MAM
LinHealth is now ICC Lowe LinHealth
MUMBAI: Lowe Lintas & Partners‘ healthcare solutions agency LinHealth Communications will now operate in strategic partnership with ICC Lowe and has been rechristened ICC Lowe LinHealth, in India. ICC Lowe encompasses 13 agencies around the world and has a global presence within the IPG network of healthcare agencies.
ICC Lowe is a global healthcare communications organisation with multiple full-service offices in the US, Europe, and the Asia Pacific region and offers solutions to healthcare marketers such as Vertex, Biogen Idec, Astra Zeneca, GlaxoSmithKline, Sanofi-Aventis and Gilead.
ICC Lowe integrates specialiced services in advertising/promotion, medical education, strategic planning, branding, digital solutions, mobile, sales training and consumer health marketing to build world-class brands and create positive outcomes that can transform the lives of healthcare consumers.
LinHealth president Dr Mehul Shukla said, “The aim is to bring into India all the latest and the most relevant technology and services in the healthcare communications space. And also to share with our global network, the skills and various Marcom models that have been developed, tested and perfected by LinHealth, here, in India.”
ICC Lowe president Paul O‘Neill said, “The addition of LinHealth represents a significant expansion for ICC Lowe beyond its considerable strength in the US and EU. The quality of the management team led by Dr Mehul Shukla and the superior reputation of LinHealth in India made the decision to enter this key market vastly easier. Their integrated business model and company values align ideally with ICC Lowe and we are tremendously excited to be working together.”
Lowe Lintas & Partners chief executive officer Joseph George said, “With access to ICC Lowe‘s tremendous experience and expertise in healthcare communications around the globe; ICC Lowe LinHealth will now be able to deliver truly expert solutions to the Indian Pharma and Medical market.”
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.
