MAM
Pee Safe #Passes the cup on menstrual hygiene day
Mumbai: Menstrual Hygiene is still taboo in India, and as per a 2014 UNICEF report in Tamil Nadu, 79 per cent girls and women were unexposed to hygienic menstrual practices. The unhygienic prevalence stood at 66 per cent in Uttar Pradesh, 56 per cent in Rajasthan and 51 per cent in West Bengal.
This menstrual hygiene day, Pee Safe launched a Pass the Cup campaign to overcome this challenge and highlight the importance of good menstrual hygiene using menstrual cups, which are also economical and environment friendly.
Celebrities and influencers like Kritika Kamra, Krystle D’souza, Shibani Dandekar, Nusrat Jahan, Shreya Sanghi, Muskan, Lavisha Kalra, Vinni Jain, and many others were seen as they passed the menstrual cup (metaphoric reference to Christianity) to each other to help raise awareness about safe menstrual hygiene and the practical utility of using these toiletries.
Pee Safe founder Vikas Bagaria said, “Menstruators bleed for five days every month and deserve to be safe, whether under a lockdown or not. They have a right to know about the sustainable options available to them.”
Pee Safe has advocated the cause of personal hygiene since 2013. Over the years, the brand has created its market leadership in various product segments and developed goodwill and trust amongst its consumer base. Since its inception, the brand diversified into products including biodegradable sanitary pads, organic cotton tampons, reusable menstrual cups, panty liners, natural intimate washes, wipes, and sweat pads for both men and women, besides pollution safe anti-pollution dust masks.
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.
