Mo' Muscle & No Milk 🏋️

Amazon logistics getting bigger, govt's ONDC play, 'below the belt' hygiene & doggie shoe!

Aug 15

Hello! 👋

A very Happy Independence Day and Long Weekend to you. It’s been a slow week due to 4 days of working (and the ‘WFH’ that folks opted in for on Friday). The D2C Sector has its eyes on the marketplace dashboards due to the sales. Meanwhile, it looks like retailers and consumers are expecting it to be a great sale season.

Here’s some trivia to kick off today’s edition. Scroll to the end for the Answer

Who is the world's largest manufacturer of tires?

What’s sizzling hot? 🔥

🍪 D2C Bites

Personal hygiene D2C brand SVISH On-The-Go raised INR 10 Cr. The D2C brand has 12 SKUs under three categories — sanitization, hair hygiene, and ‘below the belt’ hygiene.
Let's Try, a New Delhi-based startup that provides a wide range of premium healthy Namkeen and savory snacks has secured a seed round from Venture Catalysts and angel investors.

Vaaree, a curated and themed marketplace for home products raised pre-seed funding from a range of marquee investors. The company aims to make shopping for home products easy and plans to launch a new collection every 60 days.

🗞️Marketplace Updates

Amazon is in initial talks to acquire more than 51% in logistics unicorn Ecom Express Ltd. for $500-600 million as the e-commerce giant aims to build an in-house logistics division to catch up with its rivals.
PS: This seems to be a change of plans for Ecom Express, which was originally gearing up for an INR 5000 cr. IPO. But who can blame them, given the economic downturn and performance of the recent IPOed companies.
Consumer Protection Watchdog, CCPA has issued orders against e-comm platforms for selling non-ISI or BIS certified electronics such as pressure cookers, on their online platforms. The platforms have been asked to recall 2000+ such orders.
What will it take for ONDC to succeed? The government's open, inclusive, and competitive marketplace for e-commerce is said to usher in the next era of retail in India, but in the absence of larger players like Flipkart and Amazon, and no clarity on the architecture of the network, it will be interesting to see how it plays out.
Alibaba Group Holding Ltd reported flat quarterly revenue growth for the first time in its history. The company is laying off 10,000 employees amid sluggish sales.

Brands that caught our eyes 👀

🐶Paw Patrol

Zoof Pets makes shoes for dogs that help prevent injuries and improve hygiene. It has sold around 10,000 sets in India in three years. The company creates functional dog shoes for all needs and all breeds. Keep your home clean and enjoy everyday walks with your pup, without worrying about wet surfaces, puddles or potholes that make paws dirty and prone to infection.

💪Muscle Mania

BUILD, a sports nutrition supplements start-up has collaborated with actor Tiger Shroff to launch a customized new series of health supplements. Through this strategic partnership, Tiger’s brand PROWL forays into the health and nutrition category.

Trend of the week📈: Alt Milk

The bovine beverage is being replaced by a range of nut milk, appealing not just to the vegan and lactose intolerant folks. Dairy-free milk alternatives made from almonds, walnuts, oats, peas, soya, and more are booming more than ever. Nutritionists are recommending fortified nut milk and weaning folks away from the one-glass-of-milk is something we all have been feasting on since our toddler days. Check out some of non-dairy milk brands that caught our eye.