Brands
Flipkart engulfs Sachin Bansal’s Billion into private label business
MUMBAI: Flipkart has moved Billion, a private label brand founded by Sachin Bansal, into its overall private label business. Billion is a made in India project and is positioned as a reasonably priced brand tailored specifically with the Indian customers in mind.
Billion was formed as a private label selling electronics, appliances and accessories by Sachin Bansal after he resigned from the post of Flipkart CEO in 2016. Before leaving Flipkart, Sachin was operating Billion as a brand separate from Flipkart’s private businesses.
The brand is now a part of a portfolio of eight brands which are being managed by Flipkart vice president of private labels Adarsh Menon. The 50-member team of Billion will work in conjunction with the private labels team of the e-tailer, while Sachin Bansal remains at its helm.
“The space that Billion has very successfully created and occupied for Indian consumers is the space of make in India and made in India. And that’s an extremely rich asset that the brand has. That can enable it to travel across multiple categories, which speaks volumes about how strong the brand is. What Billion will continue to do is identifying very India-specific customer requirements, and then working with our ecosystem partners to deliver that to Indian consumers?” said Menon as quoted by Livemint.
Billion was Bansal’s big project after he left Flipkart. Sachin co-founded Flipkart with Binny Bansal. Sadly, he had to bid adieu to the company after he demanded stronger shareholder rights and better role in the operations of the resultant entity, which was opposed by Lee Fixel of Tiger Global Management, one of the major backers of Flipkart, and the company’s board. Following this, Sachin had to sell his entire stake in Flipkart, signing a non-compete clause with the company and had to leave the company. A year later, Binny Bansal himself was replaced by former Tiger Global Management executive Kalyan Krishnamurthy.
Brands
ITC Sunfeast Farmlite launches Sugar Free Cookies range
New variants offer guilt-free indulgence for health-conscious snackers.
MUMBAI: ITC Sunfeast Farmlite is sweetening the deal for biscuit lovers who want to have their cookie and eat it too without the sugar. The better-for-you biscuits range from ITC Foods has expanded its portfolio with the launch of an all-new Sugar Free Cookies line, aligning with the company’s vision of ‘Help India Eat Better’. The range is designed for consumers who are rethinking sugar in their daily snacking but refuse to compromise on taste and indulgence.
The collection debuts with two tempting variants: Choco Nut Cookies and Hazelnut & Oats Cookies. Both are a source of protein and contain no trans-fat, while the Hazelnut & Oats variant is also lactose-free.
ITC Ltd. vice president (marketing), biscuits, foods division, Suraj Kathuria said, “At Sunfeast Farmlite, we believe mindful snacking should never come at the cost of indulgence. With this launch, we are catering to the growing need for guilt-free snacking while delivering a rich, satisfying cookie experience.”
ITC Ltd. vice president & head of food sciences for foods division Dr Shantanu Das added, “We have applied robust food science to develop cookies that are sugar-free while preserving the taste and texture consumers love.”
Each cookie comes in convenient single-serve packs to maintain texture and freshness. Both variants are available in 100g packs priced at ₹100 and can be found on quick-commerce platforms including Blinkit, Swiggy Instamart, and Zepto.
In a market increasingly leaning towards healthier choices, ITC Sunfeast Farmlite’s new Sugar Free Cookies prove that cutting sugar doesn’t mean cutting joy. For the health-conscious yet indulgent snacker, this could be the perfect bite-sized solution.
