Brands
Airtel ties up with Baahubali 2 for special experience
NEW DELHI: Bharti Airtel and ‘Baahubali 2 – The Conclusion’ has tied up to roll out special products for the fans of the forthcoming epic mythological film.
A range of Airtel ‘Baahubali 2’ products were unveiled by the upcoming film’s star cast in Hyderabad to add to the excitement around the arrival of the one of the most anticipated films in the country.
For Baahubali fans, Airtel has launched a special ‘Baahubali-2’ 4G SIM with free 4G data benefits to enable customers to experience the epic drama on India’s fastest mobile network. In addition, the Company launched special ‘Baahubali -2’ 4G Recharge Packs that offer great value to customers.
Customers can also enjoy content like the making of the film and a host of such other videos from the film on Airtel Movies. Airtel’s OTT Wynk Music will have the star cast of ‘Baahubali -2’ as ‘Guest Editors’ on the app and users can enjoy specially curated Playlists.
Bharti Airtel director – consumer business & chief marketing officer Raj Pudipeddi said, “As India’s largest and fastest mobile network, Airtel is thrilled to partner with ‘Baahubali 2’ to deliver an exciting experience to our customers. We invite Baahubali fans to get up close with the epic on their smartphones with Airtel and enjoy great content backed by a superior mobile broadband experience.”
Bharti Airtel Andhra Pradesh & Telangana CEO Venkatesh Vijayraghavan added, “Customers can now also experience high speed data on the seamless Airtel Baahubali mobile broadband network to enjoy all the film content from the internet. Customers can also enjoy our specially curated Wynk Music playlist, exclusive videos on Airtel Movies and much more apart from trying their luck at exciting online contests.”
Arka Mediaworks CEO Shobu Yarlagadda said, “We are excited about the partnership as it makes brand Baahubali more accessible to our audience. Currently Baahubali has expanded into a big franchise that includes comic books, novels, animated TV series, mobile game and a first of its kind virtual reality experience. Through this partnership with Airtel, we will expand our ability to provide the Baahubali phenomena and entertainment on-the-go, anywhere, and anytime to our audience.”
In addition to these, Airtel will introduce an online engagement programME across various digital platforms to bring the exciting world of Baahubali closer to its consumers. An outdoor campaign will also be live soon making the movie and Airtel 4G come alive across customer touch points in the country. Customers can stay tuned to ‘Airtel India’ on Facebook and ‘@airtelindia’ on Twitter.
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.
