Brands
Navdeep Sachdeva joins Zepto as senior VP and head of procurement
MUMBAI: Zepto has appointed Navdeep Sachdeva as its senior vice president and head of procurement, a strategic hire aimed at supercharging the company’s quick commerce operations. With a career spanning PhonePe, Flipkart, and Bharti Airtel, Sachdeva brings deep expertise in turning procurement into a strategic growth engine rather than a cost function.
Sachdeva shared his excitement about joining Zepto, saying his early discussions with founders Aadit Palicha and Ramesh Bafna convinced him of the company’s long-term vision. “It’s clear Zepto is building with purpose, scale, and ambition,” he said, adding that he looked forward to tackling meaningful challenges alongside a stellar team.
In his new role, Sachdeva will lead high-impact negotiations and strategic partnerships across supply chain, logistics, marketing, and technical procurement. He will focus on scalable sourcing strategies, cost efficiencies, and long-term vendor relationships to support Zepto’s hyper-growth ambitions.
Previously, Sachdeva headed strategic sourcing at PhonePe, overseeing marketing, IT, facilities, HR, and call centres. He also held leadership roles at Flipkart, managing commercials and services procurement, and spent over nine years at Bharti Airtel leading pan-India procurement operations. His expertise spans complex negotiations, performance-linked contracts, and operational resilience initiatives.
With Sachdeva on board, Zepto is set to strengthen its supply backbone, streamline procurement as a strategic lever, and gain an edge in India’s fiercely competitive quick commerce market.
Brands
Funskool India crosses US$40 million turnover in FY 2025-26
Toy manufacturer posts steady growth despite global headwinds.
MUMBAI: Funskool India has played its cards well turning challenges into steady growth while keeping the fun alive in the toy business. The country’s leading toy manufacturer has reported a turnover of $40 million in FY 2025-26, demonstrating resilience in a difficult global environment. The company recorded an average growth of 14 per cent over the past two years, with exports growing at a healthy 19% year-on-year.
While domestic business grew at a modest single-digit pace, Funskool saw encouraging traction in key categories such as Fundough (dough) and Handycrafts (arts & crafts).
Funskool India Ltd. CEO K.A. Shabir said, “We successfully navigated the challenges posed by US tariffs last year and continued to grow both our export and domestic businesses. Given the ongoing geopolitical situation in West Asia, we are currently working with a moderate growth outlook of 12–15 per cent, with plans to revisit our targets after Q1 once the situation stabilises.”
He highlighted strengthened partnerships with global companies including Spin Master (Canada), Moose Toys (Australia), Melissa & Doug (USA), Asmodee (France), Learning Resources (USA), and Buffalo Games (USA). The expansion of the company’s Goa plant is progressing and is expected to be completed by the end of the current financial year.
Looking ahead, Funskool expects a significant shift in domestic growth momentum for FY 2026-27, driven by new categories such as friction vehicles under the brand “BlazeTrix”, remote-control cars under “VoltRush”, and the addition of popular licences like Paw Patrol.
In an industry where playtime never stops, Funskool has shown that even in turbulent times, a smart strategy and strong partnerships can keep the business ticking along nicely. As it gears up for the next financial year, the company appears well-positioned to build on its solid foundation and bring even more joy to children worldwide.
