MAM
Medlife goes multilingual, to be offered in eight languages
MUMBAI: e-Health platform Medlife becomes the first in the sector to integrate multiple languages on its mobile and desktop applications, enabling people from all parts of the country to interact and engage with the platform more easily. To begin with, the platform has enabled the option of Hindi and will soon integrate Tamil, Telugu, Bengali, Malayalam, Kannada, Marathi and Gujarati.
Strong internet penetration and the affordability of smartphones have led to the growth of online commerce in small towns and villages across the country, which accounts for over 50 per cent of business for most e-commerce companies. One of the factors that continues to stall full-fledged development or growth of digital platforms across Bharat, is the language barrier. Though India is the second largest English-speaking nation in the world, only 12 per cent of the people speak English, whereas Hindi is spoken by more than 40 per cent of the population and over 20 other languages are native to the rest. This clearly highlights the need to integrate more languages on to a commerce or trade platform in a multicultural society as ours.
With this integration, Medlife is set to engage with over twice the number of its present user base, or 10 million new customers, offering them the benefits of high-quality, end-to-end healthcare services, in a more personalized format.
“We believe adding vernacular capabilities to Medlife’s platform will play a crucial role in not only ensuring language is not a hindrance for any user seeking to avail our services but also in accelerating the consumer transition to online technologies in Tier II, Tier III and rural cities. This also makes Medlife the first and only e-Health platform to expand its platform to regional languages and highlights our dedication to make e-Health simple, personal, accessible and affordable using technology in India,” said Medlife co-founder and CEO Ananth Narayanan.
The integration of additional languages and the technological aspects associated with it are being undertaken in-house by Medlife.
Brands
Jubilant Foodworks to end Dunkin’ franchise in India
Pizza chain operator will not renew agreement when it expires at end of 2026.
MUMBAI: When the doughnuts stop turning and the coffee goes cold, even a global giant like Dunkin’ can find the Indian market a tough brew to crack. Jubilant Foodworks has decided not to renew its franchise agreement with Dunkin’ when the pact expires on 31 December 2026, according to a Reuters report. The operator, best known for running Domino’s outlets in India, said it would evaluate options for its existing Dunkin’ stores, including a potential sale or transfer of franchise rights, in consultation with the US-based brand.
The decision follows years of underperformance in a market where local tastes and intense competition have made it difficult for international coffee-and-doughnut formats to gain traction. Jubilant, which has increasingly focused on its core pizza business and newer bets like Popeyes, indicated that the exit would not materially affect its financial or operational position.
Dunkin’ accounted for just 0.61 per cent of Jubilant’s revenue in the fiscal year ending 2025 and recorded a loss of approximately Rs 191 million, according to a regulatory filing. The company operated 27 outlets as of December 2025, having shuttered seven stores over the preceding year.
The retreat comes even as Jubilant’s broader business shows signs of momentum. The company reported a 65 per cent rise in quarterly profit for the October to December period, reaching Rs 70.9 crore, up from Rs 42.91 crore a year earlier.
For Jubilant, the exit reflects a sharpening strategic focus. For Dunkin’, it marks another setback in a market that has proven resistant to imported café concepts without significant localisation.
In the cut-throat world of Indian quick-service restaurants, sometimes the sweetest deals are the ones you quietly walk away from leaving more room for the brands that truly rise to the occasion.
