MAM
Mamaearth appoints Zairus Master as chief business officer
Mumbai: FMCG brand Mamaearth has announced the appointment of Zairus Master as chief business officer, Honasa Consumer Pvt Ltd. Master will be based out of the Gurgaon office and his appointment comes on the heels of other critical and strategic additions to the leadership team of Mamaearth, said the company.
In his current capacity, Master will be leading the revenue functions and develop a strategic roadmap to further accelerate the brand’s growth and expansion.
“As we continue to grow the Honasa Consumer portfolio, it is important to get the right people on board to give the right push to the brand before you take it forward,” said Honasa Consumer Pvt Ltd, co-founder and CEO, Varun Alagh. “Zairus brings with him a great mix of experience across traditional consumer giants like HUL & Airtel combined with running a digital product business which we believe is the right combination of experiences needed to grow a digitally-driven consumer business like ours.”
With over 24 years of experience across FMCG and telecom, Master will utilise his expertise to identify and explore long-range strategies. An IIM Lucknow alumnus, he has worked with brands like Unilever, Nokia, Airtel, and Shine.
Talking about his new assignment, Zairus stated, “Honasa Consumer is going from strength to strength with brands like Mamaearth and The Derma Co; one being a purpose-driven brand and the other providing science-backed solutions for skincare. The organisation has changed the way FMCG companies conduct business, and I am proud to be part of the leadership team.”
Brands
Jubilant FoodWorks faces Rs 47.5 crore GST demand, plans appeal
Tax authorities flag alleged misclassification of restaurant services
MUMBAI: Jubilant FoodWorks Limited has landed in a tax tussle after receiving a GST demand of Rs 47.5 crore from the office of the additional commissioner of CGST and central excise in Thane, Maharashtra.
The order, issued under the provisions of the Central Goods and Services Tax Act, 2017, relates to an alleged incorrect classification of certain services under the category of restaurant services. According to the tax authorities, this classification resulted in a short payment of goods and services tax for the period between the financial years 2019-20 and 2021-22.
The demand includes Rs 47.5 crore in GST along with an equal amount as penalty, in addition to applicable interest. The order was received by the company on March 13, 2026.
In a regulatory filing to the BSE Limited and the National Stock Exchange of India Limited, the company said it disagrees with the order and believes its arguments were not adequately considered.
The company is preparing to challenge the decision and plans to file an appeal. It added that once the redressal process is complete, the demand is likely to be dropped.
Despite the sizeable figure attached to the notice, the company said it does not expect any material impact on its financials, operations or other activities.
The disclosure was signed by Suman Hegde, EVP and chief financial officer, who confirmed that the company received the order at 19:06 IST on March 13 and has already initiated steps to contest it.
The development places the quick service restaurant major in the middle of a tax debate that could hinge on how certain restaurant-linked services are classified under GST rules. For now, the company appears ready to take the matter from the tax office to the appeals desk.
