MAM
Cycle Pure Agarbathies take Ind-SL series ground sponsorship
MUMBAI: Cycle Pure Agarbathies, India’s leading incense brand, has come in as ground associate sponsor for the upcoming India-Sri Lanka men’s cricket tournament consisting of 5 ODIs and 1 T-20 international from 21 July.
Cycle Pure Agarbathies has also announced the setting up of the ‘Cycle Agarbathies Quality Performer of the Series’ award to be given away to the most consistent performer of the cricket series, who also demonstrates true sportsman like behaviour.
Zeel chief sales officer Ashish Sehgal said, “We are delighted to have a trusted and traditional brand like Cycle Pure Agarbathies on board as the associate sponsor for the India Sri Lanka cricket series. We believe that this series will be one of the best international cricket series for India and our partnership vindicates the stand that it will be good for advertisers too, I am confident that together we will create a wonderful experience for the cricket fan.”
Parallel to the cricket series, Cycle Pure Agarbathies will also run a contest in retail wherein an exclusive group of retailers will be selected for the contest who will nominate their favourite cricketers for the ‘Cycle Agarbathies Quality Performer of the Series’ award. Cycle Pure Agarbathies intends to create a lasting bond between the retailers and the company to forward the sales of the organisation and build on the uniform passion for cricket that connects India.
Cycle Pure Agarbathies MD Arjun Ranga said, “Cycle stands for quality; wherein in cricket quality is not just runs scored, or wickets taken. Thus, Cycle believes in quality as a combination of quality of performance and quality of on field behaviour, which is reflected in the recently instituted Cycle Agarbathies Quality Performer of the Series award.”
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.
