Bengaluru startup Legend of Toys has raised Rs 21 crore in a pre-Series A round to scale its premium RC vehicle brand. Founded in 2024 by ISB alumni Afshaan Siddiqui and Vinay Jaisingh, it has already hit an annualised Rs 30 crore run-rate within 18 months and is growing 20% month-on-month. The money will fund new play categories, marketing, manufacturing upgrades and international expansion. Its character-led toy universe plus a free lifetime repair service aims to create repeat purchases, not one-offs.
Legend of Toys, a mass premium Indian toy brand, has raised Rs 21 crore in a Pre-Series A round backed by investors including Singularity Early Opportunities Fund. The funding will support expansion into new play categories, stronger sourcing and manufacturing, and increased marketing and digital efforts in India and overseas. The company’s growth comes as India’s toy sector shifts from imports to local production, fueled by higher import duties and tougher quality rules, including mandatory BIS certification from January 2021.
Your news, in seconds
Get the Beige app — every story in 60 words, updated hourly. Free on iOS & Android.
Bengaluru D2C toy brand Legend of Toys has raised ₹21 crore in a Pre-Series A round led by Singularity and others, as it pushes toward what it calls India’s first premium play universe. The funding follows an 18-month surge that brought annualised revenue past ₹30 crore and 20% month-on-month growth. The company points to shifting demand signals: imports reportedly fell 52% while exports rose 239% from FY2014–15 to FY2022–23, alongside BIS certification since 2021.
India’s cola battle between Reliance’s Campa Cola and beverage giants Coca-Cola and PepsiCo is unexpectedly boosting commercial refrigeration sales. To grab market share, companies are aggressively installing coolers even in small retail outlets, turning these refrigerators into a marketing tool that directly drives product visibility and sales.
Jyothy Labs’ 15-year licensing partnership with global firm Henkel will end after May 31. Henkel will not renew agreements covering the Pril dishwashing and Fa personal care brands, potentially pressuring Jyothy Labs’ near-term revenue and margins. The company expects its diversified product portfolio and distribution strength to support long-term stability despite the setback.
Pidilite Industries says it may raise prices again as geopolitical tensions in West Asia push raw material inflation to around 40–50%. The company, maker of brands like Fevicol, has already taken earlier hikes and is trying to balance rising input costs while pursuing growth and protecting profit margins. Consumers may face fresh pricing pressure soon.
Never miss a story
Set alerts for the topics and sources you care about. Download Beige for free.
Orkla India is facing rising headwinds as its spice business, a core pillar, starts to weaken. What began in the spice portfolio then spread into broader fault lines, leaving investors concerned. Since its late last year listing, the stock has fallen about 30%, with added uncertainty coming from Gulf-linked risks.
Marico MD and CEO Saugata Gupta says large consumer goods firms are better equipped to ride out current market volatility, while smaller rivals face steeper pressure. He expects supply shocks and inflation cycles to further widen this competitive gap, even if overall demand stays steady. Premiumisation, he adds, should help sustain strong volume and revenue growth.
Nestle India said macro headwinds are rising, including Iran war-related risks, inflation pressure, and expectations of a weak monsoon. The company plans higher advertising, technology and capital expenditure to manage uncertainty, while maintaining price discipline. Even with these challenges, Nestle India reported strong growth in the March quarter and reiterated its focus on volume-led growth in core categories.
Summer weddings are fueling a broad consumer spending boom in India. With rural incomes bolstered by a good harvest, sales are rising across categories including edible oils, staples, appliances and jewellery. While companies and jewellers report strong growth, shoppers and businesses are watching for a potentially weak monsoon and global economic headwinds that could dampen future demand.
Reading on mobile?
Open Beige in the app for a smoother experience — free on iOS and Android.
Hindustan Unilever posted stronger-than-expected volume growth led by home care and beauty, but rising input costs squeezed margins. To protect sales momentum, the company plans calibrated price increases of about 2–5% across products. For FY27, HUL retained its EBITDA margin guidance, banking on premiumization and quicker commerce-led execution to keep performance buoyant.
Hindustan Unilever’s Q4 results beat Street expectations with net profit up sharply year-on-year and revenue growing steadily. Margins also improved as EBITDA increased and Home Care powered the best segment performance in 11 quarters, led by strong Fabric Wash demand. Yet HUL shares still fell over 4%, signaling investor concerns beyond the headline numbers.
Coca-Cola reported 3% unit case volume growth in Q1 2026, with India playing a key role. The company is leaning into affordability and deeper rural outreach to drive demand. While overall growth remained positive, India’s non-alcoholic ready-to-drink segment saw a decline. Coca-Cola says India remains a vital long-term market with room to grow.
Reliance’s consumer goods business is accelerating, with daily essentials emerging as its largest revenue source at ₹8,800 crore in FY26. Beverages are also performing strongly, and the overall FMCG portfolio is projected to hit ₹22,000 crore this year. Campa soft drinks lead brand sales, while Independence staples are close behind as Reliance expands its range.
Follow your favourite sources
Track sources, tags and categories — all in the Beige app.
A steep tax increase is set to push cigarette prices up by more than 30%, likely hitting overall volumes immediately. But ITC’s bigger headache is competitive: Godfrey Phillips is still gaining share in the regular-sized cigarette market, raising the risk that ITC’s market position worsens even as consumers adjust to higher prices.
Libas is trying to change how fashion is bought by pitching its products and distribution model closer to FMCG—fast, repeatable, and widely available. The move is a bet that shoppers will buy clothing in a more habitual way, but the company faces a stubborn reality: most fashion brands struggle to reach scale or retail consistency.
Bengaluru deeptech startup Bettrlabs is digitising consumer product development through an AI-powered R&D operating system. It replicates lab workflows by reverse engineering existing products, analysing ingredient parameters, and running regulatory checks digitally. The company claims it can reduce timelines from up to seven months to 30–90 days, with 330 clients and plans to expand into the US and new categories.
Marico’s Parachute brand is under pressure after copra prices, the key ingredient for Parachute oil, jumped over 120% in a year. With Parachute contributing about 36% of Marico’s revenue, the spike has created what the company calls its biggest squeeze in history, squeezing margins and raising cost risks across the product line.
Stay informed on the go
Bite-sized news from 100+ trusted sources, right in your pocket.
Delhi Police’s Crime Branch raided a Madhu Vihar operation allegedly producing counterfeit ENO and Nescafé for everyday sale. Authorities seized over 1.5 lakh sachets and goods reportedly worth around Rs 20 lakh, and arrested four accused in connection with the racket. The probe is focused on sourcing, packaging, and supply routes feeding the fake consumer market.
William Penn has acquired the iconic American writing instrument brand Sheaffer, positioning the deal as a chance to align with Indian customers’ tastes. The company says Sheaffer commands a 15% share in India’s premium writing instruments segment for pens priced above $10, signaling potential growth as the brand leverages its established reputation.
Swipe through stories, personalise your feed, and save articles for later — all on the app.