MAM
Sahara India may retain Indian cricket’s sponsorship
MUMBAI: It is advantage Sahara as Indian cricket’s sponsorship deal comes up for renewal. The current sponsor of Indian cricket team is expected to bid for the rights and wouldn’t mind even shelling out some extra bucks to secure the property.
A PTI report has quoted Communication director Abhijit Sarkar as saying that the company is keen to extend the existing association. The new deal could be worth anything between Rs 2 billion and Rs 3 billion for three to five years. The previous deal was worth Rs 1 billion for three years.
As far as the final verdict is concerned, Sahara is in a strong position since the Board has acknowledged that the former reserves the first right of refusal.
The present contract between the Indian Cricket Board and Sahara expires on 30 November. Interestingly, BCCI hasn’t either floated tenders or invited bids for the sponsorship deal. A board official has been quoted in the report as ensuring that the process of inviting bids would start in a few days.
As per the eligibility criterion, the bidder must be a Rs 5 billion asset company and should not be engaged in liquor or cigarette businesses. Reportedly, Sahara might face competition in the bidding from a mobile network and a major bike and consumer product company.
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.
