Brands
PayTM pledges 100 oxygen concentrators, one oxygen plant for Covid relief
KERALA: Indian e-wallet and fintech company PayTM has pledged to donate 100 concentrators and one oxygen plant for Covid relief efforts in Gujarat. The donations were made to the Corona Sewa Yagna initiative spearheaded by Gujarat governor Acharya Devvrat.
PayTM has donated oxygen concentrators to combat the shortage in the supply of medical oxygen and stabilise the healthcare infrastructure. The oxygen concentrators will be sent to public hospitals, Covid-19 clinics, primary health centres, dedicated Covid-19 hospitals and health centres.
“We feel proud to extend our efforts to support Gujarat governor Shri Acharya Devvrat’s noble ‘Corona Sewa Yagna’ initiative. It’s crucial in the time of crisis to provide a pillar of support to our fellow citizens as pandemic waves hit the shores. We aim to converge our resources along with the state government’s initiatives to save as many lives of the people of Gujarat. These oxygen concentrators are our humble contribution to help overcome the oxygen shortage by the Gujarat citizens struggling with Covid-19,” said PayTM founder & CEO Vijay Shekhar Sharma.
Non-profit organisation Yuva Unstoppable is supporting this campaign under the mentorship of the governor of Gujarat. Other corporates like HDFC Bank, Finolex, JITO, and more have supported ‘Corona Sewa Yagna’ initiative.
PayTM’s helping hand to its employees
While interacting with the Indiantelevision.com, Sharma talked about various initiatives PayTM has taken to assure the wellbeing of its employees.
“Unfortunately, we have lost eight members of our PayTM family due to the Covid pandemic. We, at PayTM, are trying our best to fulfil the needs of the employees at these pandemic times. We are providing jobs to the dependents of the deceased employees, and we are meeting their family expenses for one year. We have introduced work from home option to our employees. We have given health insurance to our employees, and have never compelled them to work if they face any Covid-related issues,” he added.
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.
