Brands
Leader Batteries signs Ajay Devgn as brand ambassador
NEW DELHI: Pilot Industries has signed Ajay Devgan as the face of its brand Leader Batteries. With this association, Leader Batteries aims to strengthen its pan-India brand presence and also wants to expand its communication from businesses to consumers at large.
Pilot Group of Industries managing director Sanjeev Aggarwal said, “We are elated to announce this association with Mr Ajay Devgan as an endorsing face of Leader Batteries. He embodies everything our brand stands for – a perfect amalgamation of power, performance, quality, durability and reliability.”
“A Made-In-India brand like Leader Batteries would be a perfect fit with my priorities. With their products that match global standards and energy efficient solutions, I am confident that the brand will receive positive response from all corners of the country,” Devgn said.
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.
