Bira 91 Employees Protest Outside Founder’s Home Over Unpaid Wages

In a significant escalation of a long-standing financial crisis, more than 40 current and former employees of B9 Beverages, the maker of Bira 91, staged a protest outside founder and CEO Ankur Jain’s residence in Delhi’s Defence Colony on March 1, 2026.

The demonstrators gathered to demand the immediate settlement of months of unpaid salaries and unremitted statutory dues, including Provident Fund (PF) and Tax Deducted at Source (TDS).

Financial Distress and Personal Hardship

The protesters, carrying placards during what they described as a “silent march,” highlighted the severe personal toll of the payment delays.

Many reported being unable to pay rent, settle hospital bills, or pay school fees for their children.

Internal data suggests that salary arrears for over 500 current and former staff members total approximately ₹50 crore.

Furthermore, employees allege that while TDS and PF were deducted from their paychecks, the company failed to deposit these amounts with the government for over a year, causing issues with tax filings and loan eligibility.

Bira 91 Operations “On Pause”

The protest follows a turbulent 18 months for the craft beer brand.

In 2024, a legal name change from “B9 Beverages Private Limited” to “B9 Beverages Limited” inadvertently triggered a massive regulatory hurdle.

Because liquor licenses in India are state-specific, the name change forced the company to re-apply for permits across the country, halting sales for several months and leading to an inventory write-off of nearly ₹80 crore.

Consequently, Bira 91’s revenue dropped by over 30% in FY24, with net losses widening to ₹643.5 crore.

CEO Ankur Jain recently confirmed that production has been largely “on pause” since late 2025 as the company struggles to secure fresh capital.

Leadership Under Fire

Employee resentment has been simmering since October 2025, when a group of 250 workers petitioned investors for a leadership change.

In response to the latest protest, Ankur expressed regret, stating that the “distress, pain, and anger of employees is completely understandable.”

He maintained that the company is in the final stages of discussions with new investors and expects to conclude a deal by the end of March 2026 to restart operations and clear all outstanding dues.

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