Brands
Parle Agro launches ‘Dhishoom’
Mumbai: Parle Agro, known for its innovative contributions to the Indian beverage industry, has launched Dhishoom, a jeera masala flavored carbonated drink, nationwide. With its availability across the country, Dhishoom establishes itself as the first national brand in this category.
Dhishoom was originally launched in 2012 and was available in rural and small-towns markets. Recognizing the growing demand for jeera-based drinks in India, Parle Agro has now introduced Dhishoom across the country. With this move, Parle Agro aims to not only meet but also lead the expansion of this burgeoning category.
Dhishoom brings consumers the authentic taste of a jeera drink. With the perfect blend of savory, tangy and citrusy flavours, expertly infused with the right mix of jeera masala and carbonation, Dhishoom delivers a taste that’s not just refreshing but also packs a punch. Its quirky eye-catchy packaging is hard to miss on the retail shelf. Available in two sizes – 125ml and 250ml, priced at Rs. 10 and Rs. 20 respectively, Dhishoom offers affordability without compromising on quality.
Speaking on the launch, Parle Agro head of Marketing and International Business Ankit Kapoor said, “The pan India launch of Dhishoom marks our national foray into the masala soda segment with the aim to establish leadership in the fragmented jeera masala drink category. We will leverage our superior understanding of the consumer’s taste, design lead brand building capability and our distribution network to unlock this category.”
The jeera masala drink category, encompassing both organized and unorganized segments, commands a substantial market size of approximately ₹700 crore. While regional players currently dominate pockets of the market, there exists a noticeable gap for a strong national brand to emerge and capture market share. Parle Agro aims to fill this gap by becoming the first nationwide brand in this segment.
Speaking about the launch, Parle Agro managing director Nadia Chauhan added, “Nothing fuels our passion more than elevating categories to unimaginable heights. Dhishoom’s national launch shows our commitment to seizing market potential. Our mission is to position Dhishoom as the ultimate choice in the jeera masala drink category, cementing Parle Agro’s leadership in the category and the beverage industry as a whole.”
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.
