MAM
Compelling titles from Audible at Rs 69 only
Mumbai: With mercury levels soaring this summer, beat the heat by staying indoors with Audible’s vast collection of audiobooks and podcasts to keep you company. To provide listeners with an opportunity to explore, entertain and enrich themselves, Audible, a leading creator and provider of premium audio storytelling, today announced the launch of a limited-period, a la carte campaign wherein customers in India can access over 150 audiobooks and podcasts from Audible’s catalogue at a nominal price of Rs 69 each.
Through this special offer, Audible aims to promote the joy of listening among customers in a more accessible and affordable manner. It presents young listeners and freshers embarking on their professional journey, an opportunity to expand their horizons and elevate their skills. In a world that is time-strapped, Audible’s commitment lies in empowering audiences and inculcate the habit of listening to utilise their time effectively.
This campaign also spotlights the breadth of Audible’s catalogue across genres – action and adventure, well-being, self-help or pop culture, comprising an array of formats such as audiobooks, podcasts, and scripted originals. Voiced by renowned talent, authors, and celebrities, these titles are available at an attractive price point for listeners in India for a limited time to indulge in engaging storytelling experiences. From timeless classics to contemporary bestsellers, listeners are in for an immersive experience as Audible offers something for everyone to enrich their summer.
Customers in India can seamlessly access membership subscriptions and single a la carte titles using UPI and credit/debit cards.
“At Audible, we’re committed to making audio storytelling accessible for all,” said Audible country manager – India Shailesh Sawlani. “With our latest campaign, we’re excited to empower listeners to explore and experience the length and breadth of audio content at exceptional value. This offer was designed to aid users in educating and entertaining themselves, by offering them access to a wealth of immersive audio experiences at the tap of a button. Whether someone is lounging by the pool, embarking on a road trip, or simply enjoying a leisurely afternoon indoors, we believe that this summer, audiobooks and podcasts will be the perfect companion for enjoyment and enrichment.”
Ruskin Bond said, “Audible is truly providing a great service to users and I hope to see people listening to audiobooks extensively during the summer break. It excites me to know that many of my books and stories are accessible on Audible.in and I am confident that children will enjoy listening to these audiobooks on the service during their summer vacation.”
Ankur Warikoo said, “For a generation that wants everything on the go, audiobooks are the right choice as they offer information and entertainment in a more digestible and convenient format. With this offer, users can now save money and get access to a ‘wealth’ of audio content on financial planning directly from me, broken down into simple tips without any complex jargon!”
Experience the magic of storytelling like never before with Audible. Elevate your summer to new heights and celebrate the joy of storytelling with Audible, accessible on all devices and payment methods including UPI and cards.
Some of the titles available for Rs 69 include:
Self-Development:
- Ikigai (Hindi Edition) by Hector Garcia, Francesc Miralles,
- How to Stop Worrying and Start Living by Dale Carnegie,
- The 12-Week Fitness Project (Hindi Edition) by Rujuta Diwekar,
- Develop Self-Confidence, Improve Public Speaking by Dale Carnegie,
- Do Epic Shit by Ankur Warikoo
Romance
- Falling in Love Again by Ruskin Bond
- Diary of My Love by Deesha Sangani
- Our Virtual Love Story by Juhi GP
- The Girl in the Red Lipstick by Ajay K Pandey
- Wuthering Heights by Emily Bronte
Mystery and Horror
- Byomkesh Bakshi Stories by Saradindu Bandopadhyay
- You Die Alone by Novoneel Chakraborty
- The Perfect Murder by Ruskin Bond
- Ghost Stories of Shimla Hills by Minakshi Chaudhry
- Maut Ke Bad Kuchh Nahin (Hindi Edition) by James Hadley Chase
Action and Adventure
- The Great Train Journey by Ruskin Bond
- Karna by Kevin Missal
- The Krishna Key by Ashwin Sanghi
- Vikram and Vetaal by Kevin Missal
- Twisted by Chandrima Das
Non-fiction
- Ambedkar’s India by B.R Ambedkar
- An Era of Darkness by Shashi Tharoor
- Artificial Intelligence and the Future of Power by Rajiv Malhotra
- 1984 by Pav Singh
- Lost and Found by Stuti Changle
Religion, Spirituality, Mythology
- Durga by Kevin Missal
- Dharmayoddha Kalki: Avatar of Vishnu by Kevin Missal
- 7 Secrets of Vishnu by Devdutt Pattanaik
- 7 Secrets of the Goddess by Devdutt Pattanaik
- Narasimha by Kevin Missal
Children and Family Titles
- Ruskin Bond: The Essential Collection for Young Readers
- Masha and the Bear by Pegasus Books
- Bhagavad Gita for Children by Pegasus Books
- Ramayana for Children by Sudha Gupta
- 365 Moral Stories by Pegasus Books
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.
