Brands
Nespresso expands into India with Delhi flagship
MUMBAI: Coffee connoisseurs can cheer. Nespresso, the Nestlé-owned premium coffee brand, has established its first Indian retail presence with a boutique in Delhi’s Select Citywalk Mall, marking a significant step in the firm’s Asian expansion strategy.
The Swiss company, which pioneered the premium single-serve coffee segment, has entered a market traditionally dominated by tea consumption but where urban coffee culture has gained substantial momentum in recent years. The company had initially entered the Indian market in late 2024 through e-commerce channels before committing to this brick-and-mortar investment.
Nespresso chief executive Philipp Navratil, highlighted the importance of physical retail in the firm’s market development approach. “This boutique will help us bring Nespresso’s product range to Indian coffee consumers in an immersive environment,” he noted at the launch event. The company appears to be replicating its successful retail strategy from other emerging markets, where experiential shopping has proven effective in building brand loyalty.
The Delhi boutique follows Nespresso’s established retail formula: trained coffee specialists offer tastings and personalised recommendations in a carefully designed environment showcasing both the firm’s coffee varieties and its machine range. This high-touch approach has served the brand well in other markets where coffee consumption patterns are evolving.
For Nestlé, the parent company with an already substantial presence in India, this expansion represents a strategic move into the premium segment.
“Coffee culture in India is evolving rapidly,” observed Nestlé India chairman & managing director Suresh Narayanan. “This launch reflects our commitment to deliver premium experiences to Indian consumers.”
The company has appointed Thakral Innovations as its official distribution partner in India, covering all Nespresso products across retail channels. This partnership model has been successfully deployed by Nespresso in other markets where specialised distribution expertise is required.
Notably, Nespresso has maintained supply chain connections in India since 2011, sourcing high-quality coffee through its sustainability programme. The firm currently works with approximately 2,000 Indian coffee farmers through its AAA Sustainable Quality initiative, which focuses on improving quality, productivity and environmental practices.
The Indian premium coffee market has shown resilience and growth potential despite economic headwinds, with urban consumers increasingly willing to spend on premium food and beverage experiences. Nespresso’s entry pits it against established players including Starbucks, which has operated in India since 2012 through a partnership with Tata Consumer Products.
Nespresso, which achieved B Corp certification in 2022, currently operates in 93 markets worldwide with a retail network of 791 boutiques. Whether the company can successfully cultivate a significant market in a country where tea remains the dominant hot beverage will be a key test of its globalisation strategy and the evolving tastes of Indian consumers.
Brands
UpGrad to acquire Unacademy in share-swap deal, founders confirm
Proposed share-swap could unite two edtech rivals as sector eyes consolidation
MUMBAI: The Indian edtech sector may be inching toward another wave of consolidation, with online learning platform upGrad signing a term sheet to acquire rival Unacademy in an all stock transaction.
If completed, the deal would bring together two of the country’s most prominent education technology companies at a time when the sector is adjusting to slower demand and a sharper focus on profitability after the pandemic driven boom.
UpGrad founder and chairperson Ronnie Screwvala confirmed the development in a post on X, stating that Unacademy co-founder and chief executive Gaurav Munjal would continue to lead the company following the acquisition.
“We at upGrad have signed a term sheet to acquire Unacademy in an all stock deal, with founder and ceo Gaurav Munjal staying on to build Unacademy and focus on what it does best, creating online education products that learners love,” Screwvala wrote.
He added that the agreement includes a break fee provision if the transaction fails to close. Screwvala also said the combined entity could strengthen upGrad’s integrated learning model spanning K12 education, professional training and lifelong learning.
Unacademy confirmed that the proposed transaction will be executed through a 100 per cent share swap, with the valuation to be disclosed only after the deal closes and regulatory filings are completed.
Announcing the development on X, Munjal described the agreement as the beginning of a new chapter for both companies and the wider edtech ecosystem.
He noted that Unacademy had spent the past year reshaping its operations to focus more sharply on online education products. Among the steps taken were consolidating company operated offline centres with franchise partners and launching a Rs 50 crore employee stock ownership plan buyback, in which around 40 per cent of former employees have already participated.
Munjal also highlighted the traction gained by Airlearn, the company’s language learning product, which he said is expanding in markets including the United States, the United Kingdom, Germany and Canada.
“Our cash reserves as of today are more than $100 million,” he said.
The proposed deal also marks a turnaround from earlier talks between the two companies that had stalled over disagreements on valuation and structure. Previous discussions had placed Unacademy’s valuation in the range of $300 million to $400 million, according to media reports.
If the transaction goes through, Munjal will continue as co-founder and chief executive of Unacademy, focusing on building online learning products for students in India and global markets.
For upGrad, the acquisition would broaden its footprint across the education spectrum, from school level learning to professional upskilling and lifelong education.
The move comes as India’s edtech sector enters a more sober phase after years of rapid expansion. Companies across the industry have been trimming costs, restructuring operations and seeking scale to build more sustainable businesses.
Against that backdrop, the potential combination of upGrad and Unacademy could signal that the next phase of edtech growth may be driven less by blitzscaling and more by strategic partnerships and consolidation.
