MAM
Boost partners Vodafone McLaren Mercedes team for Indian GP
MUMBAI: Boost, GlaxoSmithKline‘s malt based-health food drink in India, said it has partnered Vodafone McLaren Mercedes team for the upcoming 2012 Formula 1 Airtel Indian Grand Prix.
According to GSK, the association makes it the first by Indian consumer brand to partner with this team and which is on the back of a long-term strategic partnership that GlaxoSmithKline (GSK) has formed with McLaren Group globally.
The partnership is supported by a consumer contest being run by Boost and a national TV campaign that goes live soon, the company said.
As part of this association, the Boost brand logo will run on Lewis Hamilton and Jenson Button‘s race cars during the Grand Prix, with the chocolate flavoured health drink available for the team throughout the race weekend.
Speaking on the association, GlaxoSmithKline Consumer Healthcare Marketing Head Jayant Singh said, “It is an exciting partnership for the brand as Boost is the first Indian consumer brand to partner with the team, through which Boost‘s consumers will have a chance to view the race through the team‘s eyes. We would like to wish best of luck to Vodafone McLaren Mercedes for the upcoming 2012 Formula 1 Airtel Indian Grand Prix race.”
Vodafone McLaren Mercedes Team Principal Martin Whitmarsh said: “Our strategic partnership with GSK is a fast-moving and dynamic one. As such, we are looking forward to running Boost – one of India‘s leading consumer brands – on our cars for the Indian Grand Prix. The Buddh International circuit is one of the most exciting new venues in Formula 1 and India is a fantastic, growing market for grand prix racing. Indeed, this partnership is perfectly timed and hopefully augurs well for great success on the track this weekend.”
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.
