MAM
Bikano to increase its workforce by 10-15% in the next 2-3 years
Mumbai: Even as the year just gone by has not been normal in terms of overall growth, Bikano, India’s leading packaged snacks brand, has turned out to be an outlier. Bikano has continued its hiring spree in these difficult times, even as most companies took to mass layoffs. In fact, with expanded operations and an increased footprint, particularly in Hyderabad and the Northeast region, the company’s overall headcount rose by as much as 10 per cent in 2022.
As the New Year begins on a positive note, the company intends to add to its workforce. The upcoming hiring process would constitute lateral hiring as well as recruiting freshers. A combination of hiring would feature in the coming years with an eye on addressing the seasonal surge in production and demand.
So far, adding more SKUs for a larger range of products in the company’s ever expanding portfolio has been the go-to strategy. With a view to improving its market share, ramping up production at several plants in Delhi/NCR and the south Indian market, especially Hyderabad, has become a top priority. This ramping up is set to catalyze large-scale hiring across plants and facilities. Furthermore, in addition to the hiring of experienced manpower, many trainees across functional areas including sales and manufacturing are expected to be onboarded for the Hyderabad plant.
However, the hiring process doesn’t stop here. The newly hired employees are duly taken through an induction and training process including a six-month orientation program, part of which is conducted on a very effective and successful platform called Apni pathshala. Post-training, a substantial number of hires are deployed on-site as a part of the field sales force backed by support and senior managerial staff present at corporate offices.
“We are indeed happy to have come out relatively unscathed through the pandemic years. Unlike other mainstream businesses, which were cutting down on their manpower, we were doing the exact opposite. It is this level of increased hiring which has been fueling our aggressive expansion plans. In the New Year, as the inflationary trends as well as the broader slowdown headwinds ease further, we will expand our product portfolio with new and innovative offerings as well as SKUs. This means that we will only step up our hiring and recruitment drive further, looking to increase our total workforce by as much as 10-15 per cent in the coming two or three years,” said Bikano director Manish Aggarwal.
“Existing team is retained based on their performance. At the same time, we are hiring a fresh and talented workforce” added Aggarwal.
“As a professional company with a proper corporate setup, we understand that HR policies and practices are responsible for a company’s growth. Bearing that in mind, we have a structured and standardized HR system in place. We give a chance to youngsters through campus visits. We also invest heavily in the training of our employees. We function as a family, keeping in mind the interests of both individual employees and the organization,” said Bikano HOD marketing Kush Aggarwal.
MAM
Jack&Jones unveils Spring Summer ’26 collection with 3 themes
Music, Rush and Travel chapters anchor expansive youth-focused drop.
MUMBAI: If fashion had a playlist, this one would come with a bass drop, a road trip, and a wardrobe change in between. Jack&Jones has rolled out its Spring Summer ’26 collection, pitching it as its most expansive seasonal showcase yet less a drop, more a three-act cultural statement. At the centre of the campaign is Volume 1: Music, a chapter that taps into India’s independent music scene and wears its attitude on its sleeve quite literally. Featuring artists like Loka, Wazir Patar and Aksomaniac, the line blends bold graphics with relaxed silhouettes and versatile denim designed to move effortlessly from stage lights to street style.
Denim, unsurprisingly, remains the headline act. From lived-in washes to rip-and-repair textures and wide-leg fits, the collection leans into familiarity while nudging expression forward aiming to feel both personal and performative at once.
The brand didn’t stop at aesthetics. Extending its music-first narrative into the real world, Jack&Jones partnered with the UN40 Music Festival held on March 14 and 15 in Bengaluru. The collaboration featured an experiential pop-up, complete with denim customisation zones, interactive installations and exclusive viewing experiences turning fashion into something you could not just wear, but play with.
Volume 2: Rush shifts gears into a faster lane, embracing high-energy aesthetics tailored for movement, momentum and a lifestyle that rarely stands still. Think sharper silhouettes, dynamic styling and a sense of urgency stitched into every look.
In contrast, Volume 3: Travel slows things down. This chapter leans into sun-washed palettes, lightweight layers and easy silhouettes built for spontaneity designed for consumers who prefer their fashion with a side of wanderlust.
Across all three volumes, the thread that ties it together is clear: denim as a constant, supported by breathable cottons and summer-ready fabrics that balance comfort with structure. The result is a collection that doesn’t just follow trends but attempts to mirror the rhythm of youth culture itself.
With Spring Summer ’26, Jack&Jones isn’t just selling clothes, it’s curating moods. And in a season where identity is as fluid as style, that might just be its strongest fit yet.
