10th Indian Delegation to Dubai, Gitex & Expand North Star – World’s Largest Startup Investor Connect
RetailTech

Apple Expands India Footprint With New Office In Bengaluru


SUMMARY

The new 15-floor office, located on Cubbon Road in Minsk Square, will house up to 1,200 employees and also has parking for 740 cars

It has designated lab space, places for wellness and cooperation and Caffe Macs

This comes at a time when the Cupertino-based company aims to achieve a significant milestone by manufacturing more than 50 Mn iPhones in India by March this year

Continuing with its Indian expansion spree, Apple has unveiled a new 15-floor office in the country’s Silicon Valley, Bengaluru.

The new office, located on Cubbon Road in Minsk Square, will house up to 1,200 employees. It has designated lab space, places for wellness and cooperation and Caffe Macs.

This comes at a time when the Cupertino-based company aims to achieve a significant milestone by manufacturing more than 50 Mn iPhones in India by March this year, as it looks to double down on production in the country as part of its efforts to reduce reliance on China.

 “Apple is thrilled to expand in India with our new office in the heart of Bengaluru. This dynamic city is already home to so many of our talented teams, including software engineering and hardware technologies, operations, customer support, and more,” Apple spokesperson said. 

The company further said that like its products, this workspace is created to foster innovation, creativity and connection. 

The team which will be posted at the new office will work across various verticals, including, software, hardware, services, IS&T, operations and customer support, among others.

Like all other facilities and offices of Apple, the new office has also been designed with sustainability as the core value as it will operate 100% with renewable energy. According to Apple, with this, it aims to achieve a Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) Platinum rating which is the highest level of LEED certification. 

Currently, in India, the company operates from Mumbai, Hyderabad, Gurugram and Bengaluru, and has more than 3,000 employees. 

In addition, Apple’s association with its Indian vendors of all sizes supports hundreds of thousands of jobs across the country.

The iPhone maker is reportedly scouting for Indian, Japanese and South Korean suppliers who can provide critical components to its contract manufacturers in India.

Apple is in preliminary talks with potential suppliers capable of custom-designing and producing parts and machinery for original equipment manufacturers (OEMs), as well as those who currently act as contract manufacturers for several global firms.

Several suppliers have already begun investing in new capabilities, machinery and equipment, positioning themselves as potential suppliers to Apple pending an extensive cycle of certification and approvals, according to Mint. 

Apple aims to diversify its operations in India, which has been predominantly concentrated in China.

According to an Economic Times report, the tech giant is looking for equipment like batteries, camera lens, chargers and others required to make its flagship iPhones and iPads in India. 

This comes at a time when the Indian government has delayed approvals to import such above-mentioned equipment from the existing suppliers, majorly of Chinese origin. 

In November last year, during the Q4 2023 earnings conference call, Apple CEO Tim Cook said that India plays a crucial role in the growth of the company with substantial growth opportunities and numerous advantages within the country’s expansive market.

In addition to increasing the manufacturing capacity in the country, Apple is also focussing on the retail front. Last year, it opened two official stores in Mumbai and Delhi, and is reportedly planning to open up more stores in the coming years. 

Further, the tech giant was also reported to have raised the sales target of the franchisee-owned exclusive retail stores in India by as much as 100% in some cases. 





Source link

by Vivek Kumar

A renewed sense of pride in homegrown brands is shaping the way consumers in cities and towns make purchasing decisions. Over half of respondents say they prefer shopping from homegrown and small business brands, citing accessibility, relatable stories, and authentic value as key reasons for their loyalty. Rukam Capital, a venture capital firm backing early-stage consumer brands, unveils this in a comprehensive study mapping the evolving behavior, preferences, and purchase drivers of Indian shoppers. India’s consumer economy is poised to become the second largest by 2030. Rukam Capital’s report- “Aspirations of New India- How Consumers Select, Shop, and Shape Brand Connections’”  aims to showcase the evolving trends in the market that in turn helps brands, startups, and investors to adapt to the evolving mindset of Indian consumers. The research captures the spirit of an India that is young, aspirational, and global in outlook yet deeply conscious of sustainability, authenticity, and community.  It further highlights that consumers have begun expressing clear willingness to pay a premium for local brands that excel in quality and champion social causes, further underscoring the appeal of startups driving community  upliftment. Commenting on the insights, Archana Jahagirdar, Founder and Managing Partner, Rukam Capital, said, “The Indian consumers are no longer passive participants in shaping trends, the market is evolving and is being pillared through affordability, aspirations and a digital sophistication. India is telling us that it is not just about what a brand sells, but how it makes them feel connected, understood, and valued. This shift is forcing even the most traditional categories to reinvent themselves beyond just seasonal triggers, whether that’s through healthier alternatives, transparent communication, or community-driven engagement. For founders, it’s a reminder that building loyalty in India now goes far beyond discounts; it’s about creating meaning in everyday consumption.” Key takeaways from the report-‘Aspirations of New India: How Consumers Select, Shop, and Shape Brand Connections’: From local to loved – homegrown brands are winning hearts of Indian consumers  Digital, dynamic and dialect are driving media habits of Indian consumers  Celebrity or influencers – who is catalyzing brand discovery and purchase decisions  Purchase drivers and deterrents for the value conscious Indian consumers  Indian consumers embrace heritage and health during festivities  Category & Channel Differentiation Discovery, Engagement & Gaming Social media responsiveness wins loyalty – 67% prefer brands that actively engage online. A new influence is also taking center stage – in-game advertisement. That was once pure entertainment has now become a powerful driver of shopping behavior The report also highlights the categories driving growth today.  Health and wellness, kitchen appliances, food and beverages, fashion accessories, and pet care are emerging as strong segments. Across categories, ease of availability, word of mouth, and strong customer service continue to be the top purchase drivers. The survey was conducted in collaboration with YouGov, with over 5000 respondents residing in 18 states to map the evolving consumer landscape of the country, representing both urban and semi-urban population.

by INC42

In today’s hyperconnected consumer landscape, FMCG brands are no longer just competing for shelf space; they are competing for attention, trust, and relevance in a vibrant digital ecosystem. The exciting shift we are witnessing is that consumers, especially digital-first millennials and Gen Z, are becoming more discerning. This marks a powerful opportunity for brands as authenticity emerged as the most valuable currency in FMCG marketing. One thing I’ve found as a cofounder is that the small moments often become the biggest touchpoints of… Source link

by Vivek Kumar

Honeywell (Nasdaq: HON) today released its Global Retailer Technology Survey, which found that India’s major retailers are fully invested in artificial intelligence (AI) and its potential to make operations more efficient. Almost all (96%) in-country retailers said they are using AI, with plans to either expand in the near future or maintain current usage of the technology, as compared to 85% globally.  The survey also highlights how Indian retailers are using AI, from smarter inventory and demand forecasting to enhanced customer service and optimized last-mile delivery. “Retailers are looking to AI to better understand what their customers want and how to best meet their needs in a constantly changing market,” said Ritwij Kulkarni, General Manager, Industrial Automation, Honeywell India. “In a country as large and diverse as India, AI has tremendous potential to create hyper-personalized customer experiences and optimize the flow of retail goods throughout the supply chain so they reach shoppers in the most efficient way.”  Other advanced technologies are making a significant impact on the retail landscape in India, with a majority of retailers already invested in machine and camera vision (CV) technologies (68%) and optical character recognition (OCR) (64%). While less common overall, augmented reality (AR) is also gaining traction, in use by 39% of surveyed Indian retailers.  OCR can significantly speed up retail workflows when replenishing the shelf inventory or identifying mislabeled prices by quickly reading labels and other product information. CV can help mitigate the growing challenge with retail shrinkage, while AR can help shoppers or employees visualize a product in a space.  While the results showed overall continued momentum for AI, Indian retailers expressed some concerns about its adoption.  Honeywell’s Global Retailer Technology Survey focused on large retailers throughout the U.S., Europe, Latin America, India and the Middle East and how they are using advanced technologies throughout their operations, including AI, automation, augmented reality, machine vision and sensors. Indian retailers participating in the survey had a minimum annual revenue of $10 million USD. Methodology Honeywell commissioned Wakefield Research to conduct the Global Honeywell Retailer Technology Survey in May 2025. This Omnibus survey polled 450 executives at large retailers about their use of AI and other technologies via an email invitation and online survey. The following markets are represented in survey data: the United States, United Kingdom, Germany, Brazil, India, United Arab Emirates and the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia. The threshold of “large” retailer varied by country, ranging from a minimum annual revenue of $100 million in the U.S. to minimum annual revenue of $5 million in the UAE and KSA.