MAM
Puma teams up with Royal Challengers Bangalore to launch athleisure range
Mumbai: Global sports brand Puma has partnered with Royal Challengers Bangalore (RCB) to launch an all-new athleisure range.
Having garnered huge success in the first season of the IPL, Puma has decided to further strengthen its partnership with RCB with a collection that celebrates the indomitable spirit and fierce attitude of the team, said the brand in a statement. Combining Puma’s expertise in elevated product design and RCB’s core brand values, the collection offers the team’s ardent fans unique pieces with a playful twist, it added.
“Royal Challengers Bangalore is undoubtedly the most popular cricket team in the T20 League and enjoys an ever-increasing fandom across the country. We are really excited to partner with them for the launch of the athleisure range,” said Puma India and Southeast Asia managing director Abhishek Ganguly. “Bringing the best of both worlds, the collection leverages Puma’s design expertise and RCB’s fashionable DNA. Through an exclusive PumaxRCB range we aim to strengthen the team’s connect with its fans across the country.”
Dropping right in time for the T20 season, the collection offers RCB fans an opportunity to showcase their passion for the team all year round by sporting merchandise that has been reimagined through a fashion lens, said the brand.
“The launch of the athleisure collection makes RCB the only cricket team to move beyond traditional retail merchandise into the world of GenZ, millennial fashion wear,” stated vice president and head Rajesh Menon. “This collection indeed represents the evolving brand ethos of RCB in a cutting-edge streetwear, on-trend lifestyle avatar which will completely resonate with young India.”
The collection is available at select Puma stores, on puma.com, RCB.com, and the RCB Bar & Café.
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.
