Brands
Devdutt Padikkal bats for Eatfit
NEW DELHI: Eatfit has signed cricketer Devdutt Padikkal as its brand ambassador. This strategic association with the Royal Challengers Bangalore star will be for four years.
Padikkal is the new cricketing kid on the block – a left-hand batsman, who oozes passion and confidence. He started playing the sport at the age of 11 and slowly climbed up the ranks to carve a niche for himself. Starting from 2014, he has represented Karnataka state in under-16 and under-19 and India in the under-19 tournaments.
EatFit co-founder Ankit Nagori said, “It gives me immense pleasure to welcome Devdutt Padikkal to the Eatfit family. This collaboration will foster and strengthen the brand as well as chart new growth trajectories for Eatfit. Padikkal’s unwavering commitment, youthful exuberance and passion for the game will certainly establish a connect with our target audience. His aura is in perfect line with the brand identity we are trying to carve for Eatfit and we hope that our customers resonate with this collaboration. We are excited to work on some fun campaigns with him.”
Padikkal said, “I am thankful to Eatfit for getting me on board as their brand ambassador. I admire their passion and commitment to transforming the healthy food landscape in India. Their constant efforts to make healthy food cool and delicious at the same time is something that connects with me.”
The partnership between Eatfit and Padikkal will be managed by the latter's management agency, Flipside Sport. The cricketer will represent the brand in all marketing campaigns for the next four years as the company aims to expand to 10 more cities in that timeframe.
Brands
Lotus Chocolate FY26 profit drops sharply, Q4 slips into loss
Revenue steady at Rs 579.55 crore, Q4 loss at Rs 4.47 crore
MUMBAI: Sweet on the top line, slightly bitter on the bottom Lotus Chocolate’s FY26 numbers tell a story that’s more dark cocoa than milk. The company managed to hold its revenue steady for the year, but profitability took a visible hit, capped by a loss-making fourth quarter. Lotus Chocolate Company Limited reported revenue from operations of Rs 579.55 crore for the year ended March 31, 2026, marginally up from Rs 573.75 crore in FY25. Total income rose to Rs 615.61 crore, compared with Rs 574.56 crore in the previous year, supported by a sharp jump in other income to Rs 36.06 crore from just Rs 0.81 crore.
However, the gains at the top did little to cushion profitability. Net profit for FY26 fell dramatically to Rs 0.10 crore, down from Rs 17.23 crore in FY25, reflecting significant cost pressures across the business.
The March quarter proved particularly challenging. The company reported a net loss of Rs 4.47 crore in Q4 FY26, compared with a profit of Rs 0.14 crore in the previous quarter and Rs 1.42 crore in the same quarter last year. Total income for the quarter stood at Rs 138.01 crore, down from Rs 150.21 crore in Q3 FY26 and Rs 157.52 crore in Q4 FY25.
Expenses remained elevated throughout the year. Total expenses rose to Rs 614.44 crore in FY26 from Rs 551.50 crore in FY25, eating into margins. A key swing factor was the cost of materials consumed, which stood at Rs 304.44 crore, while changes in inventories also reflected volatility, with a negative impact of Rs 62.44 crore in the previous year reversing to a positive Rs 52.93 crore this year.
Employee benefit expenses nearly doubled to Rs 34.00 crore from Rs 17.98 crore, while finance costs surged to Rs 16.31 crore from Rs 7.11 crore, indicating higher borrowing and funding costs. Depreciation and amortisation expenses also increased to Rs 3.92 crore from Rs 1.81 crore, reflecting ongoing investments.
On the balance sheet front, total assets stood at Rs 275.96 crore as of March 31, 2026, slightly higher than Rs 270.34 crore a year earlier. Borrowings remained significant, with current borrowings at Rs 89.00 crore, highlighting continued reliance on external funding.
Cash flow dynamics showed improvement in operations, with net cash generated from operating activities at Rs 93.23 crore, compared with a negative Rs 129.60 crore in FY25. However, financing outflows remained high at Rs 74.90 crore, driven largely by repayment of borrowings and interest costs.
Despite stable revenue, the sharp drop in profitability underscores the pressure of rising input costs, higher finance expenses and operational adjustments. The contrast between steady sales and squeezed margins leaves Lotus Chocolate at a crossroads proving that in business, as in confectionery, the real test isn’t just in the sweetness of sales, but in the richness of returns.
