Hundreds of employees at B9 Beverages, the company behind the popular Bira 91 craft beer, have reportedly initiated a significant move to seek a change in the company's leadership. According to reports from The Economic Times, more than 250 employees have collectively approached the company's board and its prominent investors, including Japanese beverage giant Kirin Holdings and venture capital firm Peak XV Partners, demanding the removal of founder Ankur Jain from his management position.

This unprecedented demand, formalized in a petition, was also reportedly directed to B9 Beverages' largest lender, Anicut Capital. The petition was submitted shortly after a company-wide townhall held in September. As of June 2025, Ankur Jain and his family held a 17.8% stake in Bira 91, while Kirin Holdings stands as the largest stakeholder with a 20.1% share in the company.

The core reasons behind the employees' call for leadership change are multifaceted and serious. The petition, as detailed in the ET report, specifically listed "corporate governance failure, lack of transparency, delays in employee dues and salaries" as primary justifications. Employees further alleged that ongoing cases filed by creditors were "showing deteriorating financials" of B9 Beverages, alongside numerous pending payments to vendors, reinforcing their demand for new leadership. A person familiar with the matter, quoted by ET, suggested that nearly all Bira 91 employees have lent their support to this petition, indicating widespread dissatisfaction.

The financial grievances articulated by the employees are particularly stark. Several individuals cited by ET reported that their salaries had not been credited to their accounts for up to six months. Additionally, reimbursements for expenses have been pending since November 2024. A more alarming revelation is that approximately 50 employees claimed that B9 Beverages had failed to deposit their Tax Deducted at Source (TDS) for the previous financial year, with similar non-compliance reported for all employees in the current year. One employee specifically noted that the last contribution to their Provident Fund (PF) was made in March 2024, highlighting a systemic issue in financial compliance and employee welfare.

The scale of these financial difficulties is substantial. Another employee informed the newspaper that the cumulative pending salaries and reimbursements for about 500 employees amount to approximately ₹50 crore. These financial strains coincide with significant workforce reductions, including multiple layoffs and voluntary exits. The company's employee count has drastically fallen from 700 last year to a mere 260 currently, underscoring a period of considerable turmoil within B9 Beverages.

Responding to the allegations, Bira 91 founder Ankur Jain acknowledged the issue of employee overdues, stating, “It is true that we have employee overdue 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.” However, Jain denied any knowledge of the petition addressed to key shareholders, asserting that the company's board had not received such communication. He also mentioned a production ‘pause’ in September, expressing belief that operations would resume in the current month.

Jain attributed the company's financial predicament to "significant business disruptions" experienced over the past 18 months. These disruptions reportedly included a company name change, unforeseen changes in liquor policy, and protracted delays in the fundraising process. He elaborated that these factors "resulted in volume degrowth in FY25, complete disruption of the company's business and cash flow for several months and a pileup of overdues including statutory dues, employee dues and vendor dues," painting a picture of a company struggling against a confluence of internal and external challenges.