Lavazza Now Available On Tata CLiQ Luxury For Consumers; Aims To Strengthen Its Online Retail Presence

Lavazza, the Italian brand that is among the world’s leading coffee roasters, has announced its partnership with Tata CLiQ Luxury, India’s premier luxury lifestyle platform, to expand its presence and reach in the Indian home segment.  A range of Lavazza products are available on the platform which includes its most popular retail coffee variants (ground coffee, coffee beans and coffee capsules), coffee machines and coffee-related accessories to provide consumers with all the right tools to brew that barista-style cup of coffee from scratch, at the comfort of their homes. 

Commenting on the partnership, Jai Ganesh Ramnath, Managing Director, Lavazza India said, “Coffee has helped establish connections for centuries now - at work, at home and with oneself. The idea behind this partnership with Tata CLiQ Luxury is to enable consumers to continue experiencing coffee, and not just consume it. For us at Lavazza, coffee is more than just a beverage; it is a habit that helps you look within yourself while you are brewing that perfect cup of coffee from scratch, where it’s just you and your coffee for those 5 minutes. With this as the premise and to help bring this experience to life, a curated collection of coffee, accessories and machines are available on Tata CLiQ Luxury. We are certain that, with this partnership, we will be part of households that share a strong relationship with coffee as a connector and motivate coffee enthusiasts to experiment with some of our most premium products and accessories.”

In order to bridge the gap between coffee lovers and the absence of readily available freshly brewed coffee, brewed barista-style from scratch, Lavazza was quick to adapt to the needs of its consumers and directed its efforts towards increasing its online retail presence in India. So far, the company has seen an exponential increase in demand for its products including capsule machines and coffee equipment like French press, imported coffee grinders and moka pots. 

Gitanjali Saxena, Business Head – Global Luxury, Tata CLiQ Luxury said, “Lavazza is one of the world's most important coffee roasters, and we are elated to announce their launch on Tata CLiQ Luxury. An extensive range of Lavazza products has been thoughtfully curated on the platform, making it a one-stop shop for coffee aficionados. As India’s premier luxury lifestyle platform, we will continue to deliver an unparalleled online luxury shopping experience for customers across the country.”

The various Lavazza products available on Tata CLiQ Luxury are: 

Range of Lavazza Blue (LB) capsule machines to rediscover Italian style coffee at the comfort of your home - LB 1200, LB  300 and LB  900 coffee machines

Range of Coffee Capsules compatible for Lavazza BLUE Coffee Machines - Espresso Dolce, Espresso Intenso, Espresso Decaffinato, Caffe Crema Lungo, Top Class 

Coffee equipment like Carmencita Moka Pot, Lavazza Bodum French Press and Coffee accessories including Lavazza travel mug and Lavazza Designer Coffee Mug

Range of Roast & Ground Coffees for pure coffee lovers - Lavazza Qualità Oro,  Qualità Rossa, Espresso Italiano, Club, Il Mattino Vivace Crema-E-Gusto and Gusto Crema Roasted Coffee beans.

Lavazza complete coffee brewing experience combo kits with 4 packs of coffee beans, coffee grinder, French press/ Moka Pot and a  Lavazza Mug.  

Range of Compatible Coffee Capsules ideal for use in Nespresso® Original Machines and Compatible Coffee Machines - Espresso Deciso, Espresso Armonico, Espresso Ristretto

Coffee enthusiasts can check out Lavazza’s entire range on the Tata CLiQ Luxury App and website. 

About Lavazza India

Lavazza entered India by acquiring Fresh & Honest Café Limited, India’s leading coffee, vending and retailing company in 2007. Luigi Lavazza S.p.A., with its origins back in 1895, is an international coffee powerhouse, synonymous with all things Italian – creativity, art, passion and of course espresso coffee. The brand is one of the most important coffee roasters in the world – in-Home and Away-from-Home sectors (Foodservice, Vending and Cafes). Today it has consolidated its presence in the retail branded coffee, café products as well as in the coffee machines segment and has become a leading player in the country.

About Tata CLiQ Luxury:  

Pioneering and changing the definition of luxury in India – one that reflects the flawless values of thoughtfulness, authenticity, timeliness, and quality – Tata CLiQ Luxury is focused on enhancing its luxury experience by embracing the principles of Slow Commerce. Attention shifts to the finer details – to craftsmanship and heritage and the tranquility and value of an experience, where browsing is a delight, and quality is nurtured.

As India’s premier luxury lifestyle platform, we offer a superlative experience through a careful curation of brands, mindfully developed brand stores, luxury delivery and unboxing experiences designed to bring luxury shopping to the customer’s doorstep, and personalized privilege programmes, managed by attentive relationship managers.

Tata CLiQ Luxury offers premium & luxury brands across a range of categories, including Accessories, Beauty & Fragrances, Fashion, Handbags, Home, Sneakers & Footwear, Stationery and Watches and Gourmet Foods.

Sports Legend Sachin Tendulkar Invests In Retail Platform Spinny

* Joins as captain of Squad Spinny – which aspires to provide quality cars to every Indian household.

*  Master Blaster believes the right values will help Spinny achieve excellence

Spinny, the pioneering full stack online-to-offline user car retail platform, has partnered with Indian sporting legend Sachin Tendulkar. Sachin is a strategic investor in the company, as well as lead brand endorser. The association with Master Blaster marks another chapter in Spinny’s commitment to young Indians in the realization of their dreams and aspirations by serving simple and delightful car buying and selling experiences.

Sachin Tendulkar is renowned for consistently performing at the highest level, while maintaining the highest levels of integrity. Aiming to inspire young Indians with a similar value system, Spinny has chosen to work with the universal role model who stands for performance, resilience, and continuous improvement.

Speaking about the association, Sachin said - “Our country is becoming younger and our ambitions bigger. Entrepreneurs of today are creating solutions that cater to this ambition. I am very happy to be associated with Spinny – a team which aspires to create solutions the right way. The team has adopted timeless values to achieve excellence in their business – trust, transparency, and integrity. I am now a part of this family, and together we hope to keep getting better every day in everything we do”.

Welcoming Sachin Tendulkar onboard as the captain of #SquadSpinny and as an investor, Niraj Singh (Founder & CEO) said, “His life and journey stand as a beacon for the values of tenacity and determination in the face of challenges. We strive to instill these abilities in everything we do and Spinny’s outlook to solve real customer problems. Having him onboard with Spinny is absolutely heart-warming, and we are proud to welcome our newest captain of Squad Spinny, Sachin Ramesh Tendulkar.’’

Earlier this year, the brand announced its association with PV Sindhu, a believer and supporter of Spinny’s value-system who has demonstrably walked the same path of method and resilience with resounding success. Through the coming year, alongside other celebrated Spinny customers, Squad Spinny’s appointed captains will lead a series of marketing initiatives focused on realizing the aspirations of a billion car dreams.

Honasa Announces Stock Options For All Its Employees!

* The partnership program will give stock-based value creation to 100% employees

Honasa Consumer Pvt. Ltd. (HCPL), parent company of Mamaearth and The Derma Co. and the fastest growing House of Brands for personal care, announced stock-based value creation under the Stock Appreciation Rights Program for all employees.    

HCPL has enabled the wealth creation program for all employees and has distributed stocks worth 20Cr., in addition to the ESOPs previously allocated. The stock-based value creation will be a top-up component over and beyond the employee CTC, setting the HCPL program apart from the industry programs. 

Through this partnership program, Honasa facilitates every employee with ownership and inclusivity. This initiative aims to ensures all employees, irrespective of their role, seniority and time spent in the origination, has a stake in the organization and enables value creation for everyone as the organization grows. 

Along with all current employees, the company will provide the stock appreciation rights to all the future employees joining the organization going forward. 

Honasa Consumer Pvt. Ltd. has established itself as a beacon of pride, trust, and honesty and was recently certified by ‘Great Place to Work’. The prestigious award is based entirely on what the current employees say about their experience working with the organization. With a trust index of 88 percent, this was the second consecutive year of this certification.  

Commenting on the program, Varun Alagh, Co-Founder and CEO, Honasa Consumer Pvt. Ltd. said,” Honasa Consumer Pvt. Ltd. has experienced meteoric growth over the last 5 years, and we wanted our team to grow along with the company. Unlike some programs which require employees to contribute a part of their CTC as investment towards stock options, we have made this as a top-up component, beyond the CTC. We want the employees to have equal chance to participate in any upcoming liquidation opportunity to build their personal wealth portfolio.”

ABOUT HONASA CONSUMER PVT LTD

Honasa Consumer Pvt Limited (HCPL), is a digital-first consumer brands company creating the FMCG conglomerate of the future.  A company built on the values of Honesty, Natural ingredients and Safe care, HCPL caters to the needs of millennial consumers through innovative products, evolved propositions, direct to consumer marketing, and e-commerce fulfillment. Currently catering to over 500 cities in India with brands like Mamaearth & The Derma Co., HCPL is building an ecosystem that helps benefit the consumers and community at large. Backed by Sequoia Capital India, Fireside Ventures, Stellaris Venture Partners, and Sharrp Ventures, HCPL is set to become a billion-dollar FMCG conglomerate in the next 5 years — spread across the globe but connected through a digital center of excellence.

UST Honored As One Of 100 Best Companies For Women In India 2021

* Recognized by 2021 Working Mother & Avtar Most Inclusive Companies Index for the third consecutive time for UST’s efforts towards diversity and inclusion at workplace

UST, a leading digital transformation solutions company has been recognized for the third consecutive time as one of the ‘100 Best Companies for Women in India 2021’ for its exemplary efforts on gender diversity, inclusion and equality. The company also won the prestigious title of ‘Exemplar of Inclusion’ for its continuous efforts on gender inclusion in the workplace.  Avtar, India’s premier Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion solutions firm along with Seramount (formerly Working Mother Media), a strategic professional services firm dedicated to advancing diversity, equity, and inclusion in the workplace in the United States, conducted the sixth successive edition of the Best Companies for Women in India (BCWI) study in 2021.

Over 330 companies, spanning every major industry, geographical location and line of business, participated in the sixth consecutive edition of the Best Companies for Women in India (BCWI). The key segments that MICI covered were diversity, including gender, generation, people with disabilities, LGBTQ, practices for fostering diversity and inclusion in recruitment, retention, advancement of people from diverse groups, and company culture.

UST is always committed to maintaining a balanced work-life environment to support employees through important life-changing events, not limited to maternity, elderly care, and child adoption; therefore, reasonable flexibility is provided in terms of working hours, remote working, leave extensions, and holidays. Through its hiring, promotion, recognition, leadership development, and retention, UST has always ensured diversity in the process. Programs like Network of Women USsociates (NOWU), mentoring, UST Career Architecture framework, D3 - a global developers conference celebrating talent in the technology world, and 'Women Unlimited' have been highly impactful towards furthering inclusivity and community building. From being one of India's first digital technology transformation companies to hire transgenders, to designing internal communities like 'Curved Colors,' a group for the LGBTQAI+ community, UST proved its active involvement in supporting and sustaining an inclusive culture.

UST also conducts programs like 'Impact India,' which identifies talent within the differently abled community. UST has an ongoing partnership with institutes such as 'Braille without borders' for the visually impaired and 'National Institute of Speech & Hearing' for the hearing impaired.  UST has designed 'Step IT Up', an accelerated training program, in several countries they operate in, designed to train and employ women, minorities, and veterans in STEM fields.  UST encourages and actively recruits women who had to take a break in career due to family or personal reasons.

“At UST, DE&I is a way of life, and we believe that the future of our organization lies in the aspiration of our diverse and inclusive talent to instill positive change. We have been deliberate and elaborate about adopting DE&I in our culture, processes, and interactions. We want our customers, employees, partners, and the communities around us to touch and feel this facet of the UST DNA. We make significant investments year on year to train, develop and create awareness of the need and, impact of DE&I. To be recognized by AVTAR and Seramount as one of the ‘100 Best Companies for Women in India 2021’ is a reflection of our ongoing effort to make this world more diverse, equitable, and inclusive,” said Manu Gopinath, Chief Operating Officer, UST.

“We are deeply honored and energized to be recognized as the ‘2021 Exemplar of Inclusion’ and listed among the top ‘100 Best Companies for Women’ in 2021. At UST, we believe in equity, inclusion, and diversity and the richness of diverse perspectives to build for boundless impact for our customers, communities, partners, and employees. We welcome open and honest conversations to empower and enrich thus creating opportunities for innovation, growth, and collaboration. We are strongly committed to creating communities by providing avenues for excelling, and empowering every UST associate paving the way for a more inclusive future,” added Anu Koshy, Head - Diversity and Inclusion, UST.

Commenting on the occasion, Dr. Saundarya Rajesh, Founder – President, Avtar, said “This year’s study results indicate that companies are consciously evolving in their Diversity, Equity and Inclusion Maturity. This is primarily based on three factors, viz., their leadership intent, the industry they belong to and the history of their DEI journey thus far. It is noteworthy that the disruptions of 2020, have further accelerated the pace of DEI progress in the Best Companies, with 73% of them having reported an increase in their DEI spend. One such key indicator is the large number of companies which have institutionalized practices to boost representation of women and other underrepresented groups in senior leadership and executive positions.” 

She further added, “Companies are increasingly building a cascade effect of DEI Accountability. As per the data from 2021 Working Mother & Avtar Most Inclusive Companies Index (MICI), 95% of companies have built their KPIs/KRAs on Diversity, Equity, & Inclusion for their people managers across levels.”

Recently, UST won the ‘Business Culture Team Award’ for its Office of Values & Culture (OVC) at the Business Culture Awards 2021. UST was also recognized as the Best Place to Work in Malaysia, U.S., UK, India, and Mexico. Additionally, UST was named a Top Employer 2021 in eight countries - US, UK, India, Mexico, Spain, Philippines, Singapore, and Malaysia, by the Top Employers Institute (TEI). The company was also honored with a Glassdoor Employees' Choice Award for being one of the Top 100 Best Places to Work in 2020. The company recently announced its aggressive hiring plans of over 10,000 employees across the globe to support its global business demand, accelerate the digital transformation of companies, and the rise of the digital economy.

About Avtar

Avtar set up in 2000, is India’s premier Diversity, Equity & Inclusion solutions firm. Lead by the visionary Dr. Saundarya Rajesh, Avtar has helped charter Diversity, Equity, & Inclusion plans for several organizations in the IT/ITES, BFSI, FMCG, Pharma, Retail and Engineering Industries in the country. As the earliest firm in India to provided end to end DEI solutions, Avtar’s services span a broad spectrum, including Diversity Recruitment (including gender, People with Disabilities, members of the LGBTQ community), Audits & Advisory support towards strategic DEI planning, Conferences &Events that host very pertinent DEI discussions and Training interventions towards building DEI capability.

To know more, visit www.avtarinc.com

About SERAMOUNT

Seramount, now part of EAB, is a strategic professional services firm dedicated to advancing diversity, equity, and inclusion in the workplace. Over four decades, partnering with some of the most iconic companies in the world, we’ve built a deep, data-driven understanding of the employee experience, which lays the groundwork for everything we do. Our comprehensive DE&I toolkit includes actionable research and insights, membership, strategic guidance, and consulting, and inspiring events, meeting each client’s needs no matter where they are on their journey and guiding them along an ever-changing landscape. Seramount has empowered over 450 organizations to realize the business benefits of diversity, equity, and inclusion. Learn more at seramount.com.

About UST: 

For more than 22 years, UST has worked side by side with the world’s best companies to make a real impact through transformation. Powered by technology, inspired by people, and led by our purpose, we partner with our clients from design to operation. Through our nimble approach, we identify their core challenges, and craft disruptive solutions that bring their vision to life. With deep domain expertise and a future-proof philosophy, we embed innovation and agility into our clients’ organizations—delivering measurable value and lasting change across industries, and around the world. Together, with over 28,000 employees in 25 countries, we build for boundless impact—touching billions of lives in the process. Visit us at www.UST.com   

The First-Ever BMW iX Is Completely Sold-Out On Launch In India

* Next booking phase to be opened in Q1 2022.

* #BMWiX #BornElectric #JoyBornAgain #SheerDrivingPleasure

The BMW iX, first BMW electric all-wheel drive vehicle by BMW – has made a big impression in India with astonishing demand. The electric Sports Activity Vehicle (SAV) has been completely sold-out on the day of launch itself.

The first phase of bookings saw an overwhelming response by the customers online and at BMW India dealerships across the country. Deliveries will start by beginning of April 2022. BMW India will open the second phase of bookings in Q1 2022.

Mr. Vikram Pawah, President, BMW Group India said, “We are very excited to receive such a phenomenal response to the first-ever BMW iX. Born electric, our new technology flagship stands for a new way of life defined by mobility that is luxurious and responsible at the same time. We were confident that the first-ever BMW iX will be a sought-after product, but it has truly surpassed all expectations. With all units sold on the first day, we are now preparing to fulfil the demands of other customers who are waiting to own this exclusive electric BMW SAV.”

The BMW iX effortlessly combines premium mobility with zero-emissions, sporting agility and a long operating range with luxurious spaciousness. Reduction of carbon footprint is achieved throughout the value chain and all stages of lifecycle by making comprehensive use of natural and recyclable materials and production with 100% green electricity.

The car was launched on 13 December 2021 as a completely-built-up unit (CBU) at an introductory price of INR 1,15,90,000 (Ex-showroom). BMW India Financial Services is offering a complete package for loan, insurance and vehicle services especially designed for the first-ever BMW iX.

Student Team From MAHE Wins The National Innovation Contest (NIC), Under Government Of India

Dr Mahima Mishra (Manipal College of Dental Sciences (MCODS), Mangalore 2015-2020) and her team has won the National Innovation Contest (NIC) conducted by the Ministry of Education, Government of India. The NIC started with 9000+ prototypes scouted from more than 900 institutes across India. After multiple rounds of evaluation, mentoring, training and business plan development and pitching, 45 teams are selected for funding and incubation linkage support. 

Dr. Mahima Mishra is currently a NIDHI-EIR Fellow (MUTBI) and conducts her innovative work at the Innovation Centre. Her interdisciplinary team includes Soumik Roy, B.Tech, 2nd Year MIT Manipal, Ruchit Bhakti, B.Tech, 4th Year MIT Manipal. Dr. Arun Shanbhag, Chief Innovation Officer, MAHE and Dr. Dilip G. Naik MDS, Pro-Vice-Chancellor MCODS, Mangalore, served as Mentors. 

Speaking at success of the team, Lt. Gen (Dr.) M.D. Venkatesh, Vice-Chancellor, MAHE said, “It is delightful to hear that one of the winning teams is from our institution. We feel proud to celebrate this moment of success and achievement. Students of MAHE have been an asset for us and we will always support them for future innovations.”

Eye Care Tips For The Winter Months; Dry Eyes Problems Across India

By Dr.Satya Prasad Balki, M.S F.C.A.S (AEH), Consultant Ophthalmologist, Cornea, phaco-refractive services, MaxiVision Eye hospital, Hyderabad

Winter is coming! And no am not talking about the most popular tv series ever. I can almost hear GOT fans going ‘’yeah!!!’’.

This is the season which most of us enjoy, the pleasant mornings and the chilly nights, time for holidays, get-togethers around barbeques and bonfires. What winter season also brings with it are various health issues, like rising in cases of common flu, exacerbation of respiratory illness, etc. In a milder form, we see dry skin and dry eyes, these happen due to a drop in the relative humidity in the air during winters compared to monsoons.

We tend to lose moisture from our skin and eyes, while skin is far more resistant to damage; it is our eyes that need special care during winters.

Did you know our eyes are constantly exposed to the environment and are at the receiving end of harsh pollution, dust, dry air; they have an ingenious protective mechanism in the form of a three-layer tear film and blinking!

The tear film is composed of three layers -an innermost mucin layer, a gel-like substance, which basically anchors the other two layers to the surface of the eye, a middle aqueous layer like water forms the bulk of the tear film, and an outermost oily layer which coats the other two layers and prevents evaporation by external factors. Truly sophisticated, isn’t it?!

Blinking, on the other hand, behaves like a windshield wiper of your car, clearing any dust or debris and refreshing the tear film, these mechanisms ensure our eyes are always kept clean and moist.

Nowadays, with excessive gadget use by children and elders alike, eyes are already under a lot of stress and the dryness that comes with winters is only worsening eye health.

So What can we do to prevent this from happening-

For starters,

Follow good lid hygiene, wherein keep your eyelids clean by washing them with non-tear shampoo, prevent any dust or crusts from collecting in the lashes as these tend to hinder tear film formation and act as a reservoir for infections. This holds important for those who use eye makeup, ensure that you use non-chemical products and clean the lids thoroughly to remove them.

Alternately, one can use lid wipes to clean the lids.

In case you use contact lenses, remember to not wear them for more than 6-7 hrs a day, maintain good hand hygiene and use lubricant drops as advised by your doctor.

In winters, using a warm compress over the lids gives a soothing relaxing feeling as well as helps in keeping oil secretions from the lids at optimum which is essential for the oily layer of the tear film.

In case you can afford it, an air humidifier in the room helps to keep up the moisture levels, which prevents dry eyes and also benefits people with respiratory illnesses.

When stepping out in this weather, make sure your eyes are not directly exposed to the cold wind, wear glasses or a helmet if you are traveling on 2 wheelers.

If you use gadgets excessively, try to restrict usage or at least take frequent breaks, which is not only good for your eyes but your neck and back too!

Make a conscious effort to blink frequently, as there is a tendency of reduced blink rate when we concentrate on work, most commonly during screen time.

Use lubricant eye drops as prescribed by your eye doctor, these drops help in supplementing and Restoring the tear film.

Smoking has a direct effect on dry eyes wherein, chronic smokers have a higher incidence of dry eyes. so, this would be a good time to ‘kick the butt’! no pun intended!

And last but not least, ensure adequate rest and sleep for your eyes, avoid using your phone at bedtime, good undisturbed sleep is paramount for your eyes as well as mind and body!