Brands
Bergner & Shoppers Stop cook up a storm, stir the pot with Hitech Giro X
MUMBAI: Let’s be honest, the only thing worse than burnt toast is pretending burnt toast is a culinary masterpiece. Luckily, Bergner and Shoppers Stop have joined forces with culinary superstar chef Vikas Khanna to rescue home chefs everywhere from kitchen disasters. Launching the ultra-advanced Hitech Giro X cookware, they’ve set out to turn amateur cooks into kitchen wizards—minus the magic wand (though we wouldn’t mind that either).
In an exclusive event at HomeStop, Mumbai, Michelin Star chef Vikas Khanna unveiled Bergner India’s new cookware range, Hitech Giro X. This collection isn’t just cookware—it’s a ticket to culinary nirvana. Featuring cutting-edge Tri-Ply construction and Ceratech ceramic coating, the Giro X range guarantees even heat distribution, minimal oil use, and healthier meals, all while looking sleek enough to impress even your judgmental aunt Meena.
“Exceptional cookware is the foundation of great cooking. Bergner India is dedicated to advancements that make cooking healthier, more accessible, and more pleasurable. Hitech Giro X exemplifies this, offering a seamless cooking experience through its durable, efficient, and thoughtfully designed features. We’re excited to partner with Shoppers Stop to bring this innovative cookware to Indian kitchens,” said Bergner India MD Umesh Guptaa.
Khanna wasn’t shy about his enthusiasm either, stating, “In my line of work, I’ve learned that the quality of your cookware matters just as much as the quality of your ingredients. The Hitech Giro X makes cooking healthier, faster, and more enjoyable for anyone who loves spending time in the kitchen. It’s a privilege to be involved in this launch with Shoppers Stop and Bergner India. This range is a real game-changer, and I think everyone should see it for themselves at HomeStop.”
Shoppers Stop MD & CEO Kavindra Mishra shared, “At Shoppers Stop, we are committed to bringing the best in lifestyle and home innovation to our customers. Hitech Giro X aligns perfectly with our vision of blending cutting-edge technology with everyday convenience. Through this partnership with Bergner India and Michelin Star Chef Vikas Khanna, we aim to redefine modern home cooking.”
The launch featured an exclusive masterclass where Chef Khanna demonstrated the capabilities of Hitech Giro X, showing off its tri-ply technology and exceptional cooking performance. Attendees, mainly Shoppers Stop First Citizen cardholders, were left both inspired and ready to tackle cooking challenges head-on.
Brands
Dunkin’ Donuts to exit India as Jubilant FoodWorks ends 15-year franchise deal
The quick service restaurant giant is ending a 15-year franchise partnership with the American doughnut chain, even as it renews its Domino’s agreement for another 15 years
NOIDA: Dunkin’ is done in India. Jubilant FoodWorks Ltd, the country’s leading quick service restaurant operator, has decided not to renew its franchise agreement with the American coffee and doughnut chain, and will wind down its Indian stores in a phased manner before December 31, 2026, bringing a 15-year partnership to a quiet, loss-laden close.
The decision, approved by JFL’s board on March 30, 2026, ends a relationship that began with a Multiple Unit Development Franchise Agreement signed on February 24, 2011. JFL will now evaluate and undertake what it described in a regulatory filing as the “rationalisation and/or cessation of certain operations and/or sale, transfer or disposal of assets and/or assignment or transfer of franchise rights,” all in consultation with Dunkin’s brand owners and strictly within the terms of the original agreement.
The numbers tell the story bluntly. In the financial year 2024-25, Dunkin’ India posted a revenue of Rs 37 crore against a loss of Rs 19 crore — a haemorrhage that was always going to test the patience of a parent company recording revenues of Rs 6,104 crore and a profit of Rs 194 crore in the same period. Doughnuts, it turns out, were never going to move the needle.
The contrast with JFL’s handling of its other marquee franchise could hardly be sharper. Even as it walks away from Dunkin’, the company has just doubled down on Domino’s, signing a fresh Master Franchise Agreement on March 31, 2026, granting it exclusive rights to develop and operate Domino’s Pizza stores in India for 15 years, with an option to renew for a further 10.
JFL, incorporated in 1995 and promoted by the Bharatia family, operates a network of more than 3,500 stores across six markets — India, Turkey, Bangladesh, Sri Lanka, Azerbaijan and Georgia. Its portfolio includes Domino’s and Popeyes on the global side, and two home-grown brands: Hong’s Kitchen and COFFY, a café brand in Turkey.
For Dunkin’, India was always a stretch. The brand never quite cracked the cultural code in a market where filter coffee and chai command fierce loyalty and where the doughnut remains, at best, an occasional indulgence rather than a daily habit. Fifteen years, mounting losses and a parent with better things to spend its capital on was always going to be a difficult equation to solve.
The doughnut has had its last day. The pizza, however, is staying.
