MAM
Ferrero India, Discovery Channel launch Kinder Joy’s ‘Natoons’ collection
Mumbai: The confectionery brand of Ferrero, Kinder Joy (manufacturers of sweet-packaged products) has announced its portfolio expansion in India with the launch of Kinder Joy ‘Natoons’ emphasising the purpose of ‘Learning about Animals’ for kids.
With an aim to strengthen its purpose, Kinder Joy has joined hands with Discovery Channel, a brand with a strong commitment to conservation and protection of wildlife. The collection will showcase life-like toy figures of animals such as moorish idol, whale, killer whale, tortoise, macaw yellow, macaw blue, toucan, turtle, porcupine, armadillo, seal, and basilisk.
Backed by an integrated marketing approach & bespoke content from Discovery’s vast library of content, the partnership will be promoted through multiple touchpoints across both partners’ platforms that immerse consumers in the world of animals. Discovery branded Kinder Joy ‘Natoons’ will be available in India and supported by a consumer engagement program that will highlight the promotion’s key values. To ensure consumer participation, contests will also be hosted to deliver a compelling and an enriching experience to kids.
Additionally, ‘Natoons’ will also be a part of the phygital experience through the AR feature on the free-for-all ‘Applaydu’ app, developed by Kinder. Specifically, designed Natoons POS (point of sale) material will be visible at retail outlets to create awareness and drive penetration. The Applaydu app QR code on the POS material will additionally assist in driving digital integration, allowing shoppers to bring the toys to life in store and generate excitement at the point of purchase.
Speaking on the occasion, Ferrero regional marketing manager Indian subcontinent – Kinder Brands Amedeo Aragona said, “Playtime is vital to children’s growth and development, and we understand that children learn through play. The new ‘Natoons’ range is another step in nurturing their imagination & creativity and is designed to deliver learning opportunities through fun, engaging content. We truly believe that the ‘Applaydu’ app’s augmented reality feature will bring the Natoons collection to life and further enhance the learning experience.”
Sharing his thoughts on the association, Warner Bros. Discovery SVP – international consumer products Ian Woods said, “We are thrilled to partner with Kinder Joy to provide families across India with an exciting collaboration spanning across multiple touchpoints. Working closely with our local marketing & content production teams we are thrilled to be bringing new experiences to our audiences that not only enlighten but also leave them inspired to learn more. Our partnership with Ferrero really allows kids to learn more about their local wildlife and make them aware of the world around them.”
Kinder Joy ‘Natoons’ has been introduced pan India and is priced at Rs 45. It will be available across all leading retail outlets, including modern trade and traditional stores pan India. Along with this, consumers will be able to buy the product on e-commerce platforms.
With Kinder Joy ‘Natoons,’ the company is taking a step forward towards strengthening its presence in the Indian market, which is driven by the trust and love of consumers for Kinder products. Kinder Joy ‘Natoons’ is manufactured at the State-of-the-Art factory situated at Baramati, Pune.
Brands
Jio Financial Services posts Rs 1,560 crore FY26 profit
Revenue rises to Rs 3,513 crore as investments and lending scale up.
MUMBAI: If money makes the world go round, Jio Financial Services Limited is quietly spinning a much bigger wheel. The Reliance-backed financial arm reported a consolidated net profit of Rs 1,560.9 crore for FY26, slightly lower than Rs 1,612.6 crore in FY25, even as revenue growth gathered pace.
Total revenue from operations rose sharply to Rs 3,513.3 crore in FY26 from Rs 2,042.9 crore a year earlier, driven largely by a surge in interest income, which more than doubled to Rs 1,901.9 crore from Rs 852.5 crore. Fee and commission income also saw a significant jump to Rs 597 crore, compared to Rs 155.2 crore in FY25, reflecting expanding financial services activity.
For the March quarter, profit stood at Rs 272.2 crore, broadly flat compared to Rs 269 crore in the same period last year. Quarterly revenue from operations climbed to Rs 1,018.5 crore, up from Rs 493.2 crore year-on-year, signalling steady momentum in core income streams.
Expenses, however, moved in tandem with growth. Total costs nearly quadrupled to Rs 1,982.9 crore in FY26 from Rs 524.8 crore in FY25, with finance costs alone rising to Rs 745.1 crore from just Rs 7.7 crore a year earlier, reflecting increased borrowing and scale of operations. Employee expenses also grew to Rs 387.3 crore, while other expenses expanded to Rs 755 crore.
Profit before tax stood at Rs 1,911.7 crore for the year, slightly below Rs 1,946.9 crore in FY25. After accounting for a total tax outgo of Rs 350.8 crore, the company reported its final net profit figure.
Beyond the income statement, the balance sheet tells a story of rapid expansion. Total assets surged to Rs 1,63,497 crore as of March 31, 2026, up from Rs 1,33,510 crore a year earlier. Investments alone stood at Rs 1,33,088.7 crore, underscoring the company’s strong focus on treasury and financial asset growth.
However, the year also saw sharp volatility in other comprehensive income, which swung to a loss of Rs 16,028.3 crore, largely driven by fair value changes in equity instruments. This dragged total comprehensive income for FY26 to a negative Rs 15,756.1 crore, compared to a positive Rs 14,870 crore in FY25.
On the capital front, the company’s paid-up equity share capital remained steady at Rs 6,353.1 crore, with other equity rising to Rs 1,27,500.5 crore.
The numbers reflect a business in transition scaling rapidly across lending, investments and fee-based services, but also navigating the volatility that comes with mark-to-market movements in financial assets. In other words, while the top line is accelerating, the fine print still carries a few swings.
