MAM
Simone Tata, pioneer behind Lakmé and Westside, dies at 95
SWITZERLAND: Simone Tata, the Swiss-born business force who turned Lakmé into a household favourite and built Westside into a modern retail staple, has died at 95 in Mumbai after a brief illness, the Tata Group confirmed.
Her final rites will take place on Saturday at the Cathedral of the Holy Name Church in Colaba, followed by a memorial mass.
A Swiss arrival who reshaped Indian beauty
Born Simone Naval Dunoyer in Geneva in 1930, she first visited India in the 1950s as a tourist. A chance trip changed her world. She met Naval Tata, married him in 1955, and made Mumbai her home.
She joined Lakmé in the early 1960s when it was a tiny offshoot of Tata Oil Mills. By 1961 she was managing director and by 1982 she became chairperson. Her strategy was sharp: beauty for Indian skin tones, accessible glamour, and a brand India could proudly wear. Lakmé grew into a mass-market icon, going toe to toe with global cosmetics giants.
Turning sale proceeds into a retail revolution
When Lakmé was sold to Hindustan Unilever in the mid-1990s, she did not step back. She powered forward. The proceeds led to the creation of Trent Limited. Westside was born. The brand redefined Indian department stores long before organised retail became the norm. Fashionable, aspirational, and home-grown, it quickly spread nationwide.
Impact beyond boardrooms
She also worked quietly with philanthropic organisations including the Sir Ratan Tata Institute. Reserved in demeanour yet fierce in resolve, Simone Tata opened doors for Indian women in boardrooms and beauty aisles alike.
Her survivors include her son Noel Tata, the current chairperson of Tata Trusts, along with his family.
Simone Tata changed how India shops and how India shades its lips. Lakmé mirrors her bold stroke. Westside stands tall as her vision stitched into fabric and storefronts. India’s shelves still sparkle. The matriarch who helped them shine has taken her bow.
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.
