Brands
Marico expands its breakfast portfolio with Saffola Muesli
Mumbai: Marico, one of India’s leading FMCG companies has announced the launch of Saffola Muesli with Flavour Pops, aiming to leverage the brand’s equity in the adult breakfast segment.
Over the years, Saffola has emerged as one of the leading players with a wide breakfast range, having become #India’s No. 1 Brand in Oats and launching extensions to categories like Peanut Butter, Honey etc. Saffola has continuously innovated to meet the evolving needs of consumers to make convenient nutrition ‘exciting’. Building on its legacy and commitment, the brand peps up the category with crunchy muesli, in three new delicious and flavourful options – Kesar Crunch, Berry Crunch and Choco Crunch.
Saffola launched their range of Muesli, keeping in mind the popular flavours associated with milk, – whether it’s the rich and aromatic kesar, the fruity goodness of berries, or the indulgent and dainty chocolate. These variants are crafted to make breakfast an enjoyable and satisfying experience with a burst of flavour and crunch delivered through the inclusion of a unique flavour pops format. Made with a natural mix of multigrain and millet, the flavour pops make Saffola Muesli irresistibly crunchy till the last bite. Moreover, each flavour is designed to satisfy the palate combined with a blend of 15-in-1 fruits, nuts, seeds, millet & more, that make it a powerhouse of nutrition.
Speaking about the launch of the new products, Marico Ltd. India & foods business chief operating officer Vaibhav Bhanchawat said, “Our foray into the Muesli Category marks a significant milestone in line with our brand proposition of offering consumers “better for you” products with a “taste first” approach. While there is a growing need of products that deliver convenient nutrition, we also understand that consumers equally want their breakfast to be exciting and uplifting as it sets the tone for the rest of the day. We identified the opportunity to bring excitement and familiarity to a new-age category like Muesli, much like the success we have seen in making oats exciting through Saffola Masala Oats. The idea was to deliver consumer delight through our unique flavour pops format that gives a burst of flavour and an irresistibly crunchy experience. We believe these popular flavours launched under Saffola Muesli with Crunch Flavour Pops will help consumers “brighten up their mornings to take on the day.”
Brands
33 per cent of women believe the salary scale is rigged: Naukri report
Voices @ Work study finds rising calls for equal pay audits and lingering bias
MUMBAI: Progress may be visible in India’s workplaces, but many women still feel the need to tread carefully. A new report by Naukri reveals that one in two women hesitate to disclose marriage or maternity plans during job interviews, worried that such information could influence hiring decisions.
The findings come from the second edition of Naukri’s annual Voices @ Work International Women’s Day report, titled “What Women Professionals Want.” Drawing insights from more than 50,000 women across over 50 industries, the survey sheds light on evolving workplace aspirations alongside the biases that continue to hold women back.
One of the report’s most striking insights is the growing demand for equal pay audits. The share of women calling for regular pay parity checks has climbed to 27 per cent this year, up from 19 per cent a year ago. The demand now stands alongside menstrual leave as the most sought after workplace policy.
Interestingly, the call for pay transparency grows louder higher up the income ladder. Nearly half of women earning between Rs 50 lakh and Rs 1 crore annually say equal pay audits are a priority, suggesting that pay gaps become more visible as women move up the career ladder.
At the same time, confidence and ambition appear to be rising. About 83 per cent of women say they feel encouraged to pursue leadership roles, a significant jump from 66 per cent last year. Cities in southern India appear particularly supportive, with Hyderabad leading the way as 86 per cent of respondents there reported encouragement to step into leadership positions. The education sector recorded the highest sense of encouragement at 87 per cent.
Yet the report also highlights a growing trust deficit around pay equity. Nearly one in three women, or 33 per cent, say they do not believe men and women are paid equally at their workplace. That figure has risen from 25 per cent last year, pointing to widening perceptions of disparity as careers progress.
Bias in hiring and promotions continues to be the biggest hurdle. About 42 per cent of respondents say workplace bias is the main challenge for women from diverse backgrounds. The concern is consistent across major metros, with Chennai and Delhi NCR reporting similar levels.
Reluctance to discuss personal milestones during hiring processes is also widespread. While 34 per cent overall said they hesitate to share marriage or maternity plans in interviews, the anxiety increases with experience. Among professionals with 10 to 15 years of work experience, the figure rises to 40 per cent.
Info Edge group CMO Sumeet Singh, said the data reflects both progress and unfinished work. “Behind every data point in this report is a woman who is ambitious. The fact that 83 per cent feel encouraged to lead is something to celebrate. However, the fact that one in two still hide their marriage or maternity plans in interviews tells us the work is far from done. As India’s leading career platform, it felt not just important but necessary for us to shine a light on these gaps through the second edition of our report,” he said.
The report suggests that while ambition among women professionals is growing, structural changes around pay transparency, fair hiring and supportive policies will be key if workplaces hope to keep pace.
