Brands
Home truths IKEA bets on Indian dreams with a new brand chapter
From kitchens to classrooms, IKEA reframes how Indian homes shape ambition.
MUMBAI: If India is dreaming bigger than ever, IKEA is pulling up a chair at the starting point. The Swedish home furnishings major has unveiled a new brand position for the country, It All Starts at Home signalling a shift from retail introduction to long-term emotional relevance in one of its most important growth markets.
The idea taps into a simple but powerful insight, Indian homes are no longer static spaces. Kitchens double up as studios, balconies become classrooms, bedrooms host businesses, workouts and late-night ambitions. Tradition and modernity now share the same square footage. IKEA’s new positioning celebrates homes as living, evolving foundations where everyday routines quietly shape bigger aspirations.
Since entering India in 2018, IKEA’s journey has mirrored this transformation. What began as an effort to familiarise shoppers with its stores, prices and life-at-home philosophy has grown into something more embedded. According to the company, top-of-mind recall has climbed sharply from four per cent at launch to 43 per cent today reflecting IKEA’s move from novelty to everyday relevance.
IKEA India CEO Patrik Antoni said the shift comes from listening closely to how Indians live today. Expectations from home have expanded, and the brand now sees its role as removing physical, financial and psychological barriers between people and their dream spaces. The ambition is clear, reach twice as many consumers while staying present across homes of every size, budget and aspiration.
The strategy also lays out IKEA’s next phase of growth. The focus will be on accessibility through multiple formats, deeper online penetration and service-led touchpoints across more cities. Small spaces, multifunctional living and everyday family needs areas where Indian homes are changing fastest will take centre stage.
The new brand direction will roll out through a 360-degree approach, spanning films, digital and social content, creator collaborations and in-store experiences, reinforced across IKEA’s website and app. Rather than shouting about products, the storytelling places them quietly in the background of real lives and real ambitions.
Earlier today, IKEA India released its brand manifesto, followed by the first of three films. The opening story features Kabita Singh, the Youtube creator behind Kabita’s Kitchen, who built a following of 15 million subscribers starting from a modest home kitchen, a fitting illustration of the brand’s core message.
In a market crowded with bold claims, IKEA’s latest move is deliberately understated. By rooting its growth story in the everyday realities of Indian homes, the brand is betting that the most powerful journeys still begin exactly where people live.
Brands
Bombay Dyeing threads profit through tough quarter
Q3 net at Rs 1.83 crore on Rs 324.02 crore revenue.
MUMBAI: The fabric may have thinned, but the stitch still holds. The Bombay Dyeing and Manufacturing Company Ltd reported a standalone net profit of Rs 1.83 crore for the quarter ended December 31, 2025, a sharp turnaround from a loss of Rs 9.92 crore in the preceding September quarter. However, profit remained below the Rs 70 crore clocked in the corresponding quarter last year.
Revenue from operations for the December quarter stood at Rs 324.02 crore, compared with Rs 362.63 crore in the September quarter and Rs 414.81 crore a year earlier. Including other income of Rs 26.60 crore, total income came in at Rs 350.62 crore, down from Rs 453.62 crore in the year ago period.
For the nine months ended December 31, 2025, revenue from operations stood at Rs 1,064.49 crore against Rs 1,246.41 crore in the previous year. Net profit for the nine month period rose to Rs 5.67 crore, compared with Rs 478.35 crore in the corresponding period last year, reflecting the absence of large exceptional gains seen earlier.
The quarter’s profit before tax stood at Rs 3.02 crore for the nine month period and Rs 588 crore for the comparable nine month period last year, driven by exceptional items of Rs 552.70 crore in FY25. In the December quarter this year, exceptional items were marginal at negative Rs 0.90 crore, compared with Rs 50.71 crore in the year ago quarter.
Total expenses for the December quarter were Rs 362.43 crore. Cost of materials consumed stood at Rs 204.10 crore, while other expenses were Rs 73.91 crore. Finance costs were contained at Rs 2.62 crore, down from Rs 3.61 crore in the September quarter and Rs 3.30 crore a year earlier.
Segment wise, the Polyester business remained the mainstay, contributing Rs 305.93 crore in quarterly revenue, compared with Rs 395.99 crore a year ago. Retail and Textile delivered Rs 14.83 crore, while Real Estate revenue was negligible in the quarter, against Rs 3.15 crore in the corresponding period last year.
Segment results before tax and finance costs showed Polyester reporting a loss of Rs 26.34 crore in the quarter, versus a profit of Rs 22.47 crore last year. Retail and Textile posted a profit of Rs 2.94 crore, while Real Estate recorded a loss of Rs 5.05 crore.
On a consolidated basis, the numbers mirrored the standalone performance. Consolidated net profit for the quarter stood at Rs 1.92 crore, against a loss of Rs 9.85 crore in the preceding quarter and a profit of Rs 70.06 crore a year ago.
Other comprehensive income for the quarter was Rs 22.53 crore, largely due to fair value changes in equity investments. Total comprehensive income for the period stood at Rs 12.61 crore on a standalone basis and Rs 12.68 crore on a consolidated basis.
As of December 31, 2025, total segment assets were Rs 2,894.42 crore on a standalone basis, with net capital employed at Rs 2,348.98 crore. Paid up equity share capital remained at Rs 41.31 crore, with earnings per share for the quarter at Rs 0.09, compared with Rs 3.39 in the corresponding quarter last year.
With revenue under pressure and polyester margins fluctuating, Bombay Dyeing’s latest numbers reflect a business navigating cyclical headwinds. The profit may be modest, but after the previous quarter’s loss, the company has at least managed to keep its weave intact.
