MAM
Synovate sets up customer loyalty vertical; ropes in Jatar
MUMBAI: Synovate has appointed Jairaj Jatar to head its Customer Loyalty practice. Jatar comes with the mandate to set up a separate customer loyalty vertical for the company.
Jatar moves from AC Nielsen ORG Marg where he was director, client service and head of Automotive and Financial Services research.
Synovate recently launched its global customer loyalty practice, Synovate Symmetrics in the Indian marketplace; the founder of this state-of-the-art tool, Dr. Lawrence A. Crosby recently addressed top honchos from the corporate world at seminars in New Delhi and Mumbai.
Jatar says, “Synovate customer loyalty tools will definitely provide companies’ out-of-box solutions; in customer retention and loyalty. Our global experience will help transcend sectors and expand the scope to new upcoming sectors. The vertical will also provide expertise in the areas of mystery shopping, stakeholder satisfaction studies, among others to the Indian clientele.”
“Synovate will tap into its existing clients across auto, banking and financial services, hospitality and durable; also extend the scope to IT and ITES sector, among others,” he added.
He has worked extensively in customer satisfaction and brand equity related projects and is also credited with handling the Nepal operations of Marg. He has 16 years of work experience in market research.
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.
