MAM
‘Flipkart Pay Later’ now available on PhonePe
MUMBAI: PhonePe, India’s leading digital payments platform, and Flipkart, India’s homegrown e-commerce marketplace, today announced the launch of Flipkart’s Pay Later facility on the PhonePe platform. Payments through the Flipkart Pay Later solution can be completed in a single click, making it a fast and convenient payment option for PhonePe users. While transacting on PhonePe, users can now choose the Flipkart Pay Later credit option on the app and clear their dues through one single payment by the 10th of the next month, at no extra cost.
Launched by Flipkart in 2017, Flipkart Pay Later is a revolutionary customer focused credit instrument that makes shopping more convenient and affordable for millions of consumers across India. The solution allows consumers to shop for small ticket items up to INR 5,000 through a single click payment on the platform, without waiting to generate an OTP.
Pre-approved Flipkart users can register for this option on the Flipkart app/site and then activate the Flipkart Pay Later option inside the ‘My Money’ section on PhonePe. With this launch, PhonePe aims to provide users access to a convenient way to pay on the app and at millions of merchants operating on the PhonePe network.
Commenting on the launch, Deep Agrawal, Head of Payments, PhonePe, said, “We are excited to launch Flipkart Pay Later on the PhonePe platform. PhonePe has always endeavoured to provide consumers with the power to choose the payment instrument of their choice. Flipkart Pay Later is a great way for eligible users to transact safely and conveniently on the PhonePe app. PhonePe is the largest payments platform in the country and we are committed to creating wide-ranging payment options on the platform.”
Smrithi Ravichandran, Business Head, Fintech & Payments Group, Flipkart, said, “At Flipkart, we put customers at the heart of all our innovation and PayLater is one such initiative. We have been very encouraged to see the wide acceptance of our in-house innovation ‘Flipkart Pay Later’ by our users. After successful adoption of this payment solution on our website/app, we believe this is the right time to share synergies between the group companies and bring this customer-focused solution on PhonePe which is leading the digital payments market in India.”
Flipkart Pay Later is currently enabled on Myntra and PhonePe.
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.
