MAM
Fremantle Media announces publishing deals for ‘Planet Cook’
MUMBAI: FremantleMedia Licensing Worldwide (FLW), the licensing division of television format creator FremantleMedia has announced two publishing deals for the culinary adventure show, Planet Cook.
FLW has granted international publisher, Dorling Kindersley, the pan-territory rights to produce and distribute a Planet Cook cookbook, sticker book and Funfax in the UK, Germany and Australia. The 48-page branded cookbook will feature step-by-step guides to preparing selected recipes that have featured on the TV show. The products are scheduled to go on shelf from summer 2006
In a separate deal, leading annuals publisher, Pedigree Books, has been granted the rights to produce and distribute a 64-page hardback annual in the UK and Australia. The Planet Cook Annual, which will be distributed in Australia by ABC Publishing, is expected to hit shops in summer 2006.
Targetted at children aged 6-10 years, Planet Cook is a live-action cookery adventure show for children where mealtime disappointments are a thing of the past. Set on a tropical island, each episode sees Captain Cook guide three young Cook Cadets as they create a meal against the clock. Each recipe is inspired by the natural world – from leaf-eating dinosaurs to volcanoes – which gives Captain Cook the inspiration to create delicious dishes like ‘Erupting Volcano Surprise’. All recipes have been analysed by independent, qualified nutritionists to fit within the context of a balanced, healthy diet.
FLW VP Licensing UK Dom Wheeler said, “These pan-territory publishing deals are yet another great example of how the Planet Cook brand can extend across multiple touch-points and these volumes will be a great fit with our existing range of products. Dorling Kindersley and Pedigree are both well-established leaders in the publishing field with tremendous distribution at retail and we are delighted to have them on board.”
Planet Cook continues to be a key priority for FLW. FLW says that it will continue to extend the brand further across key categories including additional publishing, cookware, gifting, interactive and food to complement the Heinz Planet Cook range and first Planet Cook DVD release (Universal Pictures)which launched at retail last week. Branded cookware and bakeware (Trudeau-Euromark) will be available at retail from November.
Earlier this month, FremantleMedia had announced tape sales to TVB, in Hong Kong and Kids Central in Singapore. Both broadcasters acquired 52 x 20′ episodes of the UK version of Planet Cook which is produced by format owner and creator, Platinum Films. 52 episodes of the UK show have also been sold to ABC in Australia and Fremantle Home Entertainment has granted DVD and VHS rights to ABC to complement the launch of the show on the channel this month. Planet Cook also has a first class broadcast platform in the UK and public broadcaster, ZDF, has produced a local series for Germany.
Brands
Big Bowl appoints Lyxel & Flamingo as social and media partner
QSR brand eyes next growth phase after crossing Rs 100 crore ARR milestone
MUMBAI: Big Bowl, one of India’s largest bowl-format quick service restaurant brands from Lenexis Foodworks, has appointed Lyxel & Flamingo (L&F) as its social and media partner as it prepares for its next phase of growth.
The partnership comes after the brand crossed the Rs 100 crore annual recurring revenue milestone in 2025 and aims to help accelerate its journey towards Rs 150 crore ARR in its fifth year since launch.
Big Bowl currently operates more than 250 kitchens across 50 cities and has emerged as a major player in India’s organised bowl-format food segment. Built around hearty portions and delivery-first convenience, the brand offers a wide mix of Indian, Chinese and fusion bowls designed for quick, affordable and portable consumption.
As urban consumers increasingly gravitate towards easy-to-carry and value-driven meal formats, the company sees the bowl category as a scalable format aligned with modern eating habits.
With the appointment of Lyxel & Flamingo, Big Bowl plans to consolidate its social media and digital media operations under a single partner. The move is intended to sharpen its digital reach, strengthen youth-focused storytelling and improve performance marketing outcomes.
Lyxel & Flamingo, one of India’s largest independent digital-first agencies, manages more than 350 brands and oversees advertising spends exceeding $100 million across its network.
Under the mandate, the agency will handle Big Bowl’s social media strategy, content development, digital performance marketing, media planning and buying, as well as campaign amplification across platforms.
Commenting on the partnership, Lenexis Foodworks founder and director Aayush Madhusudan Agrawal said, “Big Bowl has scaled rapidly to cross Rs 100 crore ARR and established itself as one of the largest bowl-format brands in the country. As a delivery-first, digitally native brand, our next phase of growth will be driven by sharper performance systems and stronger brand storytelling. Consolidating social and media with Lyxel & Flamingo allows us to integrate data, creativity and media precision as we scale towards our next revenue milestone.”
Lenexis Foodworks marketing head Vikas Iyer, added that the delivery-led category requires content, media and performance marketing to work closely together.
“With Lyxel & Flamingo, we aim to build a sharper social voice, stronger acquisition systems and measurable impact, ensuring the brand scales not just in presence but also in precision,” he said.
Lyxel & Flamingo chief executive officer Dev Batra, said the agency will combine data-driven marketing with creative storytelling to support Big Bowl’s growth. “Big Bowl brings the flavour, and L&F brings the fire. Our strategy combines data-led performance with engaging storytelling to help build a strong digital brand presence while delivering measurable business results,” he said.
With this partnership, Big Bowl is looking to strengthen its position as a digitally driven QSR brand, blending brand-building with performance marketing as it scales within India’s rapidly growing organised food delivery market.
