MAM
Happy New Year for Star Plus as it clocks 396 GRPs
MUMBAI: Consolidating its numero uno position, Star Plus has added 28 GRPS (gross rating points) to its previous week‘s tally to start 2011 with 396 GRPs.
The channel got support from the newly created joint venture awards property, Big Star Entertainment Awards, which clocked 5.5 TVR from its telecast on 31 December. Incidentally, this is the highest rating an event has got on television over the last 28 weeks (since Star Parivaar awards).
The Awards event reached out to 31.4 million viewers over 2.5 hours, contributing 26 GRPs to the channel during the week.
Star Plus also got a boost in the weekday 7-8 pm band with Saathiya getting a 6.1 TVR (from 5.8 TVR in previous week) and Sasural Genda Phool clocking 5.5 TVR (from 5.1 TVR), according to Tam data (C&S, HSM) for the week ended 1 January.
Meanwhile, Colors and Zee TV retained their second and third positions with 283 and 224 GRPs respectively. Both the channels lost seven GRPs compared to the previous week.
For Colors, its newly launched fiction in 6.30 pm band – Maati Ki Banno – averaged 1.5 TVR with the launch episode delivering a 1.6 TVR, while the repeat of the Salman Khan starrer Dabangg on Sunday rated 4.5.
For Zee TV, the popular dance reality show DID Doubles launched well, delivering a 4 TVR for the week. The launch episode got a TVR of 4.6, reached out to 25.million viewers and had a timespent of 25.1 minutes, according to Tam data.
Among the other Hindi GECs, Sony Entertainment and Sab remained unchanged with 179 GRPs and 146 GRPs for the week ended 1 January. Imagine TV added three GRPs to end the week with 86 GRPs while Star One and Sahara One were hovering at 38 GRPs and 31 GRPs respectively.
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.
