Brands
Haldiram’s names Rajiv Singh VP, head of marketing and growth
MUMBAI: Haldiram’s is sharpening its fast food playbook. The iconic Indian snacks and sweets brand has appointed Rajiv Singh as vice president and head of marketing and growth for its QSR business, signalling a sharper push into the quick service restaurant space across India and overseas markets.
Singh will lead marketing and growth initiatives while building and scaling Haldiram’s QSR footprint, as the brand looks to deepen its presence in a food and dining landscape that is changing faster than a lunchtime queue.
Confirming the move, Singh said he was excited to join a brand with a legacy as rich as its menu. He noted that Haldiram’s stands at a rare intersection of heritage and opportunity, and said he looks forward to driving brand led growth, accelerating the QSR business and building consumer first marketing engines alongside the leadership team.
Singh brings with him over a decade of experience across food, retail and lifestyle brands. Most recently, he headed growth and marketing at ITC Food Tech, where he played a key role in building the cloud kitchen and café ecosystem, including the expansion of ITC Sunfeast Baked Creations. His work blended celebrity partnerships, digital first storytelling and delivery led demand generation.
Before ITC, Singh led brand marketing and strategic alliances at Happilo, helping the brand grow its D2C muscle and high visibility sports partnerships. Earlier stints at Blackberrys Menswear, Cheil Worldwide and Spencer’s Retail gave him deep exposure to retail marketing, brand building and large scale execution.
For Haldiram’s, the appointment comes at a time when traditional food brands are racing to win younger consumers who crave speed, convenience and experience along with taste. With Singh at the helm of marketing and growth, Haldiram’s appears ready to serve familiarity with a side of fresh thinking.
Brands
KITKAT India teams up with One Piece for anime-led campaign push
On-pack characters and digital film tap into India’s fast-growing anime wave
MUMBAI: KITKAT India has joined forces with the globally popular anime One Piece, rolling out a new campaign that brings fan-favourite characters onto its packaging in a bid to connect with India’s rapidly expanding anime audience.
The collaboration sees iconic characters from the series featured on KITKAT packs, adding a playful twist to the brand’s long-standing “take a break” proposition. By blending pop culture with confectionery, the campaign aims to make everyday breaks feel a little more adventurous.
The launch is anchored by a digital-first film released across YouTube and Meta platforms, supported by a broader push spanning outdoor media and interactive social content. The multi-platform rollout reflects a clear attempt to meet younger audiences where they already spend their time.
Nestlé India head confectionery business Gopichandar Jagatheesan said, “Anime is a rapidly growing genre in India, and we are excited to collaborate with one of the most popular shows, One Piece. Having championed breaks for decades, KITKAT now takes them to the next level, making every break more epic with the world of One Piece.”
The move comes at a time when anime is shifting from niche interest to mainstream entertainment in India, with brands increasingly tapping into its cultural currency to stay relevant with younger consumers.
By pairing a globally loved anime with an equally recognisable chocolate brand, KITKAT’s latest outing signals a simple idea with strong appeal. In a crowded market, even a small break can turn into a big moment when it comes with a side of fandom.
