MAM
BBC Worldwide beefs up cookware and Lifestyle licensing offer
MUMBAI: BBC Worldwide is upping its cookware and lifestyle offer with plans to launch licensing programmes for in-house properties and through agency deals.
Kirstie Allsopp, BBC GoodFood and Gardener’s World join MasterChef as key brands in BBC Worldwide’s licensing portfolio.
BBC Worldwide senior licensing manager Cassie Allen said, “The cookware and lifestyle markets are substantial areas of growth for us. We have premium brands which have already performed strongly on launch and we’re looking forward now to taking these properties trade-wide and in to more categories.”
Kirstie Allsop launched her debut range of homewares and gifts in Marks & Spencer last year. The M&S range continues into 2012 and BBC Worldwide will be taking the brand trade-wide with new lines including stationery, home fragrance, outdoor products, ceramics and craft sets from September.
The BBC’s commercial arm also launched Gardener’s World product for the first time in Boots in Autumn/Winter 2011. The range includes pruning sets, a barometer, nesting boxes, clocks and gardens tools. Additional products to launch this year include watering cans, a thermos flask and a garden kneeler. Gardener’s World is looking for other opportunities to go trade-wide from Spring/Summer 2013.
BBC GoodFood already has mass awareness across the UK with over three million viewers on the channel; the magazine has a monthly circulation of 300,000 monthly and 3.7 million website users. The GoodFood Show further attracts over 100,000 visitors annually.
BBC Worldwide’s licensing team has been developing the style guide and a phasing plan for GoodFood with ambitions to launch the first range of cookware in early 2013. The team has their sights on signing up new partners on a range of products which include cookware, bakeware, ceramic oven tableware and textiles including aprons, tea towels and oven gloves.
MasterChef and Junior MasterChef product across 40 SKUs launched in John Lewis in 2011 and fast became one of their top 10 cookware licenses. The range will be extending out to a number of independent stores and cookware specialists this year.
Brands
Pre-seed funding fuels nailinit, India’s new-age nail care brand
Gruhas Collective Consumer Fund backs Gen Z-focused beauty startup
MUMBAI: nailinit, a community-first nail care startup targeting Gen Z and millennials, has raised Rs 2.5 to Rs 3 crore in a pre-seed round led by Gruhas Collective Consumer Fund and Marsshot VC, alongside a clutch of consumer, technology and operator angels.
Backed by entrepreneur and investor Nikhil Kamath, Gruhas Collective Consumer Fund is betting on nailinit’s attempt to give India’s nail care aisle a long overdue makeover. The fresh capital will be used to deepen distribution across quick commerce and D2C channels, build its community engine, and accelerate product innovation in a category that is high frequency but still light on strong brands.
Founded by Tanishq Ambegaokar and Shubham Singhal, nailinit is positioning itself at the crossroads of beauty, self-expression and culture. The brand wants nails to be more than a finishing touch. It sees them as a canvas for identity, content and commerce.
“At nailinit, we are building for a generation that sees beauty as self-expression, not just routine,” said Ambegaokar. “The nail category in India has largely been underserved by strong brands. This capital allows us to invest in product depth, community and distribution in a thoughtful and long-term way.”
Singhal added that while the brand’s tone may be playful, its operating focus is sharp. “This round strengthens our supply chain, expands our digital footprint and enables disciplined execution as we scale.”
The funding round drew notable angels including Shashank Kumar of Razorpay, Arjit Johri of Marsshot VC, Yash Jain, formerly of NimbusPost, Karan Jindal of Meta, Jivraj Singh Sachar of ISV Capital, Nishank Jain of Accel, Yashvardhan Kanoi, Ashwarya Garg of HYPD, Venus Dhuria of Phot.AI and Amishi Parasrampuria of The Whole Truth.
Gruhas Collective Consumer Fund fund manager Gauri Kuchhal, believes the opportunity lies in shifting habits. “Nail care remains underpenetrated in India, with consumers relying on time-intensive salon visits. As convenience and self-expression gain ground, press-on nails can unlock more frequent and experimental usage. Nailinit is well-placed to expand beyond press-ons into adjacent categories.”
The brand is currently the only nail care player in India blending product-led retail with a dedicated kiosk at Jio World Drive in Bandra, where customers can walk in for services while discovering the range. It has also built early traction across quick commerce platforms such as Zepto and Blinkit, with a launch on Instamart in the pipeline, and is available on Amazon, strengthening its omnichannel presence.
In a space long dominated by salon chairs and scattered labels, nailinit is attempting to file, shape and polish the category into something sharper. With fresh funding in hand, the startup is setting out to prove that in beauty, small details can make a bold statement.
