Brands
Nitin Bhandari appointed VP & general manager, India & south Asia beverages at PepsiCo
MUMBAI: Nitin Bhandari has taken on the role of vice-president & general manager, India & south Asia beverages at PepsiCo. Based in Gurugram, Haryana, Bhandari will oversee the company’s beverages business in the region, focusing on unlocking growth opportunities and delivering value to consumers, communities, and stakeholders.
He replaces George Kovoor senior vice-president & GM India beverage who has chosen to retire come 31 March 2025.
In his 19-year tenure at PepsiCo, Bhandari has held diverse leadership roles across India, Southeast Asia, and the Pacific. Most recently, he served as VP & chief growth officer for PepsiCo India, spearheading transformative strategies for its foods and beverages business in India, Bangladesh, Sri Lanka, and Nepal. Prior to this, he was general manager for the Philippines, Malaysia, and Singapore, managing both beverages and foods.
Bhandari’s career highlights include launching e-commerce initiatives in Asia, turning around PepsiCo’s Thailand foods business, and leading the marketing strategy for iconic brands like Mountain Dew in India. His achievements have earned him accolades such as the PepsiCo Chairman’s Award in 2015.
All that experience will be put to the test in the coming summer as Reliance Industries which has resuscitated the Campa-Cola brand and has proved a price warrior renews its assault on the Indian soft drink market, possibly with a few new variants as well as deepening its distribution. At the same time, the Jubilant Bhartia group is pumping in Rs 12,500 crore in Coca-Cola Co’s main Indian bottler Hindustan Coca-Cola Beverages and acquiring a 40 per cent stake.
An alumnus of the Indian Institute of Management (IIM), Indore, Bhandari expressed gratitude to PepsiCo leaders Eugene Willemsen and Jagrut Kotecha for this opportunity and acknowledged George Kovoor’s contributions in building a strong foundation for the business over the past three years.
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.
