MAM
IAA announces categories for Leadership Awards
MUMBAI: The International Advertising Association‘s (IAA) India chapter has revealed the categories for the first IAA leadership awards.
The categories cover a wide spectrum of verticals from auto, banking, media & entertainment and telecom to FMCG.
The IAA Leadership Awards categories are — Media Agency Head of the Year, Creative Agency Head of the Year, Marketer of the Year: Media & Entertainment, Marketer of the Year: Banking, Marketer of the Year: Insurance, Marketer of the Year: Auto Passenger Vehicles, Marketer of the Year: Auto Commercial vehicles, Marketer of the Year: Household Products, Marketer of the Year: FMCG – Food & Beverages, Marketer of the Year: FMCG – Personal Care, Marketer of the Year: FMCG – Consumer Durables, Marketer of the Year: Telecom Products, Marketer of the Year: Travel & Hospitality, Best CEO, News Anchor of the Year, Media Person of the Year, Editor of the Year and Hall of Fame.
IAA leadership awards aim to bring together the disciplines of Marketing, Advertising and Media under one roof. The awards will recognise and honor “outstanding” individuals in the fields of Marketing, Advertising and Media.
Presented by Hindi general entertainment channel (GEC) Colors, the award is scheduled to be held in Mumbai on 2 February.
IAA president Srinivasan Swamy said, “The IAA Leadership Awards salutes the hard work put in by individuals to make a difference to the brands they work for. The categories have been selected to ensure that individuals from various sectors are covered.”
In order to ensure the process is seen as transparent, IAA has appointed the experienced marketing research company AC Nielsen to execute the nomination and voting process.
Further Ernst & Young has been appointed to conduct audit and validate the entire process. The winners will be decided in a two-stage selection process; the first stage will include nominations and shortlisting by seasoned marketing, media and advertising professionals; and the second stage will be the final selection of winners by a voting process among the shortlisted nominees, by respective senior industry peers.
In the first edition of the annual awards, Information and Broadcasting minister Manish Tewari will be present as the chief guest.
Brands
Sapphire Foods FY26 revenue rises to Rs 3,125 crore, posts loss
Q4 revenue at Rs 792 crore, FY26 loss at Rs 32 crore amid cost pressures.
MUMBAI: If growth is on the menu, profitability seems to have taken a brief detour. Sapphire Foods India reported a steady rise in topline for FY26, even as rising costs weighed on profitability. Revenue from operations grew to Rs 3,125 crore for the year ended March 31, 2026, up from Rs 2,882 crore in FY25. However, the company swung to a loss, reporting a net loss of Rs 32 crore for FY26, compared to a profit of Rs 17 crore in the previous year. Total income for the year stood at Rs 3,153 crore, while total expenses climbed to Rs 3,167 crore, reflecting pressure across key cost heads.
In the March quarter, revenue came in at Rs 792 crore, compared to Rs 711 crore in the same period last year. The company reported a quarterly net loss of Rs 13 crore, against a profit of Rs 2 crore a year earlier.
Cost pressures remained visible across operations. Material costs rose to Rs 995 crore for FY26, while employee expenses increased to Rs 428 crore. Other expenses, the largest component, stood at Rs 1,229 crore, underscoring the impact of store operations and expansion-related spends.
Depreciation and amortisation expenses also climbed to Rs 392 crore for the year, reflecting continued investments in store infrastructure and growth.
At the operating level, the company reported a loss before tax of Rs 37 crore for FY26, compared to a profit of Rs 23 crore in FY25. Exceptional items added Rs 24 crore to the cost burden during the year.
On the balance sheet, total assets rose to Rs 3,256 crore as of March 31, 2026, up from Rs 3,041 crore a year earlier, indicating ongoing expansion. Net worth stood at Rs 1,389 crore.
Despite profitability pressures, operating cash flow remained resilient at Rs 507 crore, highlighting underlying business strength and demand stability.
The numbers paint a familiar picture in the quick-service restaurant space, growth continues to be served hot, but margins are still finding their footing.
