Brands
Reliance acquires majority stake in UrbanLadder
New Delhi: Reliance Retail Ventures Ltd, a subsidiary of Reliance Industries continues with its acquisition streak. After acquiring stakes in NetMeds, Future Group and Flipkart, it has now taken a controlling stake in the popular furniture etailer UrbanLadder.
RRVL has acquired 96 per cent equity holding in Urban Ladder Home Décor Solutions Pvt Ltd (Urban Ladder) against an investment of Rs 182.12 crore. RRVL has a further option of acquiring the balance stake, taking its shareholding to 100 per cent of the equity share capital of UrbanLadder.
RRVL has proposed to make a further investment of up to Rs 75 crore, which is expected to be completed by December 2023.
The acquisition further helps Reliance to expand its product portfolio and widen its offerings to the consumers. Some of these categories are apparel, electronics, white goods, groceries, medicines, furniture, and others.
“The aforesaid investment will further enable the group’s digital and new commerce initiatives and widen the bouquet of consumer products provided by the group, while enhancing user engagement and experience across its retail offerings.”
UrbanLadder was one of the earliest entrants in online furniture retailing. It started operations in February 2012 and has been selling home furniture and décor products. It also has a chain of retail stores in several cities across India.
As per a BSE listing, UrbanLadder’s audited turnover was Rs 434.00 crore, Rs 151.22 crore and Rs 50.61 crore, and Net Profit / (Loss) of Rs 49.41 crore, Rs (118.66) crore and Rs (457.97) crore in FY 2019, FY 2018 and FY 2017 respectively.
The furniture retailer has created a big online community and strong recall. It has nearly 830k+ members on Facebook and 185k members on Instagram. It is also expected to have a strong pool of databases of consumers that will help Reliance new commerce initiatives in the long run.
Brands
Nestlé weighs trimming ice cream footprint and Froneri stak
Swiss giant reviews options including stake cut in €15bn JV as it eyes higher-margin focus post-Unilever split.
MUMBAI: Nestlé is melting down its ice cream ambitions or at least scooping back a few spoonfuls amid a strategic review that could see it slim its stake in blockbuster joint venture Froneri. According to a Bloomberg report published 18 February 2026, the Swiss food and beverage powerhouse is mulling a reduced presence in the global ice cream segment. Options on the table include trimming its holding in Froneri, the joint venture with private equity firm PAI Partners that houses crowd-pleasers like Häagen-Dazs, Mövenpick, and Rowntree’s or even shifting some of Nestlé’s remaining wholly owned ice cream operations into the JV.
Discussions remain fluid, with no final decisions locked in and no guarantee of any transaction materialising. One scenario has PAI Partners boosting its ownership if Nestlé pulls back, while another could see the Swiss group offloading a portion of its stake to an existing investor like the Abu Dhabi Investment Authority (ADIA).
Froneri itself got a hefty valuation boost in October (likely 2025), when Goldman Sachs and ADIA poured in fresh capital, pegging the business at around €15 billion (about $17.69 billion). The move turned heads in the sector, especially as Unilever spun off its ice cream arm last year into the now-independent Magnum Ice Cream Company freeing both giants to chase sunnier, higher-margin pastures.
Nestlé’s rethink, reportedly overseen by new CEO Philipp Navratil as he sifts through the company’s vast portfolio, mirrors broader industry trends: consumer giants are sharpening focus on core strengths amid shifting tastes and profitability pressures. Ice cream might be delicious, but it’s not always the creamiest part of the balance sheet.
Whether this ends in a stake sale, JV expansion, or just more pondering, the frozen dessert world could soon see another ownership shake-up. For now, Nestlé isn’t screaming “last orders” but it’s definitely checking the freezer temperature.
