Brands
Avvatar Protein partners with Spartan
Bengaluru – Avvatar Protein, a subsidiary of Parag Milk Foods Ltd., announced a strategic partnership with Spartan. With over 250 events held annually across more than 40 countries, Spartan inspires over one million participants each year to push beyond their limits. Through this collaboration, Spartan’s endurance challenges will now be introduced to Indian audiences, with the first event set to launch in Bengaluru on 10 November.
This partnership comes at a time when more Indians are prioritising their fitness. According to the International Health, Racquet & Sportsclub Association (IHRSA), India had approximately 3.5 million gym members in 2019, with that number projected to grow at a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 9.3 per cent from 2020 to 2024. The activation plan includes a dynamic sampling program across 75 premium gyms and nine outdoor run clubs (three per city) in Bengaluru, Pune, and Noida, directly engaging an estimated 3,000-4,000 fitness enthusiasts.
To amplify this grassroots engagement, Avvatar will collaborate with Spartan influencers, who will create compelling content across various social media platforms. On race day, Avvatar will enjoy prominent visibility through five key branded areas, including the entry gate, start and finish arches, dedicated experience zones, and obstacle areas. This integrated strategy ensures maximum brand exposure, both on the ground and digitally, with content shared across Avvatar’s and the influencers’ social media channels to engage the broader Spartan community.
This partnership is further elevated by the Champs Foundation, founded by former Indian cricketer Sunil Gavaskar, which has brought Spartan to India through PMG. Adding star power to the collaboration is Bollywood actor Siddharth Malhotra as brand ambassador, whose commitment to fitness and personal transformation embodies the spirit of both Spartan and Avvatar.
This partnership represents a perfect alignment of values and vision,” said Parag Milk Foods Ltd executive director Akshali Shah. “Spartan’s commitment to pushing boundaries in endurance sports mirrors Avvatar’s dedication to providing premium nutrition that enables peak performance. Our 100% vegetarian whey protein, packed with nine essential amino acids, is designed to support athletes through every challenge they face – from training to race day. Together with Spartan, we’re not just sponsoring an event; we’re fueling a movement that empowers Indians to achieve their ultimate potential.”
Brands
UK’s OnlyFans seeks US investor at $3bn valuation after owner’s death
The adult video platform is seeking stability after the death of its billionaire owner
LONDON: OnlyFans is looking for a new partner. The London-based adult video platform is in advanced talks to sell a minority stake of less than 20 per cent to Architect Capital, a San Francisco-based investment firm, in a deal that would value the business at more than $3bn (£2.2bn).
The move is driven by an urgent need for stability. Leonid Radvinsky, the Ukrainian-American billionaire who owned OnlyFans, died of cancer last month at the age of 43, leaving the future of one of Britain’s most profitable privately held businesses suddenly uncertain.
The choice of Architect Capital is not arbitrary. The firm has deep expertise in financial services, which aligns neatly with OnlyFans’ ambitions to offer banking products to its creators, many of whom have long struggled to access basic financial services because of the nature of their work.
The numbers behind OnlyFans are, by any measure, staggering. The platform posted revenues of $1.4bn in the year to 30th November 2024, with a pre-tax profit of $684m, up four per cent on the prior year. Payments to creators totalled $7.2bn over the same period, a rise of nearly ten per cent. Radvinsky personally collected $701m in dividends from the business in 2024 alone, on top of more than $1bn in such payments he had already received. The platform, run through its parent company Felix International, hosts 4.6m creator accounts, with performers keeping 80 per cent of subscription proceeds and the platform pocketing the remaining 20 per cent. It has 377m fan accounts in total.
The current minority stake talks represent a notable scaling back of ambitions. In January, OnlyFans was reported to be in discussions with Architect about selling a majority stake of 60 per cent. Before that, the company had explored a sale to a consortium led by Forest Road Company, a Los Angeles-based investment firm. Neither deal materialised.
OnlyFans has built an enormously lucrative business on content that mainstream finance has long refused to touch. Now, with its owner gone and a $3bn valuation on the table, it is looking for the kind of respectable institutional backing that might finally persuade the banks to take its calls.
