MAM
IAA reveals categories for 2nd edition of IAA Leadership Awards
MUMBAI: The International Advertising Association’s (IAA) India chapter revealed the categories for the second edition of the IAA leadership awards. Presented by India’s leading Hindi General Entertainment Channel COLORS, these awards celebrate the outstanding contribution made by marketing, advertising and media professionals by honouring them on a common platform. After a successful first edition of the IAA Leadership Awards held last year, this year, the Awards will expand its scope to recognize excellence across 21 Categories namely:
IAA categories:
1. Marketer of the Year – Banking
2. Marketer of the Year – Insurance
3. Marketer of the Year – Auto: 2 Wheeler
4. Marketer of the Year – Auto: Passenger Vehicles
5. Marketer of the Year – Mobile Services
6. Marketer of the Year – Mobile Devices
7. Marketer of the Year – FMCG: Personal Care, Laundry and Toiletries
8. Marketer of the Year – FMCG: Foods & Beverages
9. Marketer of the Year – FMCG: Consumer Durables
10. Marketer of the Year – Home Improvement
11. Marketer of the Year – Household Products
12. Marketer of the Year – Ecommerce
13. Media Agency Head of The Year
14. Creative Agency Head of The Year
15. CEO of The Year
16. Media Person of The Year
17. TV Anchor of The Year
18. Editor of The Year
19. Hall Of Fame
20. Brand Ambassador OF The Year – Male
21. Brand Ambassador OF The Year – Female
Announcing these categories Srinivasan Swamy, President IAA India and VP-Development, IAA Asia Pacific, and Chairman, R K SWAMY BBDO commented “after the great response we received for the first edition of the IAA Leadership Awards, we have made some marginal changes in categories this year to take into account some feedback received. The final winners are being determined now on a number of product and service categories and of course some Awards for senior practitioners. The IAA Leadership Awards is our endeavour to recognize and salute these outstanding talent which has made impactful contributions in the market space and the companies and brands they led.”
To ensure the authenticity and credibility of the awards and maintain the highest level of transparency at all stages, IAA had a task force which looked at various performance criteria in every category under consideration, like revenue/market share growth, marketing initiatives undertaken, innovative schemes, launches, advertising spends etc to shortlist the nominees. Nielsen (India) Private Limited was engaged thereafter to have the nominees voted upon by senior marketers from the same industry to pick the final winner. Ernst & Young LLP will look at the process to satisfy itself of its fairness and will officially tabulate the results.
The IAA Leadership Awards, this year, are scheduled to be held on 1 March 2014 at Grand Hyatt, Mumbai. Honourable Union Minister of State for Information and Broadcasting, Sri Manish Tewari will grace the occasion as the Chief Guest. The awards night will be attended by the cr?me de la cr?me of the marketing, advertising and media fraternity to see some of their leaders carry home coveted trophies.
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.
