MAM
IRS: Hindi, regional magazines see negative growth
MUMBAI: The third quarter IRS (Indian Readership Survey) report has no good news for the Hindi magazines.
As per the report, barring Pratiyogita Darpan, which is at second spot after Saras Salil, all Hindi magazines have seen a fall in readership.
Saras Salil, though maintaining its leadership, has seen a drop in the average issue redership (AIR) to 2.01 million, from 2.05 million in the Q2 survey. Pratiyogita Darpan saw its AIR increasing at 1.91 million from 1.80 million.
Meanwhile, Grehlakshmi fell from fifth to seventh place, whereas other magazines – India Today (Hindi), Meri Saheli and Grih Shobha – saw marginal drop in AIR.
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Amongst the English magazines, India Today is holding on to its numero uno position, with AIR of 1.78 million, slightly up from 1.77 million in previous survey. However, Readers’ Digest and General Knowledge Today, though maintaining second and third position, saw a dip in AIR.
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Meanwhile, the picture is equally bad in the regional language magazines. Malayalam Manorama, though, saw a rise in its readership and jumped two places to be on second spot, after Vanitha (Malayalam). Karmakshetra (Bengali) also improved its position from ninth to seventh position.
The rest – Vanitha, Kumudam, Balarama, Mathrubhumi Arogya Masika, Mathrubhumi Thozhil Vartha and Grihalakshmi (all Malayalam), and Ananda Vikatan and Kungumam (both Tamil) – all lost their share.
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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.
