Brands
Sunny Leone launches innerwear brand “Infamous by Starstruck”
MUMBAI: Popular Bollywood celebrity turned serial entrepreneur, Sunny Leone launched her very own innerwear brand “Infamous by Starstruck” exclusively on the first day of India Licensing Expo 2019 (the third edition of the country’s largest brand licencing platform). Bradford License India has been appointed as the brand’s official licencing agent.
Post her successful foray into the cosmetic industry, Leone now enters a $262 billion global licensing and merchandising industry by launching this brand in the innerwear category. With its third edition, India Licensing Expo is set out to connect global brands, retailers and manufacturers for two days of relationship building , deal making and trend spotting.
Leone’s brand was also felicitated with ‘The Most Engaging Brand on Social Media’ award at Labels Award powered by Marie Claire.
Speaking on her launch, Leone said “I’m really excited to launch Infamous by Starstruck at ILE 2019 which has offered us a platform to promote the brand in retail fraternity & find right licencing partner with huge retail muscle to take the brand forward in the global landscape. Infamous is for all kinds of women from all around the world.”
Brands
Zydus Wellness expands Ritebite Max Protein into new formats
RTD shakes, ghee jaggery bars and Korean chips target $10–12 bn protein market.
MUMBAI: Protein is no longer just gym talk, it’s making a full-course entry into everyday India. Zydus Wellness Ltd. is stretching its Ritebite Max Protein portfolio across three new formats, signalling a sharper push to turn protein from a niche supplement into a daily habit. The expansion brings ready-to-drink (RTD) protein shakes, culturally rooted ghee jaggery bars, and Korean-inspired protein chips under one umbrella, an attempt to build what the company calls a “multi-format protein ecosystem”. The move targets India’s rapidly expanding protein market, currently estimated at $10–12 billion and growing at a mid-teen CAGR.
The numbers suggest the strategy already has legs. In Q3 FY26, Ritebite Max Protein posted near double-digit EBITDA margins following its acquisition, driven by distribution expansion, product innovation and broader category tailwinds.
At the centre of the rollout is convenience. The newly launched RTD shakes available in Choco Burst and Berry Blush deliver 26 grams of protein per 250 ml serving, designed for on-the-go consumption. Meanwhile, the “Roots” Ghee Jaggery Protein Bars blend traditional Indian ingredients with whey and casein, offering 10 grams of protein and 4 grams of fibre per serving.
But the play isn’t just about nostalgia. On the other end of the spectrum, Korean-flavoured protein chips featuring variants like Hot Chilli, Barbeque and Gochujang tap into global snacking trends. Each 60-gram serving delivers 10 grams of protein and 4 grams of fibre, alongside claims such as no palm oil and gluten-free formulation.
The broader insight is clear: the protein category is fragmenting along lifestyle lines. One cohort is leaning into familiarity and traditional formats, while another is chasing novelty and international flavours. Zydus is betting it can straddle both worlds.
With a nationwide rollout planned across e-commerce and quick-commerce platforms, the company is positioning Ritebite Max Protein not just as a product line, but as a day-long consumption habit, one shake, bar, or chip at a time.
