MAM
ITC forays into new category with pasta
MUMBAI: ITC Limited – Foods Division today announced the launch of its new Sunfeast Pasta Treat, which is India’s first instant pasta with sauce maker inside. This earmarks the division’s foray into the ready to cook instant snacks category. Made from Durum Hi-Protein Wheat, Sunfeast Pasta Treat is a ready-to-cook healthy snack option for the evolving tastes of the Indian consumers.
Speaking on the occasion, ITC Limited – Foods Business divisional chief executive Ravi Naware said, “Consumers today are open to experimenting with their cuisines and looking for options that suit their changing lifestyles. Convenience foods are hence gaining popularity amongst the urban population. With attributes like convenient, healthy and instant – Sunfeast Pasta Treat aims to leverage this opportunity and provide the Indian consumers with a product that meets their requirements.”
Research conducted by ITC showed that mothers nowadays are looking for newer and innovative evening snack options for their children. Pasta is gaining popularity in the Indian market. Research also indicated that women are aware about Pasta but find the cooking process of Pasta tedious and cumbersome. ITC’s Sunfeast Pasta Treat, on the other hand, offers a unique solution for the Indian palates.
The Sunfeast Pasta Treat will be available in four flavours – masala, tomato and cheese, sour cream onion and cheese.
During initial launch phase, Sunfeast Pasta Treat will be available at 28 FoodWorld outlets across Bangalore and will similarly be extended to other leading stores across the city. It will be subsequently launched in key centers across India.
Digital
OpenAI drops Sora AI video tool, ends planned $1 billion Disney deal
Pivot to coding and AGI leaves media giant rethinking AI tie-up plans
CALIFORNIA: In a move that has sent ripples through both Hollywood and Silicon Valley, OpenAI has pulled the plug on its much-hyped AI video tool Sora, abruptly ending what was shaping up to be a landmark partnership with The Walt Disney Company.
According to media reports, the decision came with little warning. Teams from both sides had been working on a Sora-linked project when the shutdown was communicated, catching even those close to the collaboration off guard.
The fallout is significant. The move effectively scraps a proposed $1 billion, three-year agreement that would have seen Disney invest in OpenAI while opening up access to its vast library of characters for AI-generated short-form video content. The deal, however, had not been finalised and no funds had changed hands.
Sora, unveiled in early 2024, had dazzled the industry with its ability to generate cinematic-quality video from simple text prompts, triggering a wave of competing launches from AI players across the United States and China. Its sudden exit marks a sharp turn in OpenAI’s strategy.
The company is now redirecting its focus towards more commercially scalable areas such as coding tools, enterprise solutions and the long-term pursuit of artificial general intelligence. Internally, resources required to run the video model are understood to have weighed on other priorities, accelerating the decision.
Leadership roles are also evolving to match the shift. Sam Altman continues to steer the broader vision, while Fidji Simo’s remit has been realigned towards deploying AGI capabilities as part of a wider push to consolidate offerings into a unified platform.
For Disney, the setback is more strategic than financial. The company is said to be evaluating alternative ways to collaborate with OpenAI, even as it recalibrates its approach to generative AI in storytelling.
For the wider industry, the episode is a reminder that in the fast-moving world of artificial intelligence, even the most dazzling innovations can have a surprisingly short shelf life.
