MAM
Bewakoof founder Prabhkiran Singh steps down after 14 years
CEO who built youth fashion brand from Mumbai room in 2011 to Rs 100 crore plus revenue exits end of March 2026.
MUMBAI: Bewakoof’s original designer is hanging up his entrepreneurial hoodie because after 14 years of stitching a brand from scratch, even the boldest founders need a well-earned breather. Prabhkiran Singh, co-founder and CEO of direct-to-consumer fashion label Bewakoof, announced on 24 February 2026 via LinkedIn that he will step down by the end of March to focus on health, family, and personal goals. He will stay on through the transition to ensure a smooth handover.
Singh launched the brand in 2011 at age 21 in a small Mumbai room alongside a fellow engineer, with no prior business experience, no venture capital, and a youth-focused apparel idea that he admits looked “almost foolish” at the time. Operating on shoestring resources often handling deliveries and customer queries themselves, the duo grew Bewakoof into one of India’s early breakout D2C fashion players. The company now ships over 20,000 products daily, crossed Rs 100 crore in revenue, and commands a social media community exceeding 6 million followers.
“Bewakoof has been my baby since I was 21 years old,” Singh wrote. “Bewakoof raised me while I was raising it.” He credited the journey with teaching him resilience, leadership, and the grit to push through tough stretches.
The brand, now backed by TMRW (a digital-first venture under Aditya Birla Group), has a strengthened leadership team in place. Singh called it his “firstborn” and said the “14-year-old ‘child’ we raised is now all grown up and ready to soar on its own.” He plans to cheer from the sidelines and share untold stories from the company’s early days in coming weeks.
His exit arrives as India’s D2C space enters a consolidation phase, with legacy conglomerates snapping up digital brands and founders after a decade of high-octane growth increasingly reassessing long-term roles. For a label built on bold prints and youthful energy, Singh’s departure isn’t an end, it’s the quiet close of one chapter so the next can print even brighter.
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.
