On March 1, 2026, over 40 former and current employees of B9 Beverages, makers of Bira91, came together to protest outside the home of Founder and Chief Executive Officer (CEO) Ankur Jain.
At the time of the protest, Jain was seemingly not at his residence in Defence Colony, Delhi.
The former employees emphasised how the delayed salaries have been causing financial stress to them and their families. Hospital bills, unpaid rent, double gig work shifts, missed EMIs and postponed school admissions, all of these were cited as mounting concerns by those whom the company has not yet paid.
Jain told Business Standard that “The distress, pain and anger of employees is completely understandable and we regret that employees and their families are suffering in this difficult situation. I want to assure everyone that no effort is being left to conclude matters as soon as practicable.”
The protesters, who have long been demanding the repayment of their dues, took this step as one of their last resorts. If the situation remains unresolved, the unpaid employees might file a lawsuit. Over 90 past and present employees even wrote an open letter in October 2025 to the central government authorities regarding unpaid salaries, along with provident fund (PF) and TDS violations.
Jain had assured the employees in November 2025 that the company had found a buyer for its assets, and the payment from the same would be used to clear the unpaid dues. The company’s operations have been “on pause since Q3FY26,” as per Jain
