Brands
Viacom18 welcomes Peppa Pig & George, largest party with Hamley’s
MUMBAI: Viacom18 Consumer Products, the consumer products arm of Viacom18, is all set to welcome the internationally acclaimed character of Peppa Pig and her brother George, to India this July. The show – Peppa Pig, started to air in India on Nick Jr. from December 2016 along with our fast growing video on demand platform Voot and rapidly gained a massive following among tiny tots and their parents in India; following which, Viacom18 is gearing up to enhance the viewer’s experience further by providing an exclusive meet and greet with their favourite characters across Hamley’s outlets in Delhi on 22 July, Chennai on 30 July and Mumbai on 5 August.
The mega launch of the characters will be hosted in association with none other than kid’s leading toy brand- Hamley’s. A never-seen-before ‘Peppa Pig Party’ will be organized and a meet and greet exclusively in Hamley’s stores across four cities. Kids will get to interact with Peppa Pig and George while participating in fun activities such as coloring contests, Peppa maze game, Peppa pong game, and an exciting magic show. An extensive marketing and communication plan has been activated to maximize the reach of the Peppa Pig characters.
Peppa is one of the most celebrated animated characters internationally. British pre-school animated series- Peppa Pig provides for healthy kid’s content like creative lessons and other elementary learnings for kids.
Viacom18 Consumer Products and Integrated Network head Saugato Bhowmik said, “We have previously launched iconic international characters like Dora-the explorer, Spongebob, Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles, Peanuts and Charlie brown with a wide range of consumer products for kids along with our home-grown beloved characters Motu Patlu. With the launch of Peppa Pig Viacom18 Consumer Products truly establishes itself as the leader in bringing the world’s best licensing programs to India.”
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.
