MAM
Gilchrist, Lee are Kingfisher brand ambassadors
MUMBAI: Beer manufacturer Kingfisher has signed on Australian speedster Brett Lee and wicketkeeper cum blazing opener Adam Gilchrist as its brand ambassadors.
Kingfisher has selectively chosen players who match their brand image, having earlier had the likes of present Indian captain Saurav Ganguly, Ajay Jadeja and the West Indian team as its brand ambassadors. The criteria for having chosen Adam and Brett remain the same as in the past – players who have a huge fan following owing to their style, class and fun loving spirit.
The latest ad campaign featuring Adam and Brett has been shot in Australia and aims to reiterate thejoie de vivre that Kingfisher is known for.
According to GM Marketing, United Breweries Limited, Ramesh Vishwanathan, “Kingfisher as a brand has always stood for youthfulness, fun, freedom, flamboyance, panache and an insatiable zest for good life which has made it known as the King of good times. Adam and Brett follow a line of predecessors who have stood for just that.”
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.
