrp.com
2009 – Espresso Day Global won the honor of “Retailer of the Year” under the classification of Food & Beverages (cooking administrations) by the Asia Retail Congress
2010 – Cafe Coffee Day won the Indian Hospitality Excellence Award under the category of “India’s Most Popular Coffee Joint: 2010”
2012 – Cafe Coffee Day was positioned as the 26th Most Trusted Service Brand in India and as the second Most Exciting Brand under the classification of “Nourishment Services” in India under a study done by Brand Equity (EconomicTimes)
2012 – Cafe Coffee Day won the Best Coffee Bar Award from mouthshut.com
2013 – Cafe Coffee Day was positioned as the 26th Most Trusted Service Brand in India under a study done by Brand Equity (Economic Times)
2013 – Cafe Coffee Day was granted “The NCPEDP – Shell Helen Keller Award 2013” by the National Center for Promotion of Employment for Disabled People for being a good example organization in creating work open doors for individuals with inabilities
2013 -Espresso Day Global was granted as the Best Retailer under the class of “Best Customer Service in Café Restaurant” by the Star Retailer Awards
2013 – CafeCoffee Day won the Brand Excellence Award in retail part from ABP news
2012-2013 – Espresso Day Global was granted a bronze prize by the Coffee Board of India for being the third-best exporter of green espresso
2014 – Espresso Day Global was granted “Retailer of the Year” (Organization Food and Grocery) for retail greatness by ABP News
2014 – Espresso Day Global was granted ‘Retailer of the Year for brand greatness by ABP News
2014 – Cafe Coffee Day was positioned as the 22nd Most Trusted Service Brand in India, as 27th Most Exciting Brand in India, and as second Most Exciting Brand under the class of “Nourishment Services” in India, under an overview done by Brand Equity (Economic Times)
2014 – Mr. V G Siddhartha was conferred upon the ‘ET Retail Hall of Fame for his commitment to the development of the retail part

Conclusion

Café Coffee Day has faced tough times but is still loved for shaping India’s coffee culture. The company is working hard to reduce its debt and grow again. With its strong brand, loyal customers, and new ideas, CCD can remain a favorite place for coffee lovers.

FAQs

When was Cafe Coffee Day founded?

Cafe Coffee Day was founded in the year 1996.

What is the full form of CCD?

CCD stands for Cafe Coffee Day.

Is Cafe Coffee Day in debt?

Yes, CCD has been in debt for a long time. Coffee Day Enterprises said it has Rs 518 crore of debt including both short and long term and that it has defaulted on about Rs 263 crore of payments.

Is Cafe Coffee Day shutting down?

Almost 500 cafe outlets of the coffee chain Cafe Coffee Day have been closed down since April 2019, as the company looks to arrest the falling profitability of its coffee business and readies for divestment of the business. CCD had to close these outlets as it readies for divestment.

What happened with Cafe Coffee Day?

Coffee Day Enterprises Limited reported that at least Rs 2,000 crores ($270 million) was missing from its accounts, soon after the death of founder V.G. Siddhartha which led to an investigation initiated by their board.

What is the CCD tagline?

“A lot can happen over coffee”, is the tagline of Cafe Coffee Day.

Who are the competitors of Cafe Coffee Day?

A few cafe coffee day competitors are – Starbucks, Costa Coffee, Barista, and Gloria’s.

Can I sit and work in CCD?

It’s ok to sit and work until you’re asked to leave.

Why is CCD in loss?

CCD is at a loss because the founder V.G. Siddhartha died of an apparent suicide in 2019. His sudden death came as a surprise and caused a huge loss to the company. Also, the brand has suffered another hit due to the Covid-19 pandemic and the lockdown.

December 18, 2024

Shantanu Deshpande: Crafting the Future of Grooming

For generations, men’s grooming has often been overshadowed by the spotlight cast upon women’s beauty rituals. However, in recent times, there has been a notable shift in this narrative. Men’s grooming has emerged from the shadows, taking a prominent place in the contemporary discourse surrounding personal care and self-presentation.

With an array of skincare products, hair styling tools, and grooming services gaining importance, men are exploring new avenues to enhance their appearance and boost their confidence.

Shantanu Deshpande is one among those who saw this opportunity and decided to bring a big overhaul to the Indian grooming industry for men. He decided to launch a company that is specifically directed towards men’s grooming.

In this article, explore more about the Bombay Shaving Company founder, Shantanu Deshpande, including his education, career, investments, podcast, and more.

Shantanu Deshpande Biography

Name	Shantanu Deshpande
Birthplace	Dallas, United States
Born	1987
Education	B.Tech, Computer Science (Visvesvaraya National Institute of Technology, Nagpur) MBA (IIM, Lucknow)
Position	Founder and CEO, Bombay Shaving Company
Spouse	Sakshi Gudwani
Parents	Kiran Deshpande and Rajani Deshpande

Shantanu Deshpande – Early Life
Shantanu Deshpande – Education
Shantanu Deshpande – Career
Shantanu Deshpande – Bombay Shaving Company
Shantanu Deshpande – Investments
Shantanu Deshpande – Podcast
Shantanu Deshpande – Controversy
Shantanu Deshpande – Awards and Recognitions
Shantanu Deshpande – Interesting Facts
Shantanu Deshpande – Quotes

Shantanu Deshpande – Early Life

Shantanu Deshpande is from a Maharashtrian family from Indore. He was born in Dallas, US. His father, Kiran Deshpande was working with the TCS in the US. Around 1997, Shantanu Deshpande’s family decided to come back to India, post which he continued his education in India. Growing up he was inspired by his father who built big companies from scratch.

Shantanu Deshpande – Education

After coming back from the US, Shantanu did his schooling at Vikhe Patil School in Pune. He decided to pursue engineering in higher studies and finished his B.Tech in Computer Science at Visvesvaraya National Institute of Technology (VNIT), Nagpur.

During the final year of college, Shantanu didn’t want to settle for any ordinary path for further studies. So, he decided to appear for many competitive exams like CAT, and GMAT, leading him to join IIM Lucknow to pursue an MBA.

Shantanu Deshpande – Career

After his MBA at IIM Lucknow, Shantanu was successful in getting a placement at McKinsey & Company. He is seen praising McKinsey to a great extent in many interviews. He even calls it his ‘Maika’ (Mom’s house).

About his time in the organization, he says, “For me, McKinsey helped in character building in so many ways, and I think a lot of who I am today, and I attribute to my time at the firm.”

However, after five years at McKinsey, he came up with some great ideas and decided that it was time to start his own company. So in 2016, he stepped into his entrepreneurial journey by co-founding Bombay Shaving Company along with Deepu Panicker, Raunak Munot, and Rohit Jaiswal.

In 2021, Shantanu became an External Advisor at McKinsey, where he focuses on digital commerce and consumer topics.

He also advises Advent International on consumer investments, hosts The BarberShop with Shantanu (his podcast) to make entrepreneurship easier to understand, and works as an ambassador for Olympic Gold Quest, helping India’s top athletes.

Shantanu Deshpande – Bombay Shaving Company

Bombay Shaving Company, founded in 2016 is a D2C high-end men’s grooming business that serves customers in India with premium goods. The company claims that its goal is to make the best grooming products available for men so they feel confident and look their best.

The product line includes- trimmers, razors, shave care, skin care, bath etc. Initially started as a men’s grooming business, it subsequently ventured into women’s skincare and body care too. In 2022, ‘Bombae’, a women’s hair removal and personal care brand, was launched which proved to be a great success.

The company also offers a subscription option for the purchase of the blades and creams.

It is remarkable that during the pandemic the company didn’t suffer much. That was because they sell directly to customers and focus strongly on their online presence, they were in a better position than many other similar companies to handle the tough times brought by the pandemic.

Bombay Shaving Company Revenue From Operations (FY20-FY23)

Shantanu Deshpande – Investments

The Bombay Shaving Company Founder, Shantanu Deshpande has made 13 investments. His latest investment was in the Series A round of Ginglani Distillers on March 26, 2024, when the company raised INR 12.5 crore.

Announced Date	Organization Name	Lead Investor	Funding Round	Money Raised
March 26, 2024	Ginglani Distillers	–	Series A	₹12.5 crore
March 19, 2024	Relso	–	Pre-Seed Round	$840k
March 12, 2024	Fiona Diamonds	–	Seed Round	₹6 crore
August 9, 2023	All Is Well	–	Seed Round	₹2.07 crore
August 8, 2023	Go Zero	–	Seed Round	$1 million
March 29, 2023	Serigen Mediproducts	–	Seed Round	₹5.8 crore
October 11, 2022	Wishlink	–	Seed Round	$3 million
September 12, 2022	Beco	–	Series A	$3 million
August 24, 2022	Liquide	–	Pre-Seed Round	$2.2 million
May 12, 2022	The Legal Capsule	–	Seed Round	–
October 27, 2020	Treebo	–	–	₹10 crore

Shantanu Deshpande – Podcast

“The BarberShop with Shantanu” is the video podcast launched by Shantanu Deshpande.

While the first season of the show involves deep discussions with entrepreneurs, the second and third seasons bring together founders, CEOs, and business leaders. The show is quite popular and has crores of viewers. It also launched Razorpreneur 2.0, a content creation challenge where participants can win rewards, including a one-year contract with Bombay Shaving Company.

Shark Anupam Mittal REVEALS Investment Strategies, Breaks Down Indian Markets & More | Sneak Peek

Shantanu Deshpande – Controversy

In this digital world, almost every famous person makes headlines for being caught in some controversy or the other. Shantanu Deshpande is not an exception. Almost similar to Narayana Murthy of Infosys, Shantanu too was caught in a controversy over his social media post about the work culture among youngsters.

This was in 2022 when Shantanu was caught in a controversy related to his social media post advising freshers and young people to work 18 hours a day in the formative years of their careers. He was criticized by the netizens who said he was promoting a “toxic work culture”.

Following this criticism, he wrote, “Yikes, so much hate for 18-hour days. It’s a proxy for ‘giving your all and then some’.”

He also said, “I did not mean to put in 18 hours every day. My exaggeration to make a point was taken out of context. I just meant to give it my all,”.

More recently, in December 2024, Shantanu Deshpande raised concerns about India’s quick food delivery market in a LinkedIn post. He criticised the unhealthy, processed food and short cooking times involved in quick deliveries. Deshpande urged platforms like Zomato, Swiggy, and Zepto to offer healthier options and encouraged people to cook at home.

His comments sparked a debate online, with some agreeing with his concerns about food quality. Others, such as Jaikishan Bhatia manager at Cipla, called for regulatory measures, suggesting that a separate “preparation time” should be considered to avoid compromising food quality in the pursuit of speed.

Shantanu Deshpande – Awards and Recognitions

Shantanu Deshpande was enlisted under the best 40 under 40 of Fortune India, 2022.

Shantanu Deshpande – Interesting Facts

Shantanu Deshpande was a member of the college football team and was the sports secretary of the college.
He also loves music and used to play Tabla in his college band.
He serves as an ambassador for the Olympic Gold Quest.

Shantanu Deshpande – Quotes

If you are in a place where you are not learning or you are not feeling inspired or you are not having fun then you are in the wrong place. Change your work environment.

FAQs

Who is Shantanu Deshpande?

Shantanu Deshpande is the Co-founder and CEO of Bombay Shaving Company.

When was Bombay Shaving Company founded?

Bombay Shaving Company was founded by Shantanu Deshpande, Raunak Munot, Deepu Panicker, and Rohit Jaiswal in 2015.

What is the product category of Bombay Shaving Company?

Bombay Shaving Company offers a wide range of men’s grooming products which includes shaving, beard grooming, haircare, skincare, and bath care. They also offer women grooming products for skincare and body care.

What is Shantanu Deshpande education?

Shantanu Deshpande completed his B.Tech in Computer Science at Visvesvaraya National Institute of Technology (VNIT), Nagpur, and went on to earn an MBA from IIM Lucknow.

Who is Shantanu Deshpande’s wife?

The Bombay Shaving Company Founder and CEO, Shantanu Deshpande’s wife, Sakshi Gudwani, is a Senior Program Officer at the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation.

December 18, 2024

Ola Wants to Grow its Food and Beverage Division on ONDC

The popular ride-hailing service Ola plans to soon extend its food and beverage (F&B) vertical throughout India via the Open Network for Digital Commerce (ONDC). Ola is one of the top two platforms on ONDC that creates significant demand in the F&B market, according to Thampy Koshy, managing director and chief executive officer of the organisation, who was speaking at the launch of the ONDC white paper, “Driving Digital Inclusion: Open Networks and Zero-Commission Mobility Apps.” Ola has notified ONDC that they will shortly expand its F&B business throughout India. Additionally, it just began providing groceries and plans to add other divisions shortly, Koshy stated. It is important to remember that Ola only provides F&B services in a few cities at this time through ONDC.

Offering Last-Mile Logistics Services

Ola provides last-mile logistics services for every category, including grocery shopping, food delivery, and pharmaceuticals through ONDC, in addition to food delivery. This occurs as Uber and Rapido, Ola’s fiercest competitors, have also jumped on the ONDC bandwagon to increase the range of services they offer. Uber signed a deal with the Chennai Metro Rail (CMRL) earlier this year to broaden its mobility capabilities, while Rapido sells tickets for the service directly through the ONDC platform. Namma Yatri, a union-backed ride-hailing business, also joined forces with ONDC a few months ago to launch its taxi and car rental services.

ONDC’s Performance

According to the recently released ONDC report, since December of last year, the volume of transactions on ONDC has increased by about three times. By December 2025, it is anticipated that the number of transactions would have increased by 7-8X. It is important to note that in October, ONDC saw 14 million transactions. The mobility segment accounted for over 5.5 million of these transactions, while the non-mobility categories accounted for 8.4 million. As this number has increased, ONDC has also been modifying its commission structure. It reduced the incentive for network participants earlier this month from INR 60 lakh for the October holiday season to INR 40 lakh for December.

Open Network Models will Reap Benefits

The Government of India launched ONDC with the goal of decentralising e-commerce by giving local vendors and small enterprises an equal opportunity to compete with larger platforms. The drawbacks of the present ride-hailing systems, including low driver pay and poor customer service, are examined in a recently released white paper.

According to the findings, India’s economy might benefit from an annual contribution of INR 51,000 crore to INR 67,000 crore if open network models are used in the country’s mobility sector. A 30% increase in driver wages is also possible, which may enhance their annual income by INR 1.36 lakh.

From orders over INR 250, ONDC will start charging a transaction fee of INR 1.50 from January 1, 2025. This fee, intended to guarantee the platform’s financial stability, will be borne by sellers, including logistics companies, lenders, and insurers.

Namma Yatri, an Indian Brand, Is Eyeing the American Market

According to reports, the ride-hailing app Namma Yatri, based in Bengaluru, is looking into entering the American market.

StartupTalkyNitin Konde

December 17, 2024
The GST Council May Think Reducing the Tax on Online Meal Delivery Services

According to reports, at its upcoming meeting on December 21, the Goods and Services Tax (GST) Council will discuss reducing the tax rate on online food deliveries from the current 18% to 5%. According to reports cited by a media outlet, foodtech businesses will not be able to claim the input tax credit (ITC) for delivery fees. According to the report, the Council’s Fitment Committee intends to suggest lowering the GST rates, which would take effect on January 1, 2022. By doing this, the government seems to have heeded the demands of foodtech platforms to lower GST on delivery fees and level the playing field with eateries.

The Move will Provide Breather to Zomato and Swiggy

For Zomato and Swiggy, which have been struggling under the weight of numerous GST notices, a decrease in GST rates will bring much-needed respite and clarity. The proposed action is noteworthy since it comes days after Maharashtra’s GST authorities ordered foodtech giant Zomato to pay INR 804 Cr, including taxes and penalties, for failing to pay certain taxes between 2019 and 2022. In addition, earlier this year, the company received several GST demand notices from Gujarati, Karnataka, and Haryana officials. Swiggy, its fiercest competitor, may also owe INR 326.7 Cr in GST, according to its most recent draft red herring prospectus (DRHP), which was submitted to SEBI prior to becoming public. The news follows Zomato’s November inaugural qualified institutional placement (QIP), which garnered INR 8,500 Cr (about $1 billion).

Recent Developments of Swiggy and Zomato

In October, Swiggy introduced Bolt, a speedy delivery service that promises to bring meals to consumers in as little as ten minutes. This project, which has begun in a few locations, attempts to satisfy the growing customer demand for meal delivery that is quick, tasty, and convenient.

Today Customers are purchasing a wide variety of goods, and food delivery is no exception. Customers simply fall for products more quickly. Whatever the food is, it makes no difference. During the September earnings call, Rohit Kapoor, CEO of Swiggy’s Food Marketplace, stated that the business believes Bolt is a major bet here. With a ‘Buy’ recommendation and a 20% upside potential, Axis Capital began covering Swiggy on December 16 with a target price of INR 640 per share. According to the broking, Swiggy, the second-biggest qcom/food delivery company in India, offers an alluring investment opportunity.

Swiggy launched ‘One BLCK’ a few days ago, offering customers an invite-only membership for an “elevated” experience that included an On-Time Guarantee and quicker delivery for all food orders. All of the advantages of the current Swiggy One membership, such as unlimited free deliveries on both food delivery and Instamart, as well as special member-only discounts on food delivery and dineout, would also be available to One BLCK members, according to Swiggy.

In an intensified effort to increase food delivery, Zomato has been concentrating on shortening delivery times and expanding restaurant availability. Zomato claimed to have observed an increase in platform usage since delivery times have decreased and food has arrived more quickly.

Swiggy Launches “One BLCK” Membership Plan

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StartupTalkyNitin Konde

December 17, 2024
More than 600 Online Gaming Companies Are Found by DGGI in a Tax Evasion Investigation

Pankaj Chaudhary, the Minister of State (MoS) for Finance, informed the Parliament that the Centre is investigating 642 offshore gaming, betting, and gambling organisations for possible tax fraud. Chaudhary further stated that the finance ministry is collaborating with the electronics and IT ministry (MeitY) to prohibit these websites in a written response submitted to the Lok Sabha.

“642 offshore companies that offer internet gambling, betting, and money gaming have been found so far for inquiry. According to the guidelines of Section 14A(3) of the IGST Act, 2017, MeitY has been notified to restrict the websites and URLs of the offshore online gaming companies that were discovered to be unresponsive and uncooperative during the investigation, Chaudhary stated. Selvaganapathi TM, a DMK MP, asked the minister if the Centre had any reciprocal agreements with other countries for exchanging information on tax avoidance by such organisations. The MoS Finance said that no such arrangements exist.

Expanding Nexus of Illegal Betting Platforms

The CEO of the industry group All India Gaming Federation (AIGF), Roland Landers, stated earlier this year that offshore unlawful betting platforms cost the national exchequer a staggering $2.5 billion in goods and services tax (GST) income annually. The current regulations mandate that all offshore online gaming businesses operating in the nation, regardless of whether they provide skill-based or chance-based games, establish a subsidiary in India or designate a representative to pay taxes on money received from clients. For real money gaming, all gaming platforms in the nation are required to pay a 28% GST on the full face value of bets.

28% GST Regime

Last year on October 1st, the 28% GST regime went into force. Many stakeholders and industry participants argued that the new regulation will negatively affect the domestic online gaming market and called for its reversal. The Centre, however, remained steadfast. Online gaming companies’ collections increased 412% year over year (YoY) to INR 6,909 Cr in the six months following the new regime’s implementation (October 2023 to March 2024).

The Central Board of Indirect Taxes & Customs, Department of Revenue, Ministry of Finance, is home to the former Directorate General of Central Excise Intelligence (DGCEI), now known as the Directorate General of GST Intelligence (DGGI). This top intelligence agency is tasked with gathering, compiling, and disseminating information about the evasion of the Goods and Services Tax (GST), which was implemented on July 1, 2017, and the duties of the Central Excise and Service Tax throughout India.

The Directorate General has a variety of responsibilities when it comes to combating the threat of duty avoidance. Through its nationwide intelligence network, it gathers intelligence, particularly in emerging areas of tax evasion, and disseminates it by sending out Modus Operandi Circulars and Alert Circulars to advise field formations of the most recent developments in duty avoidance. When it is deemed essential, this Directorate General conducts operations to uncover GST, Central Excise Duty, and Service Tax evasion, either alone or in coordination with field forces.

CCI Approves KKR’s Investment in Rebel Foods

The CCI has approved US-based KKR’s proposal to acquire a share in Rebel Foods, paving the way for a significant investment in the food tech company.

StartupTalkyNitin Konde

December 17, 2024
The US-Based KKR’s Plan to Purchase a Share in Rebel Foods has been Approved by CCI

The application by private equity (PE) giant KKR to purchase a share in cloud kitchen upstart Rebel Foods has been approved by the Competition Commission of India (CCI). The CCI announced that Royce Asia Holdings, a subsidiary of KKR, will purchase an undisclosed quantity of the startup’s shares and compulsorily convertible preference shares (CCPS) through a secondary transaction.

Therefore, since the proposed transaction won’t have a negative impact on competition in India, the relevant market need not be specified and can remain open in the absence of any horizontally overlapping and/or vertically complementary commercial operations of the parties in India. According to a statement from the CCI, the proposed transaction is being submitted through the green channel process. If a transaction does not pose a significant risk of having a negative impact on competition, it is considered permitted via the green channel method after being communicated to the CCI.

Funds are Expected to be Raised at a Valuation of $800 Mn to $860 Mn

This development occurs a few days after it was reported that KKR was prepared to purchase shares from Rebel Foods‘ current investors, such as Peak XV Partners and Coatue, for between $50 million and $75 million through a secondary sale. The funds are expected to be raised at a valuation of $800 million to $860 million, according to various media reports. In its Series G round, which was headed by Temasek and included current backer Evolvence, Rebel Foods raised an incredible $210 million last week. There were both main and secondary deals in the round. Rebel Foods was established in 2011 by Jaydeep Barman and Kallol Banerjee. It runs a number of quick-service restaurant (QSR) brands, including Wendy’s, Behrouz Biryani, Ovenstory Pizza, The Good Bowl, and SLAY Coffee.

Funding Till Date And Financial Report Card

With support from companies like Lightbox and Evolvence, among others, the firm has secured over $773 million in capital so far. According to reports from October of this year, the cloud kitchen unicorn planned to list on the Indian stock exchanges within the next 12 to 18 months. In terms of finances, Rebel Foods was able to reduce its net loss from INR 656.5 Cr in the previous fiscal year to INR 378.2 Cr in the fiscal year 2023–24 (FY24), a 42% reduction. From INR 1,195.2 Cr in FY23 to INR 1,420.2 Cr, operating revenue increased by 19%.

Among its rivals are Tiger Global-funded Eatclub and Curefoods, which is supported by Binny Bansal. Temasek Holdings, a sovereign wealth fund based in Singapore, was approved by CCI last month to purchase a share in Rebel Foods.

CCI Orders Investigation into Google Following Winzo Complaint

The CCI orders an investigation into Google after gaming company Winzo files a complaint, raising concerns over competitive practices in India.

StartupTalkyNitin Konde

December 17, 2024
Meity Seeking Concepts for Creating a Reliable AI Ecosystem and Tools

Startups and other pertinent parties have been asked to submit ideas for developing AI-powered tools that can identify deepfakes to the Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology (MeitY). The Ministry has requested five suggestions for the creation of domestic technical AI tools, rules, frameworks, and standards in order to establish a reliable AI ecosystem, in accordance with the expression of interest (EoI) issued by MeitY. As artificial intelligence (AI) advances make deepfakes more realistic, it is critical to provide deepfake detection techniques that protect society from possible disinformation and manipulation, as per the document released by MeitY. According to MeitY, in order to assess the authenticity of media and identify manipulation, the possible deepfake detection system should use advanced deep learning algorithms, provenance-based approaches, and other detection methods.

Additionally, it stated that in order to facilitate automated cross-modal content verification, offer real-time detection, and improve digital ecosystem security, the submitted deepfake detection technologies should be constructed in a way that makes them simple to incorporate into web browsers and social media platforms.

Laying Emphasis on Tool that can Differentiate Between AI Generated and Non AI Generated Content

The creation of a tool to distinguish AI-generated content from non-AI-generated content is another project the ministry hopes to carry out under the IndiaAI Mission. The EoI emphasised that in order to guarantee traceability and security and stop the creation of harmful and unlawful information, such a platform should contain distinct and undetectable identifiers in AI-generated content. The third initiative entails creating a platform that can assess how resilient AI systems are for high-stress situations like cyberattacks, natural catastrophes, and operational and data failures. Stress testing can guarantee readiness for high-stakes scenarios and offer useful insights into system flaws. According to the EoI, this theme focuses on the creation of instruments and techniques, like simulation-based testing or stress evaluation metrics, that are especially intended to strengthen the resilience of AI systems under pressure.

Setting Up of Ethical AI Framework

Furthermore, in order to guarantee that “AI systems respect fundamental human values, uphold fairness, transparency, and accountability, and avoid perpetuating biases or discrimination,” MeitY has urged stakeholders to submit recommendations for “ethical AI frameworks” that provide an organised method. The report also stated that in order to facilitate the widespread use of AI, “it is necessary to create thorough AI Risk Assessment and Management tools and frameworks that are intended to detect, evaluate, and reduce cross-sectoral safety risks, guaranteeing that failures in one area are contained and managed without affecting interconnected sectors.”

Applications are Invited From All Institutions

The EoI adds that entrepreneurs, academic institutions in India, research and development groups, commercial businesses, and startups are all welcome to apply for the projects. This comes days after S Krishnan, the IT secretary, allegedly stated that the Ministry was developing a system to assess the reliability and safety of AI technologies. Additionally, he stated at the time that the centre aims to emphasis innovation while avoiding restrictive rules. Earlier this year, Union IT Minister Jyotiraditya Scindia notably reiterated this opinion, stating that ethical considerations and a strong legal framework should govern the adoption of AI. The Indian generative AI (GenAI) ecosystem, which is home to 200 businesses and has raised over $1.2 billion in funding between 2020 and the third quarter (Q3) of 2024.

RBI Panel to Regulate Ethical AI in Financial Services

RBI establishes a panel to oversee the ethical use of AI in financial services, aiming to ensure responsible innovation and safeguard consumer trust.

StartupTalkyNitin Konde

December 17, 2024
Wardwizard Innovations Anticipates that Electric Three-Wheelers will Account for 30 to 35% of Sales

Wardwizard Innovations & Mobility, an electric vehicle manufacturer based in Vadodara, stated on 13 December that it anticipates e-three-wheelers to account for roughly 30 to 35 percent of its future sales volume. Additionally, the business stated that it hopes to sell up to 42,000 units by the end of the current fiscal year.

With two new product releases in the passenger and two in the commercial segments earlier in the day, Wardwizard Innovations & Mobility increased the range of products it offers under the Joy-e-rik and Joy-e-bike brands. A fast electric two-wheeler has also been unveiled. “We anticipate that three-wheeler sales will account for 30 to 35 percent of our total vehicle sales,” Akhtar Khatri, Director of Sales and Strategy, told reporters during a press conference.

Aiming to Hit a Target of 60,000 Units

In addition to 2,000 three-wheelers, the company hopes to sell between 35,000 and 40,000 two-wheelers this fiscal year. The goal for the following fiscal year (FY 26) is to sell 50,000 e-two-wheelers and an additional 10,000 electric three-wheelers.

Additionally, Wardwizard stated that the present e-two-wheeler production capacity is 1.20 lakh units yearly, while the e-three-wheeler production capacity is 60,000 units annually.

The Pricing Range & Technology Used

With three drive modes—eco, sport, and hyper—and a 72V, 40Ah lithium-ion (NMC) battery with Smart BMS for longer life and performance, the high-speed electric scooter Nemo, which retails for INR 99,000 (ex-showroom), is made for urban roads, according to the manufacturer. According to the firm, Nemo has operating costs as low as 17 paisa per kilometre. Along with offering an initial pricing of INR 98,000 until the next month, the business also stated that reservations for the e-scooter would be accepted starting on 13 December.

According to the company, the passenger sector e-three-wheeler Joy-e-rick features a 10.24 kW lithium-ion battery, a top speed of 50 km, and a range of 150 km on a full charge. It starts at INR 3.85 lakh (ex-showroom). The 48V BLDC motor of the passenger e-rickshaw Joy Bandhu can provide a maximum power of 1.59 kW, while the 7.2 kW lead-acid battery pack can go 100–120 km between charges. According to Wardwizard Innovations & Mobility, its ex-showroom pricing range is INR 1.34 lakh.

As per the official statement, the e-rickshaw and e-three-wheeler for the cargo category are priced at INR 1.30 lakh (ex-showroom) and INR 4.24 lakh (ex-showroom), respectively. According to its Chairman and Managing Director Yatin Gupte, the company’s new models across both business sectors represent a major turning point in our dedication to furthering India’s shift to environmentally friendly and green mobility.

Tesla Teams Up with DLF to Find New Delhi Showroom Location

Tesla, with DLF’s assistance, has renewed its efforts to find a showroom location in New Delhi, signaling plans for deeper market entry in India.

StartupTalkyNitin Konde

December 17, 2024
Google Cloud Launches Google Agentspace

On 16 December, Google Cloud announced Google Agentspace, which gives workers access to company knowledge using AI agents that combine enterprise data, Google-quality search, and Gemini’s sophisticated reasoning, independent of where the data is kept. With just one instruction, Google Agentspace helps workers do complicated activities that call for preparation, research, content creation, and action.

For businesses, brilliance isn’t only about individual genius; it’s about the collective intelligence within an organisation, according to Mark Micallef, Managing Director, Southeast Asia, Google Cloud. However, this genius is frequently concealed in silos, making it unavailable to those who need it most at the most critical times. According to research from Google, enterprise workers typically use four to six tools only to ask a question and receive a response. The company is giving business employees a group of AI agents who serve as their helpful sidekicks through Google Agentspace. With just a single request, these AI agents assist staff members with information searches, insights, content creation, and actions across corporate systems, freeing them up to concentrate on their most important tasks and achieve unprecedented levels of productivity.

Features of Google Agentspace

Google created NotebookLM to assist people with understanding complex data, and Google Cloud is now enabling businesses to use this feature. Employees may use NotebookLM Plus to upload data for synthesis, get insights, and experience new data engagement features like audio overviews, which resemble podcasts, among other things. Millions of users enjoy the same experience, which has been improved with work-related security and privacy features. Additionally, Google is beginning to release Gemini 2.0 Flash’s experimental version in NotebookLM.

Multimodal Search Agent

Google Agentspace provides employees with a unified, company-branded multimodal search agent that serves as a central source of enterprise information for the entire organisation. Extending Google’s search capabilities, Agentspace may offer conversational support, respond to intricate queries, offer proactive recommendations, and take action based on specific data about a business. It can do this with both organised data, like tables, and unstructured data, like emails and documents. Additionally, Agentspace has translation built in so that staff members can comprehend information that comes from a different language. Employees can quickly access and query pertinent data sources and improve decision-making using pre-built connectors for the most widely used third-party apps, including Confluence, Google Drive, Jira, Microsoft SharePoint, ServiceNow, and more.

Generative AI Contextually

Custom AI agents that use generative AI contexts are launched through Google Agentspace. Businesses may now give their staff members in marketing, finance, law, engineering, and other departments the tools they need to perform better research, create content more rapidly, and automate tedious processes like multi-step workflows. Businesses can use Agentspace to scale AI by putting these agents in an easy-to-use interface so staff members can find and access all of the knowledgeable agents in one location. Employees will soon be able to create and fine-tune their own expert agents on Agentspace using a low-code visual tool.

Providing Breather to Business Operators

Business analysts can easily identify market trends and produce engaging, data-driven presentations powered by AI-generated insights with Google Agentspace. HR departments can transform the employee experience by streamlining the onboarding process. By proactively finding and fixing defects, software developers may increase the efficiency of their builds and iterations while speeding up deployment processes. To get better results, marketers can easily fine-tune campaigns, optimise content recommendations, and uncover deeper performance analysis.

Lastly, the most important thing is always security. Because Agentspace is based on Google Cloud’s secure-by-design architecture, businesses can confidently implement AI agents throughout their companies. Furthermore, Google Cloud offers granular IT controls, such as integration between Identity and Access Management, role-based access control, and virtual private cloud service restrictions. This guarantees that company data is always safe and in compliance.

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StartupTalkyNitin Konde

December 17, 2024
New Year Celebration Ideas in Office | Amazing Party Ideas for Big, Small, and Remote Offices
Your startup is not just your revenue stream, your career, or your office; it’s the life of everyone in your office. And no matter how hard life is, you need to enjoy every second whenever you get a chance. What can be a better occasion to enjoy than Christmas and New Year’s Eve? It’s a universal festival. Regardless of the country or religion that a person belongs to, everyone enjoys Christmas and the New Year. Also, celebrations help to boost the overall morale of the office employees and increase the rate of retention. In fact, according to research, 80% of employees leave their jobs because they do not get enough appreciation and a morale boost. Hence, a little celebration once in a while is important to keep things alive and vibrant.

However, you need to make sure that each and every person in your office actually enjoys this eve. This is why we have decided to come up with this post, which contains some delightful New Year celebration ideas in the office.

This post includes:

New Year Party Ideas for Offices With More Than 50 Employees
New Year Party Ideas for Offices With Less Than 50 Employees
New Year Party Ideas for Remote Organizations
Corporate Gift Ideas for New Year

New Year Party Ideas for Offices With More Than 50 Employees

Corporate New Year’s Party Ideas for More Than 50 Employees

If you own a big company and have a pretty large number of people working in the office, then it might seem challenging to come up with a good idea for the New Year celebration in the office. However, with these unique New Year activities for big offices, you can simply get the best of your sizeable office:
- Ask employees to bring their families on New Year’s Eve: Families are always important. They are the reason people grow up so well. And they are the reason that you have great employees in your company. Why not share this happiness of new things with all the people? Hence, ask your employees to bring their family members to the New Year party. When the families of the colleagues meet each other on this special occasion, everyone will be happy and closer to each other.
- Theme Party: Maybe it’s very cliché, but you can choose a unique theme like everyone having to wear shorts or pajamas with a suit on at the New Year’s party. Or maybe you can ask them to wear their school or college uniform, etc. Theme parties will never be out of fashion; you just have to be creative with the idea. Some of the themes you can have are superheroes, ballroom gala, medieval times, 20th-century eras, science fiction, Hollywood glamour, carnival, retro, winter, games, and masquerades.
- The Boss Speech: The founder or the head of the office might be asked to come to the podium towards the beginning or in the middle of the New Year party in order to deliver a funny speech to the people. The founding boss, along with the other key executives of the company, can review the whole year in the office and talk about the best moments, thereby throwing some light on the future plans. It will make the employees more connected to the company.
- Cubicle Decorating Contest: Run a contest for cubical decoration in the office. This way, your employees will have some fun, and your office will look festival-ready.
- Lunch/dinner Party: A large office implies that there are numerous employees attached to the firm. Though it is a constructive idea to throw lunch or dinner parties in the case of small offices, it is too hectic and expensive when it comes to large organizations. However, when it comes to New Year’s Eve or a dedicated day to usher in the new year, it certainly calls for some delicious gourmet delights.
- Fashion show competition: The new year is the onset of new trends in everything, including fashion. Therefore, conducting a fashion show competition on New Year’s Eve sounds like it would brighten the office atmosphere further, and it is a perfect suit for bigger offices!
- Food fest/competition: Contests never fail to attract people, and more so when it comes to special occasions like New Year’s Day or the evening before it. Therefore, you can always go for food fests and food competitions conducted at the office or in any other venues near it for all your office employees.
- Music Festival: Along with eating, listening to good music goes hand in hand. This is why you can easily consider organizing a corporate New Year’s party music fest on the occasion of the New Year’s celebrations. A musical band or a famous artist can join in to make things even bigger!
- Going Rave: Monotony has become our best companion for quite a time now. The black-and-white sedentary lives most of us lead seem not to go anywhere. This is why, by calling the new year an occasion, an office can plan things going rave with good food, drinks, music, a new year celebration in the office, and tons of entertainment! This could be one of the most fun and interesting activities for New Year celebration in office.
- Singing and Dancing Contest: A singing and dancing contest in a big office sounds like a carnival in itself where everyone can take part and help entertain their colleagues. These contests not only help the office employees get an enthusiastic boost but also help them recognize the hidden talents in their bay-mates, cubicle-mates, and others.
- Spotting the Talent: Talents bloom among us, and when it comes to large offices, there are many talented people, most of whom go unnoticed. However, occasions like Christmas and New Year can help bring these talented employees to life! Engaging in festive New Year activities for employees can provide a platform for showcasing their skills and fostering a sense of camaraderie. Whether through team-building games, talent shows, or creative contests, these activities create an environment where employees’ hidden talents can shine, adding an extra layer of joy and connection to the holiday celebrations.
- Casino Night: Usher with a fun casino night bash replete with poker, roulette, blackjack, and more! This novel theme sparks friendly competition among colleagues. Casino décor, snack counters, music, and attractive prize giveaways will ensure a rocking happy hour flowing into a memorable New Year countdown.
- Show Off Your Talents: Organize an office talent show to discover your coworkers’ hidden talents. It’s a fun way for everyone to shine and show their skills. Plan carefully, and don’t be afraid to ask for help—organizing a talent show can be tricky but worth it!
- Karaoke Extravaganza: Host a karaoke night and let your coworkers sing. It’s a fun way to celebrate, and you might find some hidden singing talents in the office.
- Photo Booth: Set up a photo booth with fun props and backgrounds. It’s a great way for employees to take pictures and remember the celebration. Make sure to share the photos later as a keepsake.
- Tech-Free Zone: Create a tech-free zone during the celebration. This will help everyone talk to each other and take a break from screens.
One of these ideas shall fit your budget and work wonders for your organization this year!

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New Year Party Ideas for Offices With Less Than 50 Employees

Corporate New Year’s Party – Less than 50 employees

If you have a small business, store, or startup, then it is easier to execute some creative ideas. However, if you are blank about how to celebrate this New Year with your small team, these are some ideas to consider:
- Ask them to predict the next year: Ask your employees to predict the next year. Let them predict the year for the company and for the world events too (like elections, sports matches, etc). Make their video while they predict and save it. Next year, when you guys gather again for the New Year office party, play those videos. It will be fun for everyone.
- Let everyone give a speech: If you’re planning fun celebrations for companies and don’t have too many employees, consider giving everyone a chance to give a speech at the New Year’s party. Let them share insights into what they’ve learned this year, their resolutions, or anything else they’d like to express. Incorporating these personal touches into the festivities can enhance the sense of belongingness among employees during your lively and enjoyable company celebration.
- Secret Santa: Many startups celebrate both Christmas and New Year together. So, if you want, you can still celebrate the New Year by playing Secret Santa with your team. You can all play Secret Santa and gift each other something. Secret Santa is a kind of game in which all the people of a group exchange gifts anonymously. However, make sure no one is left because it will lead to demotivation and will ruin the beginning of the year.
- Bonfire: Grab a music player, some wood, and some drinks, and go to the backyard of the office. Or maybe you can go on camping trips to the hills or a forest on New Year’s Eve for a celebration party. Light a bonfire with your colleagues, exchange life advice, play some games, and have fun together. If you have 5 to 25 people in the company, it’s a great way to spend time with the employees.
- A daytime off: Ask your employees to come early on the 31^st, do some work, and then go shopping together. You can provide them all with some shopping coupons. It will be a good way to make their last day of the year great. Also, this way, they will get time to get ready for the office New Year party.
- Host the party at some other place: Book a hotel, restaurant, or maybe a resort for the office New Year Party if you have a budget. Why do everything yourself? Just delegate the work to others (third party) and let your employees have fun. Also, I am sure you don’t want your office to look like a mess on the first day of the New Year.
- Lunch/dinner ideas: A New Year office party experience never fails regardless of the party or the organization. Therefore, going forward with a lunch/dinner date with the employees is a great New Year office party idea way to usher in the new year together!
- Happy hours: Happy hours don’t really need an occasion, and they almost always shoot our excitement to the zenith. The happy hours are, therefore, something that even the New Year’s office celebration can consist of.
- Photo contests: Photo contests are something that offices can certainly look up to where the employees can arrange for photoshoots based on their own preferences and setups and let others decide. There can also be a poll based on the total photos received, and the best photographs and photographers can be awarded!
- New Year Giveaway: Host a fun giveaway contest at your New Year’s Eve party and give cool prizes to the top participants. Giveaways are a great way to boost friendly competition among your coworkers. You can pick gift cards, phone accessories, useful tools, or personal care items as prizes.
100 Party Games for New Year’s Celebration in the Office

New Year Party Ideas for Remote Organizations

New Year Party Ideas for Remote Organizations

If you have a business model that does not require the presence of employees in the office, like a Blog or a software company, etc., then you must have virtual employees in its place. Virtual employees work from their homes. However, they are still counted as your employees, so you need to do something to boost their morale on the occasion of the New Year. To increase their belongingness to the company, you can do the following things on New Year’s Eve:
- Arrange for a virtual Secret Santa: Yep! That’s possible. You can use Amazon Prime accounts to send gifts. Moreover, there is a website called Elfster, which is dedicated to hosting Secret Santa; you can use their service for this purpose. Or you can simply ask your employees to send the gifts to the head office and then send them to the receivers. However, you can also send them gifts by the name of the company to make them happy.
- Distribute free passes or coupons: If you think buying and sending a gift is a long process, then just buy some passes or coupons online and gift them. Tell them to enjoy the day with the passes you have sent. This way, you can make sure that they are having fun. This will give them mental rest and increase their productivity.
- Play online games together: To enjoy the eve, you can play some online games with the whole squad on New Year’s Eve. The best players can also be rewarded after the gameplay.
- Give away food hampers: A remote-working organization can easily dedicate funds to afford food hampers for each one of the employees, who can order foods and beverages for themselves and their families and enjoy together.
- Unleash the talents: Virtual offices require the employees to work from their homes, which hardly brings all of them together. Though the supervisors frequently have chats with the members of their teams, the colleagues rarely converse with themselves, and least of all, know each other’s strengths and weaknesses, hobbies, and more. Therefore, when it comes to the new year’s celebrations, an introduction with the office colleagues and their bosses and recognizing each others’ talents is something well worth it. Talented employees shall also be entitled to some rewards.
- Conduct photo/video contests: The virtual office employees cannot work together, and this is why the sharing of photos and videos can be considered a great time pass activity that can even be a part of the New Year’s celebration. The top 3 photos and videos shot in the localities of the employees can also be entitled to awards and recognitions!
- Conduct award functions to recognize the employees: Awards and recognitions are an integral part of an office’s awards and recognition program. These help the employees feel proud of the work they do, along with helping the office keep track of its key performers across domains.
- Decipher Your Team’s New Year Resolutions: For a fun virtual New Year’s Eve party with your team, try the “Guess Your Team’s New Resolutions” game! Ask everyone to share a New Year’s resolution with you through email. When you have them all, put the resolutions in the chat. Then, let everyone take turns guessing who wrote each resolution. To make it even more exciting, each person can share one real resolution and one made-up one!
- Virtual Background Contest: Host a Zoom background contest where team members can show their creativity with New Year-themed backgrounds. It makes virtual meetings more fun.
- Crowdsourced Yearbook: Create a digital yearbook by asking team members for photos, quotes, and memories. This will capture the highlights of the year and reflect everyone’s experience. These ideas are designed to be fun and different for teams of all sizes.
Note: You can mix up the ideas according to your needs and wants. For instance, a theme party is not just for big companies; an office with less than 50 employees can also have one. You can implement these ideas in other corporate events like the Tamil New Year celebration in office, the End of Financial Year party, and other corporate parties too.

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Corporate Gift Ideas for New Year

Corporate Gift Ideas for New Year

Gifting has always been an integral part of any new beginning in life. When is there a better time than starting the year with memorable and useful gifts to the most precious gems of your company who truly bring radiance to your company and work hard for it to shine bright?

So, if you are also looking to get the best of your employees, then gifting them with presents is the least you can do. Here’s a list of some gifts that you can give your invaluable employees:

Be the Real Santa

Gift your employees what they might need, and needs may differ individually. One way is to get to know their wishes by putting up a wish box and getting them whatever they want. But this can be feasible only for a very small number of employees.

A better and more practical way is to give them vouchers. Vouchers can be for:
- Shopping: If you wish to gift something to wear, you can go for Myntra vouchers or Pantaloons vouchers. For electronics, vouchers for Croma can be given. To provide a wider choice, Amazon or Flipkart is the best choice.
- Spa: Who wouldn’t want a holiday relaxing and stress-releasing at a wonderful spa? It might be the best way for employees to celebrate their New Year.
- Gym: A healthy employee is the true asset of the company. Regular exercise is important for good health, and the gym is the best place to ensure that. You can gift them a membership in a gym.
- Movie: Gift movie vouchers to your employees and their families. Let your employees spend some quality time with their families.
- Travel: Nothing can be better than giving your employees a break from their monotonous office schedule and providing them with the privilege of spending a few days away from city life in a calm and serene place. This will boost the productivity of your employees after a wonderful break.
Sweet Treats

Christmas and New Year are incomplete without sweets. This week is all about cakes, cookies, muffins, puddings, and whatnot. A perfect gift for the new year can be a box full of these sweet treats and please the inner child within every employee by gratifying their sweet tooth.

Grooming Kits

Self-grooming is really important. Employees are considered to be the reflection of an organization. A clean, well-groomed employee is a requisite for the image of the company. A branded grooming kit can be an exemplary gift this New Year. Grooming kits are generally gender-specific. A perfect kit for men can include face wash, shampoo, deodorant, shaving foam, aftershave lotions, talc, etc. Kits for women may comprise perfumes, body wash, moisturizers, etc.

Indoor Plants/Succulents

Indoor plants are among the few plant types that can grow well inside the four walls and do not require much care or maintenance. Such plants have multiple benefits. They keep the air inside your home or office clean and pure and help your office be proud of its uniqueness. Beautification has a new meaning with succulents and other indoor plants that can be brought inside an office cubicle. Desk plants are commendable gifts for your worthy employees, with which you can allow them to greet a green friend at their desk every day.

Tickets for Traveling

One rarely hates traveling. Besides, with the dreaded pandemic getting on our nerves, most of us have mostly stayed indoors. However, with the relaxation of the restrictions worldwide, people around the world are unwinding by traveling to their favorite destinations, including your office employees. Therefore, traveling tickets can well be one of the most sought-after gifts from an office!

Essential Workday Gift Hamper

The workday essentials gift hamper has everything you need to work well. It’s a great idea for a corporate New Year’s gift. The stuff inside is picked out with care for your team. It’s a nice way to show your employees that you want them to have a comfy workspace. Giving this gift on New Year’s adds a special touch; your team will appreciate it. This thoughtful gift lets your team know you value their comfort and productivity. It’s a practical and meaningful way to kick off the New Year together.

A Few More Thoughtful Gifts

There are a number of objects that can be quite useful for office-goers for daily use, the need of which they don’t even realize unless they start using them.
- Power banks/portable chargers: Our phones have become an integral part of our lives. In fact, according to a report, there will be more than 3.5 billion smartphone users in the world. A few hours without a smartphone brings an abrupt halt to our work. And charging sockets are not always available all the time and everywhere. Power banks can be a convenient gift for all employees.
- Customized laptop/phone covers: Laptop covers and phone covers are the first things we buy after buying the laptop and phone, respectively. A customized cover can bring a sense of belongingness toward the company among employees.
- Headphones: Music is the best and the most accessible way of relaxing after a tiresome day. Gifting headphones or, nowadays, even AirPods can be an impressive option as this may portray you as an employer who cares about his/her employees.
- Pendrives: Pendrives are portable secondary storage devices that are always handy for a working person. Important data, files, etc., can be stored in a pen drive and extracted as needed and conveniently. This can be a workable gift.
- Customized coffee mugs: The need for our favorite cuppas never ends, and customized coffee mugs from offices can simply be another useful addition to the collection of tea lovers and coffeeholics. That is why an office can decide upon gifting coffee mugs to its employees.
- Software upgrades: Software is our faithful friend in the sedentary desk lives most of us live. However, every now and then, we often discover our software is out of date. This is why software upgrades are the things we frequently look out for. Getting these software upgrades for free from our offices can be more than rejoicing!
- Diaries/Notebooks: Encourage continuous learning by gifting customized notebooks and planners. Available in various colors and textures, these useful corporate giveaways motivate teams to journal learnings, scribble ideas, plot goals, and chronicle growth through the year. Matching pen sets make these apt New Year mementos.
The list of considerate gifts can be endless. Although this ritual of gifting may seem to be materialistic, and the gifts you give may be exhaustive, it’s a conduit of showing how much you value your employees and how much you care for their needs.

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Conclusion

New Year is not just another occasion; it is a time of happiness, of festivities, of showing how much you love and care for yourself and the people surrounding you. Most of all, the New Year is a time of hopes, dreams, and staying together. This is why presents, gifts, and parties are really important during this occasion. So, why should an office be an exception?

Office presents and parties ooze the festive spirit that its employees feel and these are very important to boost the morale of the employees working for an organization and enhance overall productivity. Therefore, you must try to make the celebration prominent and full of fun without dragging the work in between. However, it is essential to invite everyone and treat them all equally. Though they might have other plans, inviting your clients during the year’s end is also something you can go for. Wishing everyone through emails, even your ex-employees and competitors is also a sign of positivity and a good human being as you are.

StartupTalky family wishes you a very Happy New Year 2025! Share this post with all the entrepreneurs, businessmen, and employees you know.

FAQs

How can I bring more fun to the office party?

Arranging everything based on the mood of your employees is a good option to bring more fun. Remember, on the day of partying, everybody wants to forget his or her worries. Study everyone’s likes and dislikes to make better arrangements.

What is the office party etiquette, and how to follow them?

The office party is the key option to know your office colleagues well. Hence, whenever we are partying, we should consider a few rules to enjoy ourselves more freely and let others enjoy themselves in the same way.
1. Always go on time and dress appropriately.
2. Greet them with a smile and also say goodbye with a smile.
3. Try to understand others’ feelings, respect their boundaries, and be friendly with them.
4. If you like or dislike anyone, never try to make an ill-behaved face in front of others.
5. Always do light conversations instead of heavy ones.
What are the top corporate gifting platforms?

Some of the top corporate gifting platforms are:
- Etsy
- Swagup
- Caroo
- Uncommon Goods
- Swag.Com
- CorporateGift.com
- Gifts for Good
- Tinggly
- Xperience Days
Why is corporate gifting important?

Corporate gifting is a good idea for making good connections with the office staff. The gifts received by the employees form a part of their memory and help them reflect upon their belongingness in an organization.

How to celebrate New Year in office?

Some of the best New Year party ideas in office include:
- Decorate the Office: Add festive decorations.
- Team Lunch/Party: Organize food and games.
- Recognition Awards: Celebrate team achievements.
- Fun Activities: Host games or a talent show.
- New Year Resolutions: Share goals for the year.
- Small Gifts: Give goodies or hampers.
- Countdown Moment: Celebrate together with a toast.
December 17, 2024

Blog

History of CCD

How CCD Started the Journey?

Mounting Debts and Controversies

The Missing Founder of CCD and his Death

CCD Business Model And Marketing

Innovation and Expansion

Strategy of Distribution

Difference In Concoction

The 3As Strategy

The Present Day CCD

Achievements of CCD

Conclusion

FAQs

When was Cafe Coffee Day founded?

What is the full form of CCD?

Is Cafe Coffee Day in debt?

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What happened with Cafe Coffee Day?

What is the CCD tagline?

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Shantanu Deshpande Biography

Shantanu Deshpande – Early Life

Shantanu Deshpande – Education

Shantanu Deshpande – Career

Shantanu Deshpande – Bombay Shaving Company

Shantanu Deshpande – Investments

Shantanu Deshpande – Podcast

Shantanu Deshpande – Controversy

Shantanu Deshpande – Awards and Recognitions

Shantanu Deshpande – Interesting Facts

Shantanu Deshpande – Quotes

FAQs

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The Pricing Range & Technology Used

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Multimodal Search Agent

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Providing Breather to Business Operators

This post includes:

New Year Party Ideas for Offices With More Than 50 Employees

New Year Party Ideas for Offices With Less Than 50 Employees

New Year Party Ideas for Remote Organizations

Corporate Gift Ideas for New Year

Be the Real Santa

Sweet Treats

Grooming Kits

Indoor Plants/Succulents

Tickets for Traveling

Essential Workday Gift Hamper

A Few More Thoughtful Gifts

Conclusion

FAQs

How can I bring more fun to the office party?

What is the office party etiquette, and how to follow them?

What are the top corporate gifting platforms?

Why is corporate gifting important?

How to celebrate New Year in office?