MAM
Shashi Sinha, Vikram Sakhuja join Axis My India advisory board
Mumbai: Consumer data intelligence company Axis My India on Tuesday announced the constitution of a pioneering advisory board with IPG Mediabrands CEO Shashi Sinha and Madison Media Group CEO Vikram Sakhuja joining the board. Sakhuja is nominated as chairman of the board.
“The company has embarked on an audacious mission of solving the problems of 25 crore Indian households and transforming a billion lives, and the advisory board will serve as the guiding ship to enable the success of these endeavours,” it said in a statement.
“Our company is certainly at an inflection point, as we look to take to fruition some marquee ideas – India’s first offline-online people empowerment platform focused on listening and facilitating resolution of various issues of an everyday Indian, the country’s largest syndicated brand study, Consumer Trust Index, as well as aggressively expanding by engaging with all echelons of industry with our superior data and research offerings,” stated Axis My India CMD Pradeep Gupta. “Shashi and Vikram along with other advisory board members, with their deep understanding of India’s business landscape will be invaluable as guides and mentors as we navigate challenges in our trajectory towards rapid growth and disruption.”
The board’s primary responsibility would be to keep track of the big picture of the organisation, anticipate challenges in the ambitious path and suggest mitigation tools to avoid the same. Board members would also be expected to bring in diversity of thought and action, and help broaden the company’s horizons to engage with constituencies and stakeholders out of its conventional realm, said the statement.
“Axis My India has over the years established itself to be the most accurate psephologist in India. Underlying that is one of the most innovative organisations I have encountered, in terms of their leadership, team and processes,” said Vikram Sakhuja. “As they now roll out more exciting products, they have the potential to provide not only authoritative insights about both Bharat and India, but also create a platform for meaningful dialogue with consumers that can be invaluable for marketers and policy makers. It is my privilege to be able to participate in this journey as an outside-in advisor.”
“There is tremendous innovation and bustling activity coming out of India’s non-metros. India’s small towns and villages will power its rise to an economic powerhouse in the 21st century,” remarked Shashi Sinha. “It is my privilege to be able to engage with Axis My India on its larger vision to empower these communities and to be a part of this exercise underpinned in nation-building.”
Axis My India, recently launched Consumer Trust Index (CTI) which is India’s largest syndicated consumption study measuring current product consumption and future purchase intent across 40 categories with yearly one million+ sample spread across 737 districts. The All-Media Measurement module (AMMS) of CTI will capture media consumption habits across touchpoints – TV, print, OTT, digital, social media, daily used apps, radio, cinema, OOH. As part of CTI, brands will also be able to do media and product consumption linkage analysis.
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.
