MAM
Nick, UN to promote millennium development goals through Nick 2015 campaign
MUMBAI: Nick has joined forces with the United Nations (UN) for the Millennium Development campaign, which is titled ‘Nick 2015.’
Actor and Miss Universe 2000, Lara Dutta will be lending her voice to the campaign. She will be instrumental in highlighting key global issues that need to be addressed in order to make this world a better place by 2015 when many of the kids of today will become adults.
In 2002, Kofi Annan, UN Secretary-General, launched the Millennium project where 189 heads of state around the globe promised that they would make the world a better place for all kids and their families by the year 2015 by reaching certain Development Goals.
Later this year, world leaders will gather again to review the progress made on these projects. Media plays a crucial role in disseminating relevant information to get their audiences involved in the Millennium Campaign. Leading broadcasters like MTV Italy, Nickelodeon, BBC, TV5 and Television Espanola have all responded to the UN’s appeal and have pledged their commitment to support the Millennium Campaign.
On behalf of Nick in India, Dutta will lend her voice to a child-friendly campaign to go on-air towards the end of June and address issues like poverty, education, equality, disease, environment and child mortality.
The series calls upon the world’s six billion people to join their voices and remind governments to keep their promise to end poverty. The Nick-UN Millennium Campaign partnership will help children know about social issues and encourage them to get involved and get their government to keep their promise for a better tomorrow. Kids can do this by petitioning online on www.nick2015.com. Their petitions and those of kids across the globe will be presented to World Leaders by the UN Millennium Campaign in September this year.
Addressing a press gathering, MTV Networks Asia vice president (channel development, creative and content) Natasha Malhotra, who has been integrating this campaign said, “We’ve always believed that what’s good for kids is good for Nick. So it only stands to reason that pro-social activities are high on our agenda, be it our Say Yes and Let’s Just Play campaigns or, more recently, helping kids come to terms with the Tsunami disaster. It’s important for us to get kids to understand larger social issues which will probably affect them more than any other demographic.”
Speaking about her involvement with the campaign, Dutta said, “My association with the UN goes back to the Miss Universe pageant and I welcome this opportunity to renew the association. This campaign gives me an opportunity to voice my opinion and help kids understand the global issues of poverty, education, equality and environment because in 2015 they will be the adults of the world and some of them will be world leaders. Together we can all make a huge difference to the lives of millions.”
Nick 2015 will be broadcast on 23 Nickelodeon channels across Africa, Asia, Europe and Latin America. Supported by the UN Millennium Campaign, the campaign is a series of eight 30-second original animation shorts public and a dedicated website.
Each spot explains how a Millennium Development Goal affects kids and what they can do to have a voice in their future.
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.
