MAM
Deepinder Goyal steps aside as Eternal CEO, Albinder Dhindsa takes charge
MUMBAI: The founder is not leaving the table, just changing seats. Deepinder Goyal has announced he will step down as Group CEO of Eternal from February 1, handing over the reins to Albinder Dhindsa, widely known as Albi, who will take over as the company’s new Group CEO.
In a letter to shareholders filed with regulators, Goyal said he will remain on Eternal’s board as Vice Chairman, subject to shareholder approval. The move, he explained, is driven by a desire to explore high-risk, experimental ideas that sit outside the strategic and risk framework of a listed company.
“Of late, I have found myself drawn to a set of new ideas that involve significantly higher-risk exploration and experimentation,” Goyal wrote, adding that Eternal “deserves to remain focused and disciplined” on growth areas aligned to its core businesses.
The leadership change comes alongside strong financial performance. Eternal reported a consolidated net profit of Rs 102 crore for Q3 FY26, a 73 per cent year-on-year jump from Rs 59 crore in the same quarter last year. Revenue from operations rose to Rs 16,315 crore, underlining the scale the business has reached.
Goyal, who co-founded Zomato in 2008, has been synonymous with the company’s journey from a restaurant discovery website to a diversified consumer internet group spanning food delivery, quick commerce and B2B supplies, later reorganised under the Eternal umbrella.
While stepping back from day-to-day control, Goyal stressed that his long-term involvement continues. He said he will stay closely engaged with strategy, culture, leadership development, and governance, areas where he has increasingly focused in recent years.
Operational control will now firmly rest with Dhindsa. As Group CEO, he will oversee execution, operating priorities and business decisions. Goyal pointed to Dhindsa’s track record at Blinkit, where he led the journey from acquisition to breakeven, building teams, supply chains and operating rhythm.
“The centre of gravity for operating decisions moves to Albi,” Goyal wrote, describing him as a “battle-hardened founder” with execution skills that make him well placed to lead Eternal’s next phase.
In short, the company’s founding voice remains in the room but the daily driving shifts to a leader groomed in the heat of execution, as Eternal looks to balance focus with ambition.
Brands
Jubilant Foodworks to end Dunkin’ franchise in India
Pizza chain operator will not renew agreement when it expires at end of 2026.
MUMBAI: When the doughnuts stop turning and the coffee goes cold, even a global giant like Dunkin’ can find the Indian market a tough brew to crack. Jubilant Foodworks has decided not to renew its franchise agreement with Dunkin’ when the pact expires on 31 December 2026, according to a Reuters report. The operator, best known for running Domino’s outlets in India, said it would evaluate options for its existing Dunkin’ stores, including a potential sale or transfer of franchise rights, in consultation with the US-based brand.
The decision follows years of underperformance in a market where local tastes and intense competition have made it difficult for international coffee-and-doughnut formats to gain traction. Jubilant, which has increasingly focused on its core pizza business and newer bets like Popeyes, indicated that the exit would not materially affect its financial or operational position.
Dunkin’ accounted for just 0.61 per cent of Jubilant’s revenue in the fiscal year ending 2025 and recorded a loss of approximately Rs 191 million, according to a regulatory filing. The company operated 27 outlets as of December 2025, having shuttered seven stores over the preceding year.
The retreat comes even as Jubilant’s broader business shows signs of momentum. The company reported a 65 per cent rise in quarterly profit for the October to December period, reaching Rs 70.9 crore, up from Rs 42.91 crore a year earlier.
For Jubilant, the exit reflects a sharpening strategic focus. For Dunkin’, it marks another setback in a market that has proven resistant to imported café concepts without significant localisation.
In the cut-throat world of Indian quick-service restaurants, sometimes the sweetest deals are the ones you quietly walk away from leaving more room for the brands that truly rise to the occasion.
