Brands
Wellness with a star glow as Mrunal Thakur joins EBG’s Carlton journey
MUMBAI: When wellness meets star power, the spotlight shifts from indulgence to intention. EBG Group has onboarded Mrunal Thakur as brand ambassador for Carlton Wellness, marking a strategic step in its push to build a regulated, premium wellness-hospitality platform in India. The partnership comes into effect from FY 2025–26 and will anchor Carlton’s next phase of brand building and expansion.
Under the association, Mrunal Thakur will front Carlton Wellness’s brand films, digital narratives, experiential campaigns and flagship property launches, which will roll out in phases across the country. The move signals EBG Group’s intent to position Carlton Wellness at the intersection of preventive healthcare, longevity and conscious luxury.
Announcing the partnership, EBG Group chairman and founder Irfan Khan said the actor’s public persona aligns closely with Carlton’s philosophy of balance, authenticity and mindful living. The brand, he added, is focused on building a scalable wellness ecosystem that blends clinical depth with experiential wellbeing rather than superficial luxury.
Carlton Wellness is being developed as an integrated platform spanning wellness resorts, destination retreats, city and hotel-based spas, and wellness-led residences. Its model combines Ayurveda, naturopathy, mindfulness and hydrotherapy, adapting global wellness standards to Indian lifestyles with a clear focus on preventive care and long-term quality of life.
Several Carlton Wellness spa formats are already operational within premium hospitality and real-estate developments, while flagship retreat and resort projects are at advanced stages in Ahmedabad, Indore and Manipal. Expansion plans are also underway across Hyderabad, Bhubaneswar, Surat, Lucknow, Bengaluru and Manipal, strengthening the brand’s metro and Tier-1 presence.
Looking ahead to 2026, the roadmap becomes more ambitious. Carlton Wellness plans 20–30 new urban spas, 4–6 destination retreats, 2–3 boutique wellness resorts, and 1–2 luxury wellness residential or vacation home projects across Maharashtra, Goa, Karnataka, Kerala, Rajasthan, Uttarakhand and select NCR markets.
Backed by this pipeline, the EBG–Carlton platform is projecting revenues of Rs 80–120 crore in FY 2025–26, scaling to Rs 180–250 crore in FY 2026–27, driven by spa operations, memberships, retreats, licensing models and managed wellness residences.
Over the next five years, the alliance aims to cross 50 wellness touchpoints nationwide by 2027–28 and position itself by 2029–30 as India’s largest regulated wellness network, with international forays planned into GCC and Southeast Asia.
With Mrunal Thakur as its public face, Carlton Wellness is signalling a shift in how wellness is sold in India less about fleeting luxury, more about longevity, credibility and scale.
Brands
Jubilant FoodWorks faces Rs 47.5 crore GST demand, plans appeal
Tax authorities flag alleged misclassification of restaurant services
MUMBAI: Jubilant FoodWorks Limited has landed in a tax tussle after receiving a GST demand of Rs 47.5 crore from the office of the additional commissioner of CGST and central excise in Thane, Maharashtra.
The order, issued under the provisions of the Central Goods and Services Tax Act, 2017, relates to an alleged incorrect classification of certain services under the category of restaurant services. According to the tax authorities, this classification resulted in a short payment of goods and services tax for the period between the financial years 2019-20 and 2021-22.
The demand includes Rs 47.5 crore in GST along with an equal amount as penalty, in addition to applicable interest. The order was received by the company on March 13, 2026.
In a regulatory filing to the BSE Limited and the National Stock Exchange of India Limited, the company said it disagrees with the order and believes its arguments were not adequately considered.
The company is preparing to challenge the decision and plans to file an appeal. It added that once the redressal process is complete, the demand is likely to be dropped.
Despite the sizeable figure attached to the notice, the company said it does not expect any material impact on its financials, operations or other activities.
The disclosure was signed by Suman Hegde, EVP and chief financial officer, who confirmed that the company received the order at 19:06 IST on March 13 and has already initiated steps to contest it.
The development places the quick service restaurant major in the middle of a tax debate that could hinge on how certain restaurant-linked services are classified under GST rules. For now, the company appears ready to take the matter from the tax office to the appeals desk.
