MAM
Café Coffee Day inaugurates 200th outlet
BANGALORE: Café retail chain Café Coffee Day has opened its 200th café in India. The outlet at Indiranagar in Bangalore was inaugurated by former Miss India Neha Dhupia in the presence of Amalgamated Bean Coffee Trading Company Ltd. (ABCTCL) chairman V. G. Siddhartha.
Siddhartha also named Mr. and Mrs. Sanjay Nam Joshi as “Lifetime Customers” of the chain, as they have been frequenting Café Coffee Day ever since it opened its first café in Brigade Road, Bangalore in 1996, and call it their second home!
CCD showcased its new initiatives for improvement of customer satisfaction which included a new portable retail automation system that can be slung around the neck or clipped to the belt that enhances service levels and hence improve customer experience.
This device helps in
(1) Enhancement of table service with wi-fi enabled hand-held order taking devices to avoid delays
(2) Instant Bill printing which can be clipped to the customer table to reduce staff intrusion
(3) Provide information about customer name and preferences traced to previous back orders
(4) Acceptance of credit cards in the future, hence more mode of payment options for the customer.
Brands
Magnum Ice Cream Netherlands takes control of Kwality Wall’s India from Unilever
61.9 per cent stake transfer reshapes ownership as Unilever exits promoter role
MUMBAI: Kwality Wall’s (India) Limited has entered a new chapter, with The Magnum Ice Cream Company HoldCo 1 Netherlands B.V. acquiring a controlling 61.9 per cent stake from a clutch of Unilever PLC-led entities, marking a significant shift in ownership.
The transaction, completed on March 30, 2026, follows a share purchase agreement signed in June 2025. The incoming promoter picked up over 145 crore equity shares, effectively taking control of the company and being formally classified as its new promoter under regulatory norms.
As part of the deal, the outgoing promoter group, including Unilever Group Limited and its affiliated entities, has fully exited its shareholding in the company. They have now been reclassified from promoter to public shareholders, closing a long-standing association with the ice cream business in India.
The board of Kwality Wall’s (India) Limited took note of the ownership change and approved a series of leadership updates alongside it. Ritesh Tiwari stepped down as director, while Abhijit Bhattacharya was appointed as chairperson and additional non-executive director. Tahir Toloy Tanridagli also joined the board as an additional non-executive director.
The reshuffle signals a broader strategic reset as the Magnum-led entity looks to steer the brand’s next phase of growth in India. The transition has been carried out in line with regulatory requirements, including disclosures tied to the open offer and reclassification norms under market regulations.
With Unilever stepping back and Magnum stepping in, Kwality Wall’s India is effectively getting a fresh scoop of leadership and direction. The coming months will reveal how the new promoter plans to scale the brand in one of the world’s most competitive ice cream markets.
