Brands
V-Day spend on dining high: Mastercard
MUMBAI: It’s going to be a busy Valentine’s Day. According to the latest Mastercard Consumer Purchasing Priorities Survey, more than half of Indian consumers plan to go out for a meal on Valentine’s Day (55 per cent), and more than a third plan to spend time with their loved ones by going to the movies (42 per cent).
The Mastercard survey throws light on spending patterns that are expected this Valentine’s Day. Among the Indian consumers surveyed, a fifth of (21 per cent) plan to buy a gift for their loved ones on Valentines’ Day, on an average spending close to Rs 1,500. Men and women show love differently when it comes to choosing gifts Among both genders, Indian consumers prefer to play it safe with their choice of gifts with the favorites being flowers (39 per cent), followed by cards (22 per cent) and chocolates (19 per cent), while some other options include jewellery, clothes, leather goods and high end gadgets.
Consumer Purchasing Priorities survey 2016 — http://news.mstr.cd/2l0bXI6
Although flowers reign supreme as the gift of choice, according to the second annual global “Mastercard Love Index” – created by analyzing credit, debit and prepaid card transactions over a three-year period – spending on flowers has decreased by 49 percent from 2014 to 2016, and spending in restaurants has increased by 91 per cent accounting for 55 percent of all transactions.
Mastercard senior VP communications Asia Pacific Georgette Tan said “When it comes to expressing love on Valentine’s Day, Asia Pacific consumers including India are still sticking to traditional favorites including flowers and going out for a nice meal. Celebrated across cultures, Valentine’s Day continues to be one of the biggest spending days around the world, with young and mature consumers enjoying the merriments associated with this special day.”
Meanwhile, people in Asia Pacific still value a personal touch, with 85 percent of transactions around Valentine’s Day made in person. At the same time, the Mastercard Love Index also revealed that technology is helping fire cupid’s arrow with Asia Pacific having seen an 81 percent increase in online sales over the last three years.
Methodology
The global “Mastercard Love Index” study analyzed aggregated transaction information made by credit, debit and prepaid cards across pre-selected merchant categories which took place over a three-year period from 2014 to 2016.
Meanwhile, the survey data for Asia Pacific is based on Consumer Purchasing Priorities for the first half of 2017. 9,123 people in 18 markets across Asia Pacific aged 18-64, were asked about their spending plans for Valentine’s Day 2017. The markets included Australia, Bangladesh, Cambodia, China, Hong Kong, India, Indonesia, Japan, Malaysia, Myanmar, New Zealand, Philippines, Singapore, South Korea, Sri Lanka, Taiwan, Thailand and Vietnam. Data collection channels included internet surveys, in-person interviews, as well as telephone interviews, with the questionnaire available in both English and local language, whenever appropriate or necessary. The Index and its accompanying reports do not represent MasterCard’s financial performance.
Mastercard and its Suite of Research Properties
The Mastercard Index suite in Asia Pacific includes the long-running Mastercard Index of Consumer Confidence, as well as the Mastercard Index of Women’s Advancement, Mastercard Index of Financial Literacy, and the Mastercard Index of Global Destination Cities. In addition to the indices, Mastercard’s research properties also include a range of consumer surveys including Online Shopping, Ethical Spending and a series on Consumer Purchasing Priorities (covering Travel, Dining & Entertainment, Education, Money Management, Luxury and General Shopping).
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.
