Can Bira 91 Reclaim Its Crown?, CARS24 Axes 120 Jobs & More

Why Dropping ‘Private’ Sent Bira 91 Into A Tailspin

What’s there in a name, goes the old adage. Well, in the case of Bira 91 — everything. A mere change in the name has taken the brand back by at least a decade. Now, it’s in the process of restarting from scratch but faces cash flow constraints and a substantial payment backlog, including vendor payments, statutory dues, and employee salaries.

But Why? The brand built its beer empire with licences in the name of B9 Beverages Private Limited. However, when it became a public entity (after its shareholders breached the 200 mark), to comply with India’s regulations.

An action as simple as removing a word from the name snowballed into something massive, and, in the absence of a licence for B9 Beverages Limited, the brand had to halt its sales, trigger a mass recall, and write off inventory worth INR 80 Cr.

Where Does It Hurt The Most? A decade ago, the company debuted in Delhi NCR and subsequently grew its footprint to over a dozen states. Despite its wide presence, 80–90% of sales came from Delhi and Andhra Pradesh. Now, both regions have been affected by the change in the name. There are also concerns about changes in governments in both states and the issues surrounding the Delhi liquor policy.

But It Won’t Be Easy: The company is now in the process of raising $100 Mn by Q2 FY26, along with a separate $11.7 Mn rights issue. This capital will be crucial to stabilise operations and revive momentum. But in a low-loyalty, shelf-space-driven industry, regaining lost ground won’t just take capital, it’ll demand strategic precision.

Can Tier II & III Cities Come To Rescue? With its supplies restored across major pubs and bars in Delhi and Maharashtra, the company has been working on increasing revenue per case sold and trimming fixed costs. Going forward, Bira91 also plans to forge new distribution deals and expand to tier II and III cities to bolster its expansion spree.

But with financial liabilities totalling more than INR 1,000 Cr in its books,

From The Editor’s Desk

: The used car marketplace is in the process of laying off an additional 120 employees from its non-core verticals as part of a restructuring exercise. This comes over a month after it handed out pink slips to nearly 200 employees.

: The wellness beverages startup has raised undisclosed capital from Yohan and Michelle Poonawalla via their family business. Founded in 2022, the Bengaluru-based startup sells herb-infused water.

: The hospitality major has restarted its IPO discussion and is looking to file its DRHP with SEBI by September this year. Earlier, it was reported that OYO was looking to delay its listing plans due to market volatility and pressure from SoftBank.

: The fashion ecommerce major has raised the capital from its Singapore-based parent entity. The company’s board allotted 19.43 Lakh equity shares to FK Myntra Holdings at INR 5,466.23 apiece.

: The Bureau of Indian Standards confiscated goods worth INR 90 Lakh during raids at one of the omnichannel retailer’s warehouses in Bengaluru. The standards body alleged that the listed company was not complying with its hallmark norms.

: The logistics company posted a consolidated net profit of INR 280.1 Cr in Q4 FY25 as against a net loss of INR 90.8 Cr in the year-ago quarter. Operating revenue zoomed 30.6% YoY to INR 121.8 Cr during the quarter.

: The fintech major has partnered with CARS24 and Spinny to enable users to sell their cars via CRED Garage and get instant valuations, book free doorstep inspections, and receive payments within minutes of sale completion.

: The Naukri parent’s consolidated net profit zoomed 7.7X to INR 677.9 Cr in Q4 FY25 from INR 88 Cr in the year-ago quarter. Meanwhile, its operating revenue grew 14% YoY to INR 749.6 Cr in the quarter under review.

Inc42 Startup Spotlight How OrbitAID Is Enabling In-Orbit Refuelling Of Satellites

Research studies estimate that millions of pieces of space debris orbit the Earth currently, posing significant threats to ongoing and future space missions. To address this, Sakthikumar R, Nikhil Balasubramanian and Mano Balaji K founded OrbitAID in 2021.

Pioneering In-Orbit Refuelling Tech: The Chennai-based spacetech startup is developing in-orbit refuelling solutions for satellites. It aims to build a constellation of tanker satellites that will be placed in different orbits, each carrying a range of fuels — including monopropellants, bi-propellants, and electric propellants. This would help increase the lifespan of satellites and lead to more sustainable space operations and reduced space junk.

Ready For The Opportunity: The startup has already tested its patented SIDRP technology in zero gravity in Florida and has achieved a “technology readiness Level 7” for docking and refuelling tests.

Backed with its indigenous tech prowess and recently raised funding of $1.5 Mn,

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