Brands
Zoom makes Interbrand’s 2020 Best Global Brands list
MUMBAI: With people confined to their homes during the Covid2019 pandemic, social media and communication brands have fared well, according to Interbrand’s 2020 Best Global Brands report.
Instagram came in at #19, while YouTube (#30) and Zoom (#100) entered the rankings for the first time. On the flip side, Facebook’s value fell by 12 per cent to $35.2bn – although it moved up a place to #13 in the ranking.
Amazon, Microsoft and Spotify have added the most to their brand value in the past year. The e-commerce giant ranked at #2 and increased its brand value by 60 per cent, with a valuation of nearly $201 billion.
Music streaming service Spotify (#70) saw brand value increase by 52 per cent to $8 billion, jumping 22 places in the ranking, while Netflix rose to #41 with a 41 per cent increase to $12 billion. Business models have played a role in this success, with 62 per cent of double-digit risers relying on significant subscription model businesses.
Tesla re-entered the rankings at #40 with a brand value of $12.7 billion, having last appeared in the Best Global Brands table in 2017.
Read more news on Interbrand’s Best Global Brands
Apple retained its top spot, growing its value 38 per cent to $323 billion and becoming the first brand to surpass the $300 billion-mark. Microsoft overtook Google (#4) to reach the number three spot. This is the first time the search engine has dropped from the top three.
Meanwhile, Samsung (#5) broke into the top five for the first time ever. The remainder of the Top 10 comprises: Coca-Cola #6 ($56 billion), Toyota #7 ($51 billion), Mercedes-Benz #8 ($49 billion), McDonald’s #9 ($42 billion) and Disney #10 ($40 billion).The top ten brands accounts for 50 per cent of the total table value this year.
The 2020 Best Global Brands ranking also saw the ‘Covid effect’, with global shop closures causing the brand values of Zara (#35) and H&M (#37) to fall 13 per cent and 14 per cent respectively, with both dropping at least six places in this years’ ranking. After two years as the top growing sector, luxury brands took a hit in 2020, with all but one brand value (Hermes #28) falling between 1-9 per cent.
Other brands and industries have benefited from the ‘Covid effect’, notably logistics which saw an average of 5 per cent growth – UPS (#24), FedEx (#75) and DHL (#81) all saw positive brand valuation growth, as the logistics sector became more central to our lives in lockdown. PayPal (#60), Visa (#45) and Mastercard (#57) have also risen in the rankings – 12, 10 and 5 places respectively. The pandemic led to a sudden shift to electronic as the primary payment method and the swift roll out of programs to support local business during lockdown benefitted these brands, who provide access to capital in times of economic uncertainty.
“Reports like Interbrand’s Best Global Brands are important for companies to better understand how we’re being perceived in consumers’ hearts and minds,” said Mastercard Chief Marketing and Communications Officer Raja Rajamannar. “Especially during these unprecedented times, when consumer behaviours have shifted and trust is more important than ever, these rankings are a way for us to better understand how we can best serve our communities.”
Brands
Devyani International Ltd plans three-subsidiary merger to streamline operations
QSR operator moves to streamline structure and unlock operational synergies
Devyani International is tightening its corporate kitchen. The quick-service restaurant operator has approved a scheme to merge three subsidiaries—Sky Gate Hospitality, Blackvelvet Hospitality and Say Chefs Eatery—into the parent company in a bid to simplify its structure and sharpen operational efficiency.
The decision was cleared at a board meeting on March 10 and disclosed in a regulatory filing to the stock exchanges. The merger will take effect from April 1, 2025, subject to statutory approvals.
All three transferor companies are direct or indirect wholly owned subsidiaries, meaning no fresh shares will be issued and the shareholding pattern of Devyani International will remain unchanged once the scheme is completed.
The subsidiaries together operate more than 100 outlets—including dine-in restaurants and cloud kitchens, spread across over 40 cities such as Delhi NCR, Mumbai, Kolkata and Bengaluru.
Devyani International, the largest franchisee of Yum Brands in India, said the consolidation is aimed at generating operational synergies, optimising resource utilisation and reducing layers within the corporate structure.
Financially, the move brings together businesses of varying scale. As of March 31, 2025, Devyani International reported a net worth of Rs 10,381.02 million and turnover of Rs 33,493.33 million. Sky Gate Hospitality posted a net worth of Rs 761.14 million with turnover of Rs 2,657.57 million, while Blackvelvet Hospitality and Say Chefs Eatery reported smaller operations and negative net worth.
The merger will consolidate these operations under a single corporate umbrella as the company sharpens its focus on scale and efficiency.
Devyani International currently runs more than 2,000 outlets across over 280 cities in India, Nigeria, Nepal and Thailand. Its portfolio includes franchise rights for brands such as Pizza Hut, KFC, Costa Coffee, Tea Live, New York Fries and Sanook Kitchen, alongside its own food brands.
With the paperwork underway and approvals pending, Devyani is essentially clearing the corporate clutter—turning three subsidiaries into one tighter, leaner operation. In the QSR world, even the back office needs a spring clean.
