Brands
Hyundai Motor signs up as ICC premier partner for 2026–27 tournaments
AHMEDABAD/SEOUL: Hyundai Motor Company has struck a global partnership with the International Cricket Council, becoming a premier partner for major men’s and women’s tournaments across the 2026–27 cycle.
The deal covers six marquee ICC events, including the Men’s Cricket World Cup 2027, giving Hyundai exclusive rights around matchday moments such as the coin toss, prominent in-stadium branding and bespoke fan engagement initiatives.
The partnership reinforces Hyundai’s push to deepen brand connections through sport, particularly in cricket-heavy markets such as India, where the game commands vast cultural and commercial influence. The carmaker said its global subsidiaries would collaborate to activate the sponsorship across digital, experiential and on-ground platforms.
Hyundai Motor Company president and chief executive José Muñoz, said the partnership would help the brand connect with more than two billion cricket fans worldwide, adding that cricket’s reach and emotional pull aligned closely with Hyundai’s values of resilience and progress.
ICC chairman Jay Shah, said the global tournaments offered a powerful platform to engage fans through innovative digital and in-stadium integrations, welcoming Hyundai as a premier partner for the upcoming cycle.
The agreement marks Hyundai’s return to ICC cricket after an earlier association between 2011 and 2015. Fans attending matches are expected to see interactive fan zones, vehicle showcases and digital engagement initiatives rolled out across host venues.
The partnership was announced at a ceremony at the Narendra Modi Stadium in Ahmedabad. Hyundai Motor India managing director and chief executive designate Tarun Garg, said the deal underlined India’s growing importance within Hyundai’s global operations and would be supported by a 360-degree communications push spanning PR, digital, experiential and dealership networks.
Brands
Jubilant FoodWorks faces Rs 47.5 crore GST demand, plans appeal
Tax authorities flag alleged misclassification of restaurant services
MUMBAI: Jubilant FoodWorks Limited has landed in a tax tussle after receiving a GST demand of Rs 47.5 crore from the office of the additional commissioner of CGST and central excise in Thane, Maharashtra.
The order, issued under the provisions of the Central Goods and Services Tax Act, 2017, relates to an alleged incorrect classification of certain services under the category of restaurant services. According to the tax authorities, this classification resulted in a short payment of goods and services tax for the period between the financial years 2019-20 and 2021-22.
The demand includes Rs 47.5 crore in GST along with an equal amount as penalty, in addition to applicable interest. The order was received by the company on March 13, 2026.
In a regulatory filing to the BSE Limited and the National Stock Exchange of India Limited, the company said it disagrees with the order and believes its arguments were not adequately considered.
The company is preparing to challenge the decision and plans to file an appeal. It added that once the redressal process is complete, the demand is likely to be dropped.
Despite the sizeable figure attached to the notice, the company said it does not expect any material impact on its financials, operations or other activities.
The disclosure was signed by Suman Hegde, EVP and chief financial officer, who confirmed that the company received the order at 19:06 IST on March 13 and has already initiated steps to contest it.
The development places the quick service restaurant major in the middle of a tax debate that could hinge on how certain restaurant-linked services are classified under GST rules. For now, the company appears ready to take the matter from the tax office to the appeals desk.
