Bira 91 employees seek leadership change, raise concerns over unpaid dues: Report

Pending salaries and reimbursements for over 500 employees, including those who have left, are estimated at Rs 50 crore.

More than 250 employees of B9 Beverages, the maker of Bira 91 craft beer, have reportedly approached the company's board and major investors - including Japanese beverage firm Kirin Holdings and Peak XV Partners - requesting a leadership change and the removal of founder Ankur Jain from management.

According to Economic Times (ET), the petition was also addressed to the company's largest lender, Anicut Capital, and was submitted following a town hall held in September.

The petition cited concerns over corporate governance, lack of transparency, delays in employee salaries, and cases filed by creditors indicating financial deterioration. Sources told ET that most of the company's current employees have supported the petition. Production at B9 Beverages, based in New Delhi, reportedly stopped in July. An American asset management fund, BlackRock, which had been in advanced discussions to invest Rs 500 crore of debt in the promoter group, has reportedly pulled out.

The privately held company's board includes Jain and his family members. As of June 2025, the founder and his family held a 17.8 percent stake, while Kirin Holdings was the largest shareholder with 20.1 percent.

When contacted, Jain stated that the company was not aware of any such petition addressed to shareholders and that the board had received no formal communication. He confirmed a "pause" in production in September and expects operations to resume this month. Peak XV, Kirin Holdings, Anicut Capital, and BlackRock had not responded to requests for comment as of Thursday, ET reported.

Several employees told ET that salaries have been pending for six months, while reimbursements have been delayed since November 2024. One employee said tax deducted at source (TDS) had not been deposited for over 50 employees for the last financial year, as well as for all employees this fiscal year. The last PF payment was reportedly made in March 2024. Pending salaries and reimbursements for over 500 employees, including those who have left, are estimated at Rs 50 crore. Workforce numbers have fallen from over 700 employees last year to just over 260 currently, ET reported.

Responding to ET, Jain acknowledged delays, stating, "It is true that we have employee overdues that have been persisting. These range between 3 and 5 months, depending on the level of employees, and include a delay in payments of tax dues as well."