Brands
Gulf Oil ropes in Smriti Mandhana as a brand ambassador
Mumbai: Gulf Oil Lubricants, a Hinduja Group Company, has on-boarded popular Indian women cricketing star and current vice-captain, Smriti Mandhana, as its new brand ambassador.
With this, Gulf Oil becomes the first company in the lubricant space to appoint a woman cricketer as an ambassador to represent the organization and its ethos. Smriti Mandhana will join the pantheon of famous cricketers and current brand ambassadors Mahendra Singh Dhoni and Hardik Pandya.
Gulf Oil recognises that the dynamics of the automotive segment have evolved with more women playing a pivotal role in the decision-making process of vehicular purchase and its further maintenance.
With the addition of Smriti Mandhana to its group of inspiring ambassadors, the organization has taken cognizance of the changing consumer demographics, determined to appeal and cater to the new developing customer landscape in the segment.
The new woman youth icon, Smriti, is the ideal brand ambassador as she embodies Gulf Oil’s strong sporting heritage, and her commitment to outperform is in line with the organisation’s values. Through this association, Gulf Oil aims to celebrate women’s power and inspire female audiences in the country while also honouring the achievements of Indian women cricketers.
Commenting on the decision to rope in a female brand ambassador, Gulf Oil Lubricants’ managing director & CEO Ravi Chawla said, “In the recent past, we have witnessed a surging demand for our products from a new audience segment. As an organisation that is determined to lead with the evolving times, we seek to strengthen our brand recall among women vehicle owners in India. The remarkable Smriti Mandhana was a natural choice for us as she shares a lot of synergy in values with Gulf Oil. We have a long history of associating with top athletes in the country. Smriti undoubtedly enjoys a high level of popularity & credibility in the cricketing world at large. We believe this association will help us connect with consumers across the spectrum, male and female audiences alike, reinforcing our brand philosophy and enhancing our engagement with the sport of cricket.”
Gulf Oil Lubricants head of marketing Amit Gheji added, “Smriti is a natural choice to represent the brand considering her achievements and wide appeal with the cricketing audience of our nation. The popularity and viewership of women’s cricket in India are expanding and we can only see it growing from here. Together, we look forward to creating exciting campaigns that will help the brand get even closer to its consumers. We already have MS Dhoni and Hardik endorsing our brand and now with the addition of Smriti, we look forward to living our brand promise of ‘Together, we’re Unstoppable’.”
Brands
Dunkin’ Donuts to exit India as Jubilant FoodWorks ends 15-year franchise deal
The quick service restaurant giant is ending a 15-year franchise partnership with the American doughnut chain, even as it renews its Domino’s agreement for another 15 years
NOIDA: Dunkin’ is done in India. Jubilant FoodWorks Ltd, the country’s leading quick service restaurant operator, has decided not to renew its franchise agreement with the American coffee and doughnut chain, and will wind down its Indian stores in a phased manner before December 31, 2026, bringing a 15-year partnership to a quiet, loss-laden close.
The decision, approved by JFL’s board on March 30, 2026, ends a relationship that began with a Multiple Unit Development Franchise Agreement signed on February 24, 2011. JFL will now evaluate and undertake what it described in a regulatory filing as the “rationalisation and/or cessation of certain operations and/or sale, transfer or disposal of assets and/or assignment or transfer of franchise rights,” all in consultation with Dunkin’s brand owners and strictly within the terms of the original agreement.
The numbers tell the story bluntly. In the financial year 2024-25, Dunkin’ India posted a revenue of Rs 37 crore against a loss of Rs 19 crore — a haemorrhage that was always going to test the patience of a parent company recording revenues of Rs 6,104 crore and a profit of Rs 194 crore in the same period. Doughnuts, it turns out, were never going to move the needle.
The contrast with JFL’s handling of its other marquee franchise could hardly be sharper. Even as it walks away from Dunkin’, the company has just doubled down on Domino’s, signing a fresh Master Franchise Agreement on March 31, 2026, granting it exclusive rights to develop and operate Domino’s Pizza stores in India for 15 years, with an option to renew for a further 10.
JFL, incorporated in 1995 and promoted by the Bharatia family, operates a network of more than 3,500 stores across six markets — India, Turkey, Bangladesh, Sri Lanka, Azerbaijan and Georgia. Its portfolio includes Domino’s and Popeyes on the global side, and two home-grown brands: Hong’s Kitchen and COFFY, a café brand in Turkey.
For Dunkin’, India was always a stretch. The brand never quite cracked the cultural code in a market where filter coffee and chai command fierce loyalty and where the doughnut remains, at best, an occasional indulgence rather than a daily habit. Fifteen years, mounting losses and a parent with better things to spend its capital on was always going to be a difficult equation to solve.
The doughnut has had its last day. The pizza, however, is staying.
