MAM
Allied Media appoints Shilpa Dhanu as head M3 project & strategy team
MUMBAI: Allied Media Network, the media planning, buying and evaluation arm of Percept, has appointed Shilpa Dhanu as Head – M3 Project & Strategy Team.
In her new role, Shilpa Dhanu will be responsible for the Centralised Data Analytics Cell. Based in Mumbai, she will be reporting to Allied Media CEO Shripad Kulkarni and with a core team of senior and junior analysts will take care of research & analytical needs for clients across India.
Shilpa‘s mandate is to assist and steer the strategy team of the company to newer heights. She also will be responsible in creating newer avenues and strategising various offerings of the company for the clients.
Allied Media last year had launched Centralised Data Analytical Cell, a specialised vertical that leverages various strategic initiatives across all media companies of the Percept Group for the clients. It will conduct research and collating data on key sectors and industries on a round the clock basis.
This data will help in giving a tailor made report to the client and will help in effectively measuring all their communication campaigns including ATL, BTL, Social Media, Word of Mouth and other vehicles optimally.
The tools will help as a guide for advertisers of different sectors to effectively bifurcate their communication spends in various vehicles as per consumer behaviour & media efficacy.
Allied Media CEO Shripad Kulkarni commented, “We are extremely pleased to welcome Shilpa in our team. She has a grass root level experience in understanding consumer trends and purchasing behaviour and will add tremendous value in steering our Data Analytics vertical. I am confident that she will drive our unrelenting focus on building and adding constant value for our discerning clients.”
Shilpa Dhanu has more than a decade‘s experience and has worked as senior manager-Consumer Insights – Star India. She also has had a successful stint in UTV, Carat Media Services Ogilvy & Mather, MTV India, Zenith Optimedia, Initiative Media, and CSRIdentity.com where she has been instrumental in handling Research & Strategy for them.
Allied Media GM Strategy Shilpa Dhanu added, “I am really excited to join Allied Media and work on multinational brands and be an active part in their communication strategy. Allied Media has been in a forefront in charting out effective media mix for all their clients. This opportunity comes at an interesting juncture in my career.”
Brands
Sapphire Foods FY26 revenue rises to Rs 3,125 crore, posts loss
Q4 revenue at Rs 792 crore, FY26 loss at Rs 32 crore amid cost pressures.
MUMBAI: If growth is on the menu, profitability seems to have taken a brief detour. Sapphire Foods India reported a steady rise in topline for FY26, even as rising costs weighed on profitability. Revenue from operations grew to Rs 3,125 crore for the year ended March 31, 2026, up from Rs 2,882 crore in FY25. However, the company swung to a loss, reporting a net loss of Rs 32 crore for FY26, compared to a profit of Rs 17 crore in the previous year. Total income for the year stood at Rs 3,153 crore, while total expenses climbed to Rs 3,167 crore, reflecting pressure across key cost heads.
In the March quarter, revenue came in at Rs 792 crore, compared to Rs 711 crore in the same period last year. The company reported a quarterly net loss of Rs 13 crore, against a profit of Rs 2 crore a year earlier.
Cost pressures remained visible across operations. Material costs rose to Rs 995 crore for FY26, while employee expenses increased to Rs 428 crore. Other expenses, the largest component, stood at Rs 1,229 crore, underscoring the impact of store operations and expansion-related spends.
Depreciation and amortisation expenses also climbed to Rs 392 crore for the year, reflecting continued investments in store infrastructure and growth.
At the operating level, the company reported a loss before tax of Rs 37 crore for FY26, compared to a profit of Rs 23 crore in FY25. Exceptional items added Rs 24 crore to the cost burden during the year.
On the balance sheet, total assets rose to Rs 3,256 crore as of March 31, 2026, up from Rs 3,041 crore a year earlier, indicating ongoing expansion. Net worth stood at Rs 1,389 crore.
Despite profitability pressures, operating cash flow remained resilient at Rs 507 crore, highlighting underlying business strength and demand stability.
The numbers paint a familiar picture in the quick-service restaurant space, growth continues to be served hot, but margins are still finding their footing.
