MAM
Ants Digital appoints Ratnadeep Sharma as executive producer
Mumbai: Tech led marketing agency Ants Digital has appointed Ratnadeep Sharma (RD) as executive producer. He will be based out of the agency’s head office in Gurgaon and will oversee all video productions and operations.
RD joins Ants Digital after working for several agencies, production houses, media publishing houses and television channels. He comes with over 10 years of experience in advertising and has produced over 2000 TVCs, television series, web commercials, AVs, viral content for over 80 leading national international clients.
“We have been consistently scaling our presence in the digital space, and with his appointment, we will reinforce our operations in digital film production, 2D animation and motion graphics,” said Ants Digital CEO Sanjay Arora. “RD has a good understanding of video production and has vast experience in live shoots and animation, which will add immense value to our clients. We look forward to producing some great content with RD on board.”
RD has also been the youngest member of the jury panel at many prestigious Indian and international film festivals. One of his campaigns for the online promotion of “Bahubali 2” won the DigiPub award for best brand partnership. He has worked with well-known industry brands such as JW Marriott, Dupont, BASF (Nunhems), Hewlett Packard, Coca Cola, Dominos, KFC, Accor group of hotels, adidas, among many others.
“Ants has been scaling its operations, and I am really excited to build and grow this further,” said Sharma on his appointment. “Videos and films are the need of the hour for brands to communicate with their target audience in a better and interesting way. The digital prowess and unique mix of service offerings of Ants will bring more value to clients now with their in-house film production facility,” he added.
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.
