MAM
Havas picks up majority stake in Mediaxis MPG
MUMBAI: Fortifying its position in the Swiss ad market, global media group Havas Media has acquired its majority stake in Zurich based media group Mediaxis MPG.
Havas Media and MPG have been associated for the past nine years. The majority stake is in effect from today.
Mediaxis MPG will remain the group‘s main operational brand and founder Peter Hofstetter will continue as chairman and member of executive committee. The management of the company will remain on board as key elements on the new long-term joint expansion plan.
Mediaxis MPG is a qualitative media agency with a client list that includes Reckitt Benckiser, Danone, Lindt, Barclays and Hermes.
Havas Media CEO Alfonso Rod?©s said, “The Swiss market is a key market for Havas Media and I am delighted that following a prosperous nine year relationship, the management team have decided to further commit to the group and officially join our other 122 markets worldwide.”
Mediaxis MPG chairman Peter Hofstetter added, “We have all prospered as a result of our partnership and joining the Havas Media team is a natural step in further strengthening the group‘s operations in the Swiss market. The existing management team have committed to driving this group forward and look forward to continuing to benefit from Havas Media‘s tools and wider thought leadership activity such as its Meaningful Brands framework.”
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.
