Brands
LG Electronics India pledges $5.5 million to support Covid-relief efforts
MUMBAI: Consumer durable firm LG Electronics India has pledged $5.5 million for Covid-relief efforts and set up medical infrastructure to aid the battle against the novel Coronavirus in India. The company said as part of this initiative, it will set up 10 makeshift hospitals across India in association with local government bodies and NGOs.
It will also fund more beds to treat Covid-19 patients at India’s biggest medical facility, AIIMS.
“All these makeshift hospitals will be made across Delhi NCR, Bangalore, Pune, Bhopal, Udaipur, Lucknow and other cities in association with various government hospitals. LG Electronics will be working with implementation partners including people to People foundation across various states,” it added.
In a statement, LG Electronics India MD Young Lak Kim said, “We stand committed to lending our full support to the government and citizens in the fight against Covid-19. With the onset of the pandemic last year, we provided support by sharing our resources with the healthcare community. Our focus has always been on the well-being of the people and we believe through makeshift hospitals we can contribute to saving lives by creating medical infrastructure. We will be working with various authorities and partners to create required medical infrastructure with a budget of $ 5.5 million.“
In April 2020, LG had partnered with Akshaya Patra Foundation to serve one million meals across India and donated products like water purifiers, air-conditioners, refrigerators and TVs to over 300 hospitals allotted for quarantine/ isolation wards in states and districts.
LG’s decision to support India in its fight against Covid-19 comes days after other tech giants pledged similar support. Earlier this week, Twitter announced $15 million funding to help address the Covid-19 crisis in the country.
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.
