Brands
Hard Rock kitchen appliances to enter India through EBG Group
Coffee machines and gadgets set to tap Rs 29,000 crore market
MUMBAI: EBG Group has partnered with Hard Rock International to bring a new range of Hard Rock branded coffee machines and small kitchen appliances to Indian consumers, marking the global brand’s entry into the country’s premium home appliance segment.
The partnership will see EBG Group design, develop, manufacture and distribute the appliances under a licensing agreement. The collaboration is backed by a planned investment of Rs 100 crore and is targeting revenue of Rs 500 crore over the next five years.
The companies are looking to tap into India’s fast growing premium home appliance market, estimated at around Rs 29,000 crore and expanding at an annual growth rate of about nine per cent. Their aim is to capture roughly five per cent market share in the coming years.
Globally, Hard Rock has built a strong presence across hospitality, entertainment, retail and lifestyle merchandise. The new venture extends the brand’s music inspired identity into everyday household products, bringing its distinctive design language to modern kitchens.
EBG Group founder and chief executive officer Irfan Khan said the collaboration blends brand appeal with product performance. “Hard Rock represents energy, authenticity and a globally aspirational lifestyle. Through this partnership we aim to introduce a differentiated portfolio of premium coffee machines and kitchen appliances that combine design, reliability and strong brand experience,” he said.
The upcoming product range will pair Hard Rock’s bold aesthetics with high performance technology and premium materials. The first phase of the launch will focus on key metropolitan markets, followed by expansion into other major cities.
Products will be available through leading retail chains, major e commerce platforms and select premium distribution channels, targeting urban consumers looking for appliances that deliver both performance and lifestyle appeal.
Brands
Oracle layoffs affect up to 30,000 employees globally
Job cuts span US, India and more, staff cite abrupt emails, uncertainty.
MUMBAI: April began with an inbox shock and for thousands, it ended with an exit. Oracle has carried out a sweeping round of layoffs, impacting an estimated 20,000 to 30,000 employees across its global operations, even as the company continues to report strong business performance. The job cuts were communicated via emails sent early on April 1, affecting staff across multiple regions including the United States, India, Canada and parts of Latin America. The reduction spans a wide range of roles and functions, though the company has not disclosed specific criteria behind the decisions.
In the days following the layoffs, employees have taken to platforms such as LinkedIn to share their experiences, many describing the process as abrupt and unsettling. Several posts pointed to a lack of prior indication, with notifications arriving suddenly in early-morning messages.
A recurring concern has been the impact on long-tenured staff. Users reported that employees with decades of experience were among those let go, raising broader questions about job security even for seasoned professionals within large technology firms.
The layoffs have also sparked anxiety about the wider direction of the sector. As companies continue to invest heavily in automation and artificial intelligence, workforce recalibration is becoming more common often accompanied by uncertainty around future roles and skills.
For many affected employees, the immediate challenge lies in navigating career transitions in an increasingly competitive job market, with posts reflecting concerns about stability and next steps.
The development comes against a backdrop of strong financial performance at Oracle, which recently reported a 22 percent year-on-year increase in revenue, alongside continued growth in its cloud infrastructure business. The company has also been committing significant capital towards artificial intelligence and data centre expansion.
The contrast between growth and job cuts has added to the unease, underscoring a broader shift in how large technology firms balance expansion with efficiency sometimes at the cost of the very workforce that helped build that growth.
