Brands
Wendy’s rave serves burgers with a scare
MUMBAI: This Halloween, Wendy’s is swapping ketchup for cobwebs and fries for fright. The burger chain is turning its outlets in Bangalore, Hyderabad and Pune into haunted rave zones for one wicked night of food, fun and fearless partying.
On October 31, Wendy’s Rave, Halloween edition will transform the restaurants into spooky diners with eerie lighting, creepy décor and surprise jump scares. Guests can feast on unlimited burgers, fries, beverages and desserts while grooving to a mix of Hindi cinema and EDM beats that promise to raise the dead, or at least the dance floor.
Instead of the usual neon wristbands, party-goers will get glowing devil horn headbands, turning the crowd into a sea of red light and mischief. The surprise highlight? A DJ set by “Wendy” herself, complete with haunting Halloween makeup and a playlist that’s equal parts spooky and spectacular.
“Halloween is all about bold, expressive fun, and Wendy’s is taking that spirit to the next level,” said Rebel Foods chief marketing officer Nishant Kedia. “The Wendy’s Rave is our way of serving flavour with a side of madness and a whole lot of music.”
As beats drop and burgers flip, expect ghostly laughter, spine-tingling sound effects, and crew members in scary masks dishing out your meal with the occasional jump scare.
It’s a night where burgers meet the bizarre, fries flirt with fright, and Wendy’s proves that food can be just as thrilling as a haunted house. This Halloween, your meal might just scream back.
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.
