MAM
Star TV labeled as a ‘Superbrand’
NEW DELHI: Superbrands India bestowed The Superbrand award to Star TV for being the strongest brand in the media category.
The much anticipated first list of the winners of India’s very first “Oscars in Branding” – The Superbrands, were announced today and were chosen from over 700 short-listed consumer brands. The Superbrands India 2003 list includes ACC, Airtel, Allen Solly, Amex, Apollo, Aqua Guard, Archies, Ashok Leyland, Band Aid, Bata, Blue Dart, Boost, Boroline, Cinthol, ColorPlus, Dhara, DHL, ESPN, Femina, Fuji Films, Gili, Godrej Refrigerators, Goodknight, Hero Honda, Horlicks, Hutch, ICI Dulux, ICICI Prudential, ITC Welcomgroup, Jaquar, Jet Airways, Johnson’s Babycare Range, Kerala Tourism, Kitply, Levis, Louis Phillippe, Moov, NIIT, Parryware, Phillips, Pizza Hut, Raymond, Reid & Taylor, Revlon, Sahara, Saridon, SIFY (Satyam), Star TV, State Bank of India, Strepsils, Tanishq, Tata Cars, Tata Salt, Tata Tea, Tata Trucks, The Economic Times, The Times of India, Thomas Cook, Timex, Titan and VLCC.
Superbrands is an independent body composed of legendary advertising, marketing, research and media professionals mandated to recognise excellence in branding and promote the discipline of branding itself. The winners have been identified to be the strongest brands in their respective categories.
The Superbrands Organisation has been tracking the branding phenomenon for the past 10 years. The criteria for selection of the winning consumer brands include perceived brand image plus the brands’ mind share, goodwill, consumer loyalty, trust and emotional bonding.
Superbrands India MD and Chairperson Superbrands India Council Anmol Dar said, “Being the competitive market that India is, there is a lot for business and industry to learn from the success of these brands. The Indian Superbrands are the best of the breed and consumers are instinctively aware of their distinction.”
The winners will be felicitated in a gala event later this year, which will also feature the release of the first edition of the book Superbrands, which will be a chronicle of India’s Strongest Brands for the year 2003.
“I’m certain that this inaugural edition and the subsequent books will become collector’s item – a historical perspective of brand development in India and the brand themselves who make the grade to this exclusive hall of fame,” added Dar.
The Brand Council evaluated over 700 consumer brands in the country under 98 different categories to identify the Indian Superbrands for the year. The Brand Council has doyens from the world of commerce and industry including Hindustan Levers Limited Executive Director Dalip Sehgal, AC Neilsen ORG-MARG Chairman KMS Ahluwalia, J Walter Thompson CEO Mike Khanna, Raymond Limited Group President & Full-time Director Nabankur Gupta, O&M Group President & National Creative Director Piyush Pandey, Bennett Coleman & Company President Pradeep Guha, Britannia Industries Limited former MD & CEO Sunil Alagh, Indian Institute of Mass Communications Chairperson Tara Sinha and ITC Chairman Yogi Dewashwar.
The Superbrand juggernaut has now rolled out to 26 countries around the world including the UK, the US, France, Australia, Germany, Italy, Sweden, Holland, Hong Kong, Malaysia and of course India..
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.
