MAM
Valuemart Retail ropes in Tendulkar as brand ambassador
MUMBAI: Bangalore-based B2C and Retail Solutions firm Valuemart Retail (India) has signed a three-year deal with Sachin Tendulkar to be its brand ambassador.
This is Tendulkar’s first brand endorsement this year. He was last signed by BMW in October 2012.
In the time where his colleagues like Mahendra Singh Dhoni and Virat Kohli are getting a number of endorsements, will Tendulkar’s brand value lessen?
According to Kwan COO Indranil Das Blah, Tendulkar has reached a stage where no one else has yet. “Sachin is in an interesting phase of his life. People are talking about him — whether he is playing or not, retiring or not. He will always continue to attract people. Even after retirement, he will continue to get endorsements because that will be the only place on screen where he would be seen. As far as one is getting him at a good cost, I can’t think of any reason why the brands should stop signing him.”
Tendulkar will promote a range of commemorative products conceptualised by Valuemart Retail, involving the use of his images, photos and logo.
Valuemart Retail founder director C K Vasudevan said, “We are extremely honoured to have Sachin as our brand ambassador for the new initiative planned by the company. Sachin is a global sports icon and personifies the highest standards of excellence and integrity. We believe that we share the same values as Sachin and commit ourselves to deliver the same standards of quality and excellence in our new product initiative.”
Tendulkar said, “I met with Vasudevan and his team sometime back and was impressed by the new initiatives that they are working on. I am happy to be a part of Valuemart’s plans and wish him and his team all success”.
Brands
Kwality Wall’s reports standalone losses following strategic HUL demerger
Ice cream major faces Rs 64 crore Ebitda loss amid commodity inflation and muted Q3 sales
MUMBAI: Kwality Wall’s (India) Limited (KWIL) has released its first set of financial results as a standalone entity, revealing a challenging start to its independent journey. Following its successful demerger from Hindustan Unilever Limited (HUL) on 1st December 2025 and its subsequent listing on 16th February 2026, the company is navigating a transition period marked by structural changes and high input costs.
For the quarter ended 31st December 2025, the company reported revenue of Rs 222 crores. Despite the revenue base, the bottom line was impacted by several factors, resulting in an Ebitda loss of Rs 64.2 crores. When calculated on a Pre-IND AS 116 basis, the Ebitda loss stood at Rs 83.8 crores.
Organic Sales Growth (OSG) declined by 6.5 per cent year-on-year during the quarter. Volume growth, however, saw a marginal increase of 1.2 per cent. The company reported a gross margin of 41.5 per cent. Additionally, exceptional expenses amounting to Rs 94 crores were recorded, primarily linked to non-recurring costs during the transition phase.
Performance across portfolios and channels was mixed. Within the impulse portfolio, brands such as Magnum and Cornetto recorded mid-single digit volume growth, indicating steady demand in on-the-go consumption. However, the in-home portfolio, which includes take-home packs, experienced muted consumption. The company is planning a relaunch of this category with improved offerings ahead of the 2026 season.
Quick commerce (Q-Com) continued to emerge as a strong growth driver, delivering robust double-digit growth during the quarter. Meanwhile, the company also expanded its physical distribution network by increasing the number of company-owned cabinets across markets.
Margin pressure during the quarter was driven by a combination of one-off factors and broader cost inflation. Gross margins were impacted by around 600 basis points due to trade investments made for stock liquidation. Additionally, cocoa price inflation contributed to another 400 basis points of pressure on margins.
Deputy managing director Chitrank Goel attributed the muted performance partly to prolonged monsoons and transitional challenges linked to the GST framework. Operating expenses also increased as the company invested in establishing its standalone supply chain, operational systems and corporate infrastructure following the demerger.
Looking ahead, the management remains focused on a volume-driven growth strategy. To restore profitability, the company has initiated a cost productivity programme aimed at reducing non-consumer-facing costs. It is also working on building regional manufacturing networks to optimise logistics expenses and improve operational efficiency.
The commodity outlook for the near term remains mixed. Dairy prices are expected to remain firm due to tight supply conditions and rising fodder costs. Sugar prices may also move higher following increases in the Minimum Selling Price (MSP). While cocoa prices have moderated recently, currency depreciation has offset some of the potential cost relief for the company.
