MAM
Macabre messages herald Everest re-birth
MUMBAI: A rather odd start to a day. A frantic call from an office colleague, “When are you getting in to work? There is some telegram that has come for you.”
Never having received a telegram before (being a new age kid and all), the import of the event was lost on me. Noting my nonchalant response, my colleague then reiterated that it was a telegram, which could only mean bad news.
This got me moving of course and I zipped in to office. To my surprise, the telegram read that Everest Integrated communication was very critical and my presence was urgently required. I read it twice over and then laughed. I immediately called the concerned people, and they feigned complete ignorance.
Well, that was that. A couple of days later I received an envelope which said “From the registrar of Birth & Death.” Once again absolutely perplexed, it was an official ‘Certificate of Death’ stating the following, ‘This is to certify that the following information has been taken from the original record of death, which is in the register of the Municipal Corporation of Greater Bombay.’
Name : Everest Integrated Communications Private Ltd.
Nationality: Indian
Date of Death: 17/04/2005
Name of Founder: Mr. Adi Patel (Founder of Everest)
Attached behind was an invitation of a condolence meeting. The venue: The Hilton Towers, Mumbai.
Post Script: Mourners will receive a press briefing, followed by lunch.
As must be clear to most by now, this was essentially the invite for the re-launch of Everest Communications and the birth of a new identity.
Talking to Everest Communications executive creative director Milind Dhaimade on the conceptualization of the novel invite, he states, “The re-launch is not about just creating a new identity, but in our whole approach internally as well as externally. Since we made a decision to kill what we currently stand for, we decided to communicate it in an equally strong manner.”
Dhaimade also pointed out that the responses that they received were mixed. While some were very appreciative of the creative thought behind the invites, others opined that they had gone too far. Apart from frantic phone calls from clients who did not know what was happening, Everest also received a handful of visitors to check if all was okay.
What the real agenda is will be unveiled tomorrow (27 April). The agency is starting afresh with a new vision and philosophy. No doubt though, the start of this process has made some deep and no doubt morbid impressions.
Brands
Nestlé India posts 14.9 per cent sales growth, profit rises in FY26
FMCG major sweetens returns with dividend as strong domestic demand leads
NEW DELHI: Nestlé India has reported a strong financial performance for the year ended 31 March 2026, with sales and profits rising steadily on the back of robust domestic demand.
The company posted total income of Rs 231,949.5 million for FY26, up from Rs 202,645.5 million in the previous year, marking a growth of 14.9 per cent. Domestic sales remained the key driver, increasing 14.6 per cent to Rs 221,187.0 million, while exports contributed Rs 9,527.6 million to the overall tally.
The final quarter of the financial year added extra momentum, with total sales rising 23.4 per cent compared to the same period last year. This helped lift the company’s annual profit to Rs 35,446.0 million, up from Rs 33,145.0 million in FY25.
Shareholders are set to benefit as the board has recommended a final dividend of Rs 5.00 per equity share. This comes on top of the interim dividend of Rs 7.00 per share paid in February 2026. The record date for the final dividend has been fixed as 10 July 2026, subject to shareholder approval at the 67th Annual General Meeting scheduled for 3 July 2026. If approved, the payout will begin from 30 July 2026.
During the year, the company’s paid-up equity share capital doubled to Rs 1,928.3 million following a 1:1 bonus share issue, strengthening its capital base. The results were also supported by a Rs 1,207.8 million credit from exceptional items, including a Rs 2,023.2 million writeback from resolved income tax litigation, partially offset by restructuring costs and expenses related to new labour codes.
On the cost front, material costs rose to 44.8 per cent of sales for the full year, compared to 43.6 per cent in the previous year, reflecting ongoing input cost pressures. Despite this, the company maintained solid profitability, with EBITDA coming in at Rs 53,060.6 million.
Overall, Nestlé India’s performance underscores its ability to balance growth and margins in a challenging environment. With steady demand, disciplined cost management and consistent shareholder returns, the company appears well placed to carry its momentum into the next financial year.
