Hiii! 👋

D2C Pulse is a newsletter written by the team at GlobalBees, curating happenings in the direct-to-consumer ecosystem of India.

This one’s special! Today, we raise a virtual toast as we celebrate our newsletter's 100th post. Thanks all for joining us on this journey. Here’s to more D2C fun, inspiration, and discovery ahead! 🥂🎉

On to the bigger (retail) fronts…

🐝Business Buzz

The Reliance Group’s retail empire infographic is not for the faint-hearted. Besides running multiple retail formats like Jiomart and the recent Azorte, the conglomerate also runs the country mandate for a number of luxe brands. If that wasn’t enough, it has also been gobbling up e-commerce players like Milkbasket, Zivame and Urban Ladder.

🗞️Marketplace Updates

• Sizzling Saves: ONDC has announced a significant discount of 50% or more on food orders starting from June 18. This move aims to address concerns about the high costs associated with ordering from leading platforms like Zomato and Swiggy, making food delivery more affordable and accessible for its users. ONDC's initiative is expected to bring relief to customers and potentially boost their engagement with online food ordering services. Customers can order food through the ONDC partner apps - Paytm, PhonePe and Magicpin

• Going Lite: Amazon India has recently launched a new membership plan called Amazon Prime Lite, offering an affordable alternative to its regular Prime membership. Priced at Rs 999 for a 12-month subscription, the Prime Lite plan enables members to enjoy free two-day delivery and standard delivery on eligible items- similar to the Prime plan. While the Prime Lite membership offers significant benefits, there are some exclusions compared to the regular Prime membership. Prime members get faster delivery options such as one-day delivery, scheduled delivery, and same-day delivery. They also have access to morning delivery for select products.

• The key takeaway from Nykaa’s investor presentation was that the share of the premium segment of beauty and personal care (BPC) products will grow to an estimated 55% of the total BPC market in the country by 2026 from 45% at present, with a corresponding decrease in the share of the mass segment to 45% from 55% now.

  Nykaa also said that it has recorded $80 (about Rs 6,500) per customer spend in the BPC category in the past 12 months, which is significantly higher than the $15 per capita (about Rs 1,200) spend on BPC in India. The company estimated that the national per capita spend on BPC would grow to $50 (Rs 4,100 at current exchange rates) by 2030.

• Myntra recorded 50% new consumer growth during its flagship EORS sale. Some of the popular categories that witnessed a significant demand included beauty and personal care, apparel, footwear, luggage, and wearables among others.

• Mind the Gap: Tata Group-backed BigBasket has reduced the pricing gap with products offered by competitors like JioMart and DMart Ready as online grocers wrestle for a bigger share of inflation-wary consumers' weekly shopping. BigBasket price gap with DMart narrowed, while it expanded for JioMart in the last four months.

🍕D2C Bites

• Makeover Montage: Hold on to your grooming tools, because VLCC is making a suave move in the beauty world. They're set to acquire men's grooming brand, Ustraa, in a deal that's bound to turn some heads.
  The beauty brand said the acquisition “enhances new age digital commerce and product innovation capabilities for the platform.” With VLCC's expertise in beauty and wellness and Ustraa's knack for creating products that make men feel like kings, it's a match made in grooming heaven.

• Styling Vision: Private equity fund ChrysCapital has invested $100 million in Lenskart. This investment will help Lenskart expand its business and strengthen its position in the eyewear market. Lenskart offers a wide range of eyeglasses, sunglasses, and contact lenses through both online and offline channels.

• Gro Club, a D2C kids products subscription platform has secured funding of INR 4.3 Cr. GroClub, launched in January 2022, is currently available in Bengaluru. It has onboarded ~4500 subscribers and currently clocking a Subscription Monthly Revenue Rate of INR ~ 23 L. Gro Club offers products on subscription for growing kids which kids can upgrade as they grow. Gro Club primarily challenges the "take-make-dispose" approach and encourages the "reduce-reuse-regenerate" mindset for growing kids. Circular Economy is a transformative concept, especially in this age of rapid climate change, that promotes responsibility, reuse, and regeneration without compromising on consumer experience.

• D2C Auto: After Mercedes, Volvo Cars India is going D2C. Volvo will own the entire stock of cars, sell them via appointed franchise partners, invoice the new cars to the customers directly, process the order and complete them. Going forward, the luxury carmaker will only launch EVs in India and expects to clock highest-ever sales in 2023, crossing its peak of 2018.

• Evolved Foods, a plant-based protein firm, has raised Rs 7.3 crore in its seed round. Founded by Roma Roy Choudhury, Evolved uses ingredients such as soy, coconut, and rice protein to make their signature offering – Evolved Plant Meat. The funds will be used to build efficiencies across production and supply chain operations.
  

  Share GlobalBees D2C Pulse

💺Recline and Chill

What’s better than watching the Spiderverse in PVR Gold?

This amazing limited-time deal on recliners from Usha Shriram. Click here and apply code USHAREC10 to get an additional 10% Off from the launch prices. Offer valid till 30th June.

Reads and Recommendations 📚

• It's hard to overstate the impact of PDF technology - launched 30 years ago today

• Launching a blog for your brand? Here’s some help.

• Meta unveiled new tools for creators, from Reels templates to analytics

• Best Audio Brands -Introduced in 2019, it is the first study of its kind, measuring how effectively brands use sound in all their communications. Its the definitive annual ranking of sonic performance for global brands.

• Netflix enthusiasts in Los Angeles are in for a delectable treat as the streaming giant is set to launch its first-ever pop-up restaurant, 'Netflix Bites'.

That’s all for this week! Bye!

Stay tuned for more.

Liked this week’s issue? Share some love. Click the ❤️ below.