MAM
9X Media Network restructures national sales team
MUMBAI: Music television network 9X Media Pvt Ltd has announced a national restructuring of its sales team which will come into effect from 26 April.
Samir Kadam has been appointed national sales head at 9X Jalwa (the all time Bollywood Hits channel) and 9X Jhakaas (India‘s first Marathi music channel). He has earlier worked with Star Network, Zee TV and B4U. Before joining 9X Media, Kadam was handling the national sales for Star Jalsha Movies.
The network has also elevated Anupama Gulati to handle the national sales responsibilities for the network‘s international music channel – 9XO. She will also head the brand solutions function for the network. Sachin Malhotra has been promoted to handle 9X Tashan sales across India. The sales responsibility for the group‘s flagship channel 9XM will be shared between Rajiv Sharma in North and Johnson Jain in West. All the sales heads will continue to report to 9X Media Group chief revenue officer Pawan Jailkhani. This structure will come into effect from the last week of April 2013.
Jailkhani said, “The past 18 months have been very exciting for 9X Media Group. We have grown manifold times both in terms of ad revenues and our music channels offerings. Keeping in mind the current and future needs of our Network we have strengthened our sales team with internal and external appointments. This will enable more focused sales considering our diverse portfolio of music channels. I would also like to welcome Samir to 9X Media Group. I am confident that Samir will add tremendous value to the team.”
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.
