MAM
Star India seeks 2002 Grammy Awards sponsors
MUMBAI:The Grammy Awards are back. And they will be airing once again on the Star Network’s English language channel, Star World, and music service Channel [v] come 28 February, 6:30 am-9:30 am. Star India is looking for partners for what is being pegged as the world’s biggest music awards show. On offer are four associate sponsorships for Star World for Rs 1.5 million a piece while the presenting sponsor will have to shell out Rs 2.5 million. The Channel [V] deal relates to three associate sponsorships (Rs 1.74 million each) and a single presenting sponsor (Rs 2.49 million).
The 44th edition of the annual awards features 28 musical genres, ranging from pop and gospel to reggae to polka.This year’s new category entrant is Best Rap-Sung Collaboration taking the total number of awards to be handed out to 101.
Attendees will include the biggest bands in the world like U2 and Aerosmith, the man himself, Bob Dylan and current favourites like Nelly Furtado, Janet Jackson, ‘Nsync and Alicia Keyes. Among the frontrunners for the awards this year include U2 (eight nominations, including album of the year), India Arie (seven nominations), Alicia Keys (six nominations), Pierre Boulez (six nominations), Alison Krauss, Brian McKnight and Outkast (each with five nominations), and T Bone Burnett, Nelly Furtado, Train, Steven Tyler and Lucinda Williams (four nominations each).
The show will have repeats on the same day at 5:30 pm and on Sunday 3 March at – 11:30am on Star World while the repeats on Channel [V] will be on 1 March at 11 pm and Saturday 2 March at 5 pm.
The pitch that the Star Network is making to advertisers: “Associate your brand with the music industry’s biggest and most respected awards show and Target up-market English speaking viewers across India.”
Will advertisers bite?
Brands
Kwality Wall’s reports standalone losses following strategic HUL demerger
Ice cream major faces Rs 64 crore Ebitda loss amid commodity inflation and muted Q3 sales
MUMBAI: Kwality Wall’s (India) Limited (KWIL) has released its first set of financial results as a standalone entity, revealing a challenging start to its independent journey. Following its successful demerger from Hindustan Unilever Limited (HUL) on 1st December 2025 and its subsequent listing on 16th February 2026, the company is navigating a transition period marked by structural changes and high input costs.
For the quarter ended 31st December 2025, the company reported revenue of Rs 222 crores. Despite the revenue base, the bottom line was impacted by several factors, resulting in an Ebitda loss of Rs 64.2 crores. When calculated on a Pre-IND AS 116 basis, the Ebitda loss stood at Rs 83.8 crores.
Organic Sales Growth (OSG) declined by 6.5 per cent year-on-year during the quarter. Volume growth, however, saw a marginal increase of 1.2 per cent. The company reported a gross margin of 41.5 per cent. Additionally, exceptional expenses amounting to Rs 94 crores were recorded, primarily linked to non-recurring costs during the transition phase.
Performance across portfolios and channels was mixed. Within the impulse portfolio, brands such as Magnum and Cornetto recorded mid-single digit volume growth, indicating steady demand in on-the-go consumption. However, the in-home portfolio, which includes take-home packs, experienced muted consumption. The company is planning a relaunch of this category with improved offerings ahead of the 2026 season.
Quick commerce (Q-Com) continued to emerge as a strong growth driver, delivering robust double-digit growth during the quarter. Meanwhile, the company also expanded its physical distribution network by increasing the number of company-owned cabinets across markets.
Margin pressure during the quarter was driven by a combination of one-off factors and broader cost inflation. Gross margins were impacted by around 600 basis points due to trade investments made for stock liquidation. Additionally, cocoa price inflation contributed to another 400 basis points of pressure on margins.
Deputy managing director Chitrank Goel attributed the muted performance partly to prolonged monsoons and transitional challenges linked to the GST framework. Operating expenses also increased as the company invested in establishing its standalone supply chain, operational systems and corporate infrastructure following the demerger.
Looking ahead, the management remains focused on a volume-driven growth strategy. To restore profitability, the company has initiated a cost productivity programme aimed at reducing non-consumer-facing costs. It is also working on building regional manufacturing networks to optimise logistics expenses and improve operational efficiency.
The commodity outlook for the near term remains mixed. Dairy prices are expected to remain firm due to tight supply conditions and rising fodder costs. Sugar prices may also move higher following increases in the Minimum Selling Price (MSP). While cocoa prices have moderated recently, currency depreciation has offset some of the potential cost relief for the company.
