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How chef Sanjeev Kapoor built a business empire that is valued at over Rs 1,000 crore

Sanjeev Kapoor's business ventures range from premium cookware and appliances brand Wonderchef to TV channel FoodFood to a chain of restaurants across India and abroad.




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Wonderchef launches 2 exclusive brand outlets in Bengaluru

With this addition, Wonderchef has 10 exclusive brand outlets in the country besides its omni-channel presence across 5000 retail outlets, it said in a release.




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Govt. should grant industry status to retail sector in Union Budget 2018: Wonderchef

Ravi Saxena, MD, Wonderchef emphasizes that it is the best time to award industry status to retail sector for overall economic growth.




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Kent RO eyes 10% growth this fiscal

Water purifier maker Kent RO Systems, which has expanded to verticals such as kitchen appliances, air purifier etc, expects around 10 per cent growth this fiscal and revenue around Rs 850 crore, said a top company official.




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Bajaj Electricals acquires cookware-maker Nirlep

This will help Bajaj Electricals cement its position in the fast-growing Rs 12,000-crore kitchenware category.




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Sanjeev Kapoor's Wonderchef raises Rs 70 cr from Amicus Capital Partners

Founded in 2009 by Kapoor and former Sodexo Pass India MD Ravi Saxena, the company sells premium kitchen appliances, cookware and bakeware under the Wonderchef brand.




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Preethi Kitchen Appliances forays into cook hobs

Preethi is exporting products to the US, Asian and African countries and it currently constitutes around 8% of its revenue.




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TPG set to put Rs 275cr in home design co Livspace

TPG’s investment comes at a time when Livspace is also strengthening its offline network of experiential stores across top cities.




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Ujjwala scheme has been very beneficial to cooker market: TT Jagannathan, TTK Prestige

We expect to make up Kerala losses in September, October and November as the state rebuilds its economy.




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Tupperware adds e-commerce, EBOs to direct selling model

According to the company, Tupperware intends to leverage its existing consultant and distributor base and make them a part of the brand’s new initiative. The Tupperware family will have the opportunity to either become “Tupperware Authorised Sellers” on the e-commerce platforms, or take charge of “Exclusive Tupperware Outlets”.




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Gujarat government starts utensil rent stores

The state government is looking to re-introduce the old tradition, where steel or other metal utensils were taken on rent from vendors and community stores. Over the years, disposable plates, glasses, cups and other utensils have gained popularity, replacing the system.




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Borosil group eyes Rs 2,000-crore turnover in 5 years

​​The Borosil group, which comprises two listed entities Borosil Glass Works Ltd and Gujarat Borosil Ltd, expects to attain a combined turnover of around Rs 1,000 crore in the current financial year and from there, it hopes that it has "potential" to double it in the next 4-5 years.




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TTK Prestige aims to double turnover in 5 years

Besides, TTK Prestige has plans to expand its distribution network further and expects higher sales from fast-growing online channels.




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Market dynamics are different for all channels; e-commerce ecosystem will stabilise: Tupperware MD Deepak Chhabra

Tupperware India's managing director Deepak Chhabra talks about how integrating the direct sales force with the retail franchisee model is working for the home and kitchen-ware maker.




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Tupperware to open 100 new outlets in 2020

“We plan to launch 100 additional exclusive brand outlets to deepen our penetration across geographies and are confident of a warm reception across markets," said Deepak Chhabra, managing director of Tupperware India.




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Natural cookware brand The Indus Valley raises Rs 2.5 crore from The Chennai Angels

“We see this second round of investment from TCA as a token of faith. We have grown 500% over the previous financial year and on track for very aggressive growth next year as well.” said Jagadeesh Kumar of The Indus Valley.




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Shalimar Paints appoints Minal Srivastava as VP-Marketing

According to the statement released by the company, Srivastava, an alumnus of IIM-Ahmedabad, comes with over 15 years of cross-functional business experience. She has also mentored multiple start-ups and turned around their businesses towards better revenues and growth.




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Kansai Nerolac, Asian Paints, Berger Paints slip up to 6%

Kansai Nerolac Paints reported 16% drop in profit at Rs 122 crore for September quarter.




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Berger Paints to acquire Kolkata-based construction materials maker

In a filing with the stock exchanges, the company said it is buying 95.53% stake of STPL. Balance 4.47% stake will remain with STPL’s existing shareholders.




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Asian Paints Q3 results: Profit grows 20% to Rs 764 crore, meets Street estimates

Asian Paints' revenue from operations rose 3% to Rs 5,420.28 crore from Rs 5,263.04 crore.




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Berger says no to job or salary cut during coronavirus crisis

Berger said it has decided against any involuntary furloughs or organisational restructuring that may lead to downsizing of headcount and consequent loss of livelihood during the time of widespread uncertainty. It stated that there will be no impact of the crisis on new recruitment offers.




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Asian Paints partially resumes operations at some facilities

On March 23, the company had informed bourses about disruption of operations across the country on account of COVID -19 pandemic.




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Cash position comfortable, latent demand coming into market: Asian Paints

'Our foray into sanitizers is an effort to help the fight against Covid-19'




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Landmark Group introduces Cash-and-Carry furniture to spur growth

The home furnishing chain, which currently has 50 stores in 27 cities, also cited longer replacement cycles as reason for low sale of durable big-sized furniture such as three and five-seater sofa sets.




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Ikea takes online route in Pune

Currently, over 2,000 people work for Ikea India and the company aims to hire close to 15,000 “co-workers” by 2025.




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IKEA in UAE recalls 'Made in India' travel mugs that may contain harmful chemicals

"To ensure the safety of our customers, we are recalling all TROLIGTVIS travel mugs marked "Made in India". We urge customers to return the product to any of our stores for a full refund. We apologise for any inconvenience this recall may cause," the world's largest furniture retailer said.




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Ikea recalls 'Made in India' mugs due to excessive chemicals

“There are no medical issues and this is purely a proactive initiative keeping the safety of our customers in mind,” the Swedish furniture and home products retailer said on its website, urging consumers to stop using the Troligtvis-branded travel mugs immediately.




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Ikea may entice with malls next to its big stores

Ikea is exploring possibilities of building shopping malls and entertainment facilities next to some of its upcoming standalone stores, or developing multi-storey shopping centres with Ikea as an anchor store, depending on land availability, they said. The company will lease out mall space to other brands and retailers.




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Ikea all set to lock horns with Google & Amazon, partners with Swedish firm to break into audio device market

Home audio is not the only segment that the two firms are targeting. Other products in the range include lights, crockery, furniture, and other knick-knacks like a reflective raincoat and a cajón. Some of the devices like the speakers and smart lighting bulbs can be connected together.




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More custom duty from furniture to kitchenware: Multiple duties singe Ikea

Budget raised custom duties on wooden furniture, tableware etc. Ikea imports about 75% of its products.




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Pidilite leads $40m round in Pepperfry

Pepperfry may see another up to $40 million capital infusion over the next few months, said a senior executive at the online furniture retailer, without disclosing its valuations following the latest fundraising.




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IKEA new CEO targets 'even more affordable' furniture as habits shift

"I think we could broaden the product range a bit in our lower price range," Abrahamsson Ring said, adding that new materials, production techniques and distribution methods would help make IKEA "even more affordable".




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Ikea probes Vadodara-based mug maker Shaily Engineering

The Ikea compliance team last week visited Vadodara-based Shaily Engineering, the company that had supplied the mugs, as part of the investigation, a source said. Ikea was prompted to recall the mugs after tests found excessive level of dibutyl phthalate (DBP), a substance that is used as plasticisers.




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Online furniture seller Wayfair cuts 550 jobs, 3% of workers

Most of the layoffs are at its Boston headquarters and its European office in Berlin. The company has about 17,000 employees worldwide.




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IKEA reduces climate footprint for the first time

From the production of raw materials and products through to customers' use and disposal, emissions shrank 4.3% in the fiscal year to the end of August 2019 to 24.9 million tonnes CO2 equivalents, it said.




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Pepperfry to aggressively add local furniture players now to expand supply

The Mumbai-based startup is currently in talks with local furniture players in the country. It is looking to add 8-10 new partners every month and take the count to a total of 150-180 suppliers by the end of 2020.




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IKEA to sell through third party for first time on Tmall in China

"We see this as a good opportunity to become accessible for many more in China, especially in light of what the Chinese digital environment looks like," Tolga Oncu, head of retail at Ingka, which owns most IKEA stores worldwide, told Reuters.




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Swedish IKEA store finds 50,000 forgotten face masks, gives them to local hospital

Johan Andersson, the store's logistics boss whose team found them, had just read that hospitals were suffering from a shortage of masks amid the coronavirus outbreak so he rang up Sahlgrenska University Hospital - Sweden's biggest - in Gothenburg and asked if they were interested.




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Godrej Interio launches e-commerce operation to strengthen reach

According to the company, the online presence will further strengthen the brand’s reach by covering 2,000+ pin codes. Basis the demand and sales, Godrej Interio also plans to introduce selected online-only models to cater to a larger section of customers who love purchasing online.




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Take Note: Cariol Horne And Damon Jones On The Need To Reform Against Police Brutality

Veteran law enforcement officers Damon K. Jones and Cariol Horne are speaking out against police brutality and calling for reform. They talked with WPSU about the challenges they have faced as minorities in the police force, their thoughts about the Black Lives Matter movement and why change is necessary. Transcript: Cheraine Stanford: Welcome to take note on WPSU. I'm Cheraine Stanford. We're joined today by two activists advocating for law enforcement reform. Cariol Horne was a police officer in Buffalo, New York, for nearly two decades. When she was fired after she says she was assaulted by a fellow officer while attempting to stop him from choking a handcuffed man. Damon K. Jones has worked in the West Chester Department of Corrections for 28 years. He represents the state of New York in the organization, Blacks in Law Enforcement of America. The two came to Penn State as part of a panel called “Black lives inside of blue lives” to discuss the question: What happens when Black




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Take Note: Founder Of Human Rights Organization On Community Work To End Female Genital Cutting

Molly Melching first went to Senegal in 1974 as an exchange student from the University of Illinois. But, instead of returning to the United States, she stayed on, eventually creating a nonprofit organization to educate and empower women and communities. That organization Tostan created and implemented educational programs focused on human rights, health, literacy, financial management and childhood development. It may be best known for leading thousands of communities in Africa to end female genital cutting and forced childhood marriage. WPSU's Anne Danahy talked with Melching about her work. Transcript Anne Danahy: Welcome to take note on WPSU, I'm Anne Danahy. Molly Melching first went to Senegal in 1974 as an exchange student from the University of Illinois. But instead of returning to the United States, she stayed, eventually creating a nonprofit organization to educate and empower women and communities. That organization, Tostan, created and implemented educational programs




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Take Note: Jessie Sage And James Tison On Fighting Stigma Against Sex Work And LGBTQ Community

Jessie Sage is a sex worker who writes and speaks publicly on issues related to sex work, feminism, and social justice. James Tison is a stand-up comedian in New York who uses humor to fight stigma against his LGBTQ identity and life with HIV. Sage and Tison recently spoke at an event at Penn State called “Facts not Fear: A Night to Fight Stigma,” and talked with WPSU about fighting the sigma their communities face. This Take Note interview talks about sex work and might not be suitable for children to hear.




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Take Note: Shih-In Ma On Her Spiritual Journey And Social Justice Advocacy

Shih-In Ma is a social justice advocate who works to promote diversity and inclusion in Centre County. The State College native and Penn State alum, left a corporate career at IBM to begin a journey of spirituality, self-reflection and meditation. Her journey has taken her around the world and included spending four years in India with Amma, who's known as the hugging saint. Shih-In Ma teaches meditation and shares opportunities for others to gain better insight and understanding of those around them. TRANSCRIPT: Cheraine Stanford Welcome to Take Note on WPSU, I'm Cheraine Stanford. Shih-In Ma is a social justice advocate who works to promote diversity and inclusion in Centre County. The State College native and Penn State alum, left a corporate career at IBM to begin a journey of spirituality, self-reflection and meditation. Her journey has taken her around the world and included spending four years in India with Amma, who's known as the hugging saint. Shih-In Ma teaches meditation




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Take Note: Cartoonist R. Crumb And Music Historian Jerry Zolten Talk About Their Love Of Old Blues

Robert Crumb is best known as an underground cartoonist, whose work, including Fritz the Cat and Mr. Natural, remains controversial. But Crumb is also a collector and celebrator of old blues records. Jerry Zolten is a professor of communication arts and sciences and integrative arts at Penn State Altoona. His work includes the book “Great God A’Mighty! The Dixie Hummingbirds: Celebrating the Rise of Soul Gospel Music.” WPSU's Anne Danahy spoke with Crumb and Zolten about their love of old blues music and records.




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Take Note: Author Brian Wray Talks About Children's Mental and Emotional Health

Brian Wray is an award-winning children’s book author for his book “Unraveling Rose” about a toy bunny rabbit with OCD. His latest book, “Max’s Box,” talks about what happens when negative emotions are suppressed. Both of his picture books focus on children’s mental and emotional health. TRANSCRIPT: Kirsten Tekavec: Welcome to Take Note on WPSU, I'm Kirsten Tekavec. Brian Wray is a children's book author and the 2017 Gold Winner of the Foreword INDIES Book of the Year Award for his book "Unraveling Rose." His latest book, Max's Box," talks about what happens when negative emotions are suppressed. Both of his picture books focus on children's mental and emotional health. He is a Penn State graduate and currently lives in Brooklyn. Brian Wray, thank you for joining us. Brian Wray: Thank you for having me. Tekavec: Before we begin discussing your work, can you tell us a little bit about yourself and how you got into writing children's books? Wray: I have been writing stories for as long




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Take Note: Maxwell King Talks About His Book "The Good Neighbor: The Life and Work of Fred Rogers"

Maxwell King is the best-selling author of "The Good Neighbor: The Life and Work of Fred Rogers." King talks about why he wrote the book and gives insight into the life of Mister Rogers, the unfailingly kind, compassionate namesake neighbor of the beloved "Mister Rogers' Neighborhood." To learn more about Rogers' legacy visit the Fred Rogers Center and Fred Rogers Productions . TRANSCRIPT: Carolyn Donaldson: Welcome to Take Note on WPSU, I'm Carolyn Donaldson. Today, we're joined by Maxwell King, recently retired president of the Pittsburgh Foundation, former president of the Heinz Endowment, and former editor of the Philadelphia Inquirer. But now in today's context, a best selling author. In his book, "The Good Neighbor: The Life and Works of Fred Rogers," King's written a personal and professional biography of Fred Rogers, the unfailingly kind, compassionate namesake neighbor of the beloved Mister Rogers' Neighborhood. Thanks for joining us today, Maxwell. Maxwell King: Good to be




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Take Note: Shaheen Pasha On Teaching Journalism In Prisons

Penn State assistant teaching professor Shaheen Pasha is an advocate for more journalism courses to be taught in prison. She talked with WPSU about a reporting class she taught to both prisoners and journalism students in Massachusetts, the benefits of learning about our mass incarceration system from the people who are living it and her plan to create a program here in central Pennsylvania. TRANSCRIPT: Min Xian: Welcome to Take Note on WPSU. I'm Min Xian. Shaheen Pasha is an assistant teaching professor at Penn State's College of Communications and advocates for more journalism courses to be taught in prison. Previously, she was an assistant professor at the University of Massachusetts Amherst, where she launched a social justice journalism course focused on mass incarceration at the Hampshire County Jail bringing together prisoners and UMass journalism students. Pasha was a 2018 Knight Visiting Nieman Fellow at Harvard. She's also a veteran journalist who has covered legal issues,




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Take Note: Pennsylvania Avian Experts On Bird Watching And News Of Their Declining Numbers

A recent study published in the journal Science found the number of birds in North America is plummeting. The bird population dropped by more than a quarter over the past 50 years. Grassland birds, shore birds and songbirds are all affected. WPSU's Anne Danahy spoke with Greg Grove, editor of Pennsylvania Birds, and Doug Wentzel, president of the State College Bird Club, about bird watching and those trends




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Take Note: Judith Helfand On Her New Documentary, "Cooked," And Making Change Through Her Work

In 1995, one of the deadliest heat waves in the United States killed 739 people in Chicago. Why was the death count so high? And why were the deaths concentrated in poor, mostly African American neighborhoods? In her new documentary "Cooked: Survival by Zip Code," filmmaker Judith Helfand says it wasn't the heat that killed these people, but generations of institutional racism. We talked with the Peabody Award-winning director about "Cooked," which had its TV premiere on Independent Lens on PBS earlier this month, and about her past documentaries, which include "Blue Vinyl" and "A Healthy Baby Girl." TRANSCRIPT: Emily Reddy: Welcome to Take Note on WPSU. I'm Emily Reddy. In 1995, one of the deadliest heat waves in the United States killed 739 people in Chicago. Why was the death count so high? And why were the deaths concentrated in poor, mostly African American neighborhoods? In her new documentary "Cooked: Survival by Zip Code," filmmaker Judith Helfand says it wasn't the heat that




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Take Note: A Penn State Laureate On Art And Mental Health

Bill Doan is a professor of theatre at Penn State. The university selected Doan to be the 2019-20 Penn State Laureate, a role that spotlights the arts and humanities. For Doan, that means performances, drawings and talks focused on anxiety and depression and how art, science and health can work together. WPSU's Anne Danahy spoke with Doan about his work and his own struggles with anxiety, depression and loss.