Daybreak

Ankit Chona, founder of Hocco, brings his family's legacy to life by crafting indulgent ice cream that embraces traditional methods. He passionately defends the joy of rich flavors against the rising trend of low-calorie alternatives. Dive into his thoughts on how authentic taste prevails in a market that’s obsessed with zero-sugar options. Chona's bold stance showcases that sometimes, indulgence is the real deal, and the numbers are speaking volumes about his ice cream's appeal.

Bhavish Aggarwal, the visionary founder of Ola Electric, shares insights as his company prepares for a groundbreaking IPO valued over $4 billion. He discusses the challenges of workforce layoffs and operational hurdles faced leading up to the market debut. The conversation also critiques the company’s ethical practices and labor standards, shedding light on the competitive landscape. Aggarwal reveals plans for significant investment to enhance battery manufacturing and R&D, cementing Ola's position in India's EV market.

Gen Zs are revolutionizing astrology, turning it into a cultural phenomenon. They use apps like Co Star for relationships and even stock market decisions. Despite astrology's flaws, Gen Z embraces it passionately. The podcast explores how astrology meets science and the ethical considerations for app makers.

Once valued at $22 billion, Byju's, is undergoing insolvency proceedings initiated by the National Company Law Tribunal. This is over a $19 million payment default to the Board of Control for Cricket in India. Byju’s could now see a potential buyout or liquidation. It gets worse. A couple of days ago, one of the largest foreign investors in India, the Qatar Investment Authority, requested the Karnataka High Court to block founder Byju Raveendran’s personal assets.To say things are bad is an understatement.The first question that comes to mind is, of course, what happened. But that’s a story that’s been told too many times. Instead, today, we tell you what Olina Banerji, The Ken's edtech expert and writer of our popular newsletter, Ed Set Go, wrote about Byju’s in the latest edition.She took us back to see what made Byju’s the company it became in the first place and the legacy it is leaving behind.Tune in.P.S. – Check out the first episode of the latest addition to our podcast slate, Two by Two, on Spotify, Apple or YouTube!Daybreak is produced from the newsroom of The Ken, India’s first subscriber-only business news platform. Subscribe for more exclusive, deeply-reported, and analytical business stories.

Healthify saw immense success during the pandemic. Its revenues more than doubled in FY 2022. And it adds up when you think about it. With millions of people stuck at home and gyms shut, Healthify’s virtual fitness and nutrition plans were pretty ideal. But once gyms reopened, home workouts didn’t cut it anymore. And unfortunately, Healthify really bore the brunt of it. The following year, revenue growth slowed down considerably and losses began to soar. But the company's leadership seems undeterred. In fact they want to expand business to the United States, where it will be up against established healthtechs like Noom and MyFitnessPal.  The company seems to be pinning its hopes on the US market as somewhat of a hail Mary pass. 

In 2015, Bira 19 introduced India to craft beer. In the process, the brand started the conversation around taste and quality. It very quickly blew up and became the cool new beer to drink at a bar or a party. The craft beer brand also managed to become a hit among investors. It bagged $450 million in funding from the likes of Japanese beer and beverage company Kirin Holdings and venture capital giant Peak XV Partners, formerly known as Sequoia Capital. But somewhere along the way, the brand seems to have lost direction. In the last few years, Bira has been in short supply at liquor retailers and pubs. And to make matters worse, former Bira executives and industry insiders say that the company’s dealing with a  major cash crunch and its supply chain is in a dire state. All of this at a time when the company is reportedly planning to go public. Bira CEO Ankur Jain recently said that Bira is planning its IPO in 2026. But will he be able to get his business in order by then? And more importantly, what went wrong?Tune in to find out. 

Discover how Apple increased its sales in India by offering attractive financing options and exclusive cashback deals through a partnership with HDFC Bank. Learn about the end of the partnership and the implications for HDFC customers bidding adieu to exclusive cashbacks on Apple products.

The podcast discusses the intense rivalry between Zomato and Swiggy in India's quick commerce market, highlighting Zomato's success post-IPO. It compares their business strategies, market share, and investor perceptions, questioning if Swiggy can catch up. The episode also explores the shift towards quick commerce, analyzing Instamart and Zepto's strategies to meet consumer demands.

For most Indians, a cup of good chai is a comfort that's accessible. Coffee chains, on the other hand, are mostly premium.  And it all adds up when one considers the fact that Indians consume 20 cups of tea for every cup of coffee. But we live in a time when opulence and luxury makes us go google eyed. In the Indian consumer market, premiumisation is no longer a choice.  Even chai cafes chains don’t really have an option but to take the premium path.  But Chaayos, the largest tea cafe chain in India, has decided not to go where the wind blows. And Nitin Saluja, the 40-year-old founder of Chaayos, says that this decision is actually based on its customers. Over the last two years, nearly 200 of them have clearly indicated their unanimous opinion to the company: don’t become like Starbucks.  Tune in.Daybreak is produced from the newsroom of The Ken, India’s first subscriber-only business news platform. Subscribe for more exclusive, deeply-reported, and analytical business stories.P.S. – Check out the first episode of Two by Two, where the speakers discuss the rivalry between Flipkart and Phonepe, on Spotify, Apple or YouTube!

Yeshasvini Ramaswami, CEO of Great Place to Work India, was unexpectedly fired in a shocking Zoom call incident. This raised questions about the company's commitment to trust and reliability in the workplace.