MAM
Barista brews special Diwali bonanza
NEW DELHI: This festive season, Barista has come up with a special Diwali bonanza for its customers as part of its marketing strategy.
Buy any one of the specially designed fine quality porcelain coffee mugs and get one cappuccino complimentary. This offer is available at select outlets, according to a press release issued by the company.
The mug is available in blue and orange. It is priced at Rs 55 each. The offer entitles the customer to a Complimentary Hot Cappuccino on purchase of every single mug; lending them an immediate gratification of being rewarded a unique coffee experience.
According to Brotin Banerjee, head – marketing and strategic planning, Barista Coffee Company Limited, “This is the way we are expressing our appreciation for the customers, for their passionate involvement in our brand on various occasions.”
Banerjee said, “This offer comes forth in order to mark a memorable celebration of Diwali for the coffee lovers, this festive season. As a pioneer in the coffee-retailing category, we would like to thank our customers for their belief in the brand. As an experiential brand, our aim is to allow our consumers to appreciate and experience the ‘Joy of Coffee’, at our Espresso bars as well as at home.” He continued, “We plan to continue with such promotions to build and strengthen our relationship with our customers allowing them to truly experience Barista coffees.”
Barista would be running the Diwali Promotion across all stores in India except Chennai and Bangalore. The promotion will not be valid at any of the Taj hotels and select stores.
It starts today (18 October) and will be valid till the (mug) stocks last or till 30 October.
Barista, India’s largest and fastest growing retailer of fine coffees, was established in February 2000 by Barista Coffee Company Limited, to recreate the ambiance and experience of the typical Italian neighborhood Espresso Bars in India.
At present, the Barista Coffee Company Limited has over 66 Espresso Bars and Espresso Corners in Delhi, Mumbai, Bangalore, Hyderabad, Chennai, Chandigarh, Goa, Ahmedabad, Pune, Simla and Ludhiana and will grow to 75 retail outlets in India soon.
Brands
Wipro hires 7,500 freshers, withholds FY27 hiring outlook
Profit rises to Rs 3,522 crore, Rs 15,000 crore buyback announced.
MUMBAI- Hiring may be on, but visibility is off, Wipro is adding talent even as it pauses the crystal ball. The company hired 7,500 freshers in FY26 but stopped short of offering any hiring outlook for FY27, underscoring the uncertainty gripping the IT services sector as it pivots towards an AI-led operating model.
The disclosure came alongside its fourth-quarter earnings, where management flagged volatile demand conditions and refrained from committing to future workforce expansion. Chief human resources officer Saurabh Govil noted that over 3,000 of the total hires were onboarded in the March quarter alone, signalling continued intake despite a lack of clarity on deployment pipelines.
This divergence active hiring without forward guidance reflects a broader industry pattern where talent acquisition continues even as deal conversions remain uneven and client spending cycles stretch. Wipro expects its IT services revenue for the June quarter to range between a decline of 2 per cent and flat growth sequentially in constant currency terms, reinforcing near-term caution.
Chief executive officer Srini Pallia pointed to artificial intelligence as both a disruptor and an opportunity. He said evolving client priorities are pushing the company towards outcome-driven engagements, with Wipro increasingly focusing on a services-as-software model through its AI Native Business and Platforms unit. The shift marks a structural change from traditional headcount-led growth to AI-enabled delivery frameworks.
The company has already committed over $1 billion to its AI ecosystem, with investors closely watching how these investments translate into revenue. For now, the numbers present a mixed picture. Net profit rose sequentially to Rs 3,522 crore, while revenue grew 3 per cent to Rs 24,236 crore. However, core IT services performance remained under pressure, with full-year revenue declining 0.3 per cent in dollar terms and 1.6 per cent in constant currency.
Large deal bookings offered a counterpoint, rising 45.4 per cent year-on-year to $7.8 billion, highlighting a widening gap between deal wins and actual revenue realisation. On a quarterly basis, IT services revenue slipped 1.2 per cent sequentially, signalling continued softness in execution.
Margins, however, told a more optimistic story. Operating margins expanded to 17.3 per cent in the fourth quarter, up from 14.8 per cent in the previous quarter, reflecting improved cost discipline. That said, the company cautioned that upcoming wage hikes and the ramp-up of large deals could exert pressure going forward.
Attrition stood at 13.8 per cent in the March quarter, indicating stabilisation after periods of elevated churn. Alongside its earnings, Wipro also announced a Rs 15,000 crore share buyback, reinforcing its focus on shareholder returns, with a payout ratio of 88 per cent over the past three years.
Taken together, the numbers capture a company in transition investing in AI, maintaining hiring momentum, but navigating a demand environment where growth is uneven and visibility remains limited.
