The spectacular opening ceremony for the Shanghai World Expo on April 30 would have surprised no one.
Berger Paints, the country's second-largest decorative paint maker, continued to outperform its peers and gain market share in the 2023-24 (FY24) October-December quarter (third quarter, or Q3). The company posted a consolidated revenue growth of 7 per cent compared to the year-ago quarter, surpassing Asian Paints (5.4 per cent) and Kansai Nerolac Paints (5.7 per cent).
Beauty and Personal Care (BPC) e-retailer Honasa Consumer's initial public offering (IPO) has failed to find backing from analysts due to the company's weak financial track record and expensive valuation. T Manish, research analyst at Samco Securities suggests avoiding the IPO as the company's financial performance does not inspire confidence. "The profit has been inconsistent and advertising and marketing expenses are incredibly high at around 40 per cent of the revenues.
There is no near-term respite for the country's largest fast-moving consumer goods maker, Hindustan Unilever (HUL), which is facing multiple challenges on the growth front. With demand showing no signs of improvement, especially in the rural segment, the October-December quarter (Q3) of 2023-24 (FY24) is likely to be similar to the previous quarter, with volume growth in the low single digits. The stock, which is down 7 per cent over the past year compared to the 11 per cent jump for the S&P BSE Sensex, could underperform the benchmark in the near term as well.
Abbott India outperformed the Indian pharmaceutical market (IPM) with a year-on-year (YoY) growth of 23 per cent in February. The domestic market grew at a robust 20 per cent on a low base, primarily led by volume growth and price hikes. Abbott continued to outperform the sector in the anti-diabetic space with a growth of 20 per cent and key brands such as Thyronorm (hypothyroidism), biliary agent Udiliv, insulin Ryzodeg posted robust growth.
With raw material prices rising sequentially in Q4 FY23, margins of fast moving electrical goods (FMEG) companies could witness pressure as they refrain from hiking prices and demand remains soft. Transition to a new regulatory regime-fans moved to new BEE standards from January 1-poses additional risk for firms. Business depends on volume trends in summer for key sub-segments, which account for a significant chunk of the sector's overall sales pie.
HUL believes that post Covid, the awareness about health and wellbeing and selfcare, has exploded and there is a mindset change from health as absence of disease, to health as a part of lifestyle.
19 per cent of all travel in India (by bus, train or air) was pilgrimage or religious travel (possibly the single largest after business and family-related travel), discovers Ambi Parameswaran.
How do you bring about better nutrition consciousness in a society that is quite apathetic to excess consumption of salt, sugar and fats? asks Ambi Parameswaran.
Reliance Brands Ltd (RBL) on Monday announced forming a 60:40 joint venture with Rahul Mishra brand RM, which will create and own a new brand that would encompass courtier's ready to wear business. The new brand would grow both vertically and horizontally in the fields of accessories, footwear, home, beauty, and jewellery for a worldwide audience, said a joint statement. Rahul Mishra will lead the creative direction of the new brand as creative director, it added.
A long and bitter funding winter in the start-up world is beginning to take its toll on start-up advertising across properties. Earlier this week, Mastercard replaced Paytm as the title sponsor for all international and domestic cricket matches organised by the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI). But this is just one part of the story. The other side is that organisers of high-impact shows and events on Hindi general entertainment channels, too, are feeling the winter chill.
Laxman Narasimhan, a veteran in leading and advising global consumer-facing brands, has been named as the new CEO of coffee giant Starbucks, joining a growing cohort of Indian-origin business leaders at the helm of global corporations.
"It went up to 20-odd per cent in 2019 and to 25 per cent a year later. "That's when we decided to pull the plug; it was not sustainable for our business," says Chadha. Madison & Pike, instead, turned to Mumbai-based start-up Thrive, which provides third-party delivery services to restaurants at a much lower commission - three to five per cent.
More than 60 small and medium enterprises (SMEs) are expected to tap the market in one year to raise equity funds for supporting their business requirements, a BSE top official said on Wednesday. These companies will get listed on the exchange's SME platform, Ajay Thakur, head of BSE SME and Startup told PTI. Last year, only 16 SMEs had tapped the initial public offering (IPO) route and raised Rs 100 crore.
What can malls do to entice customers? Brand coach Ambi Parameswaran has a few suggestions.
Advertising on television continued to show momentum in May despite the surge in Covid-19 infections and the temporary suspension of the Indian Premier League (IPL), a high-impact television property. The data shared by the Broadcast Audience Research Council of India (BARC) on Thursday shows that advertising volumes in May were up 64 per cent year-on-year. However, there was a marginal dip sequentially, that is, in comparison to April 2021, when advertising had touched a record high owing to the start of the summer season and the return of the IPL to India after being held in the United Arab Emirates in 2020.
Italy may be the home of premium buffalo mozzarella cheese, but India could soon give the country a run for its money in this regard. India's largest dairy cooperative, Amul, has submitted a plan to the government, aiming to turn the country into a global hub for the export of mozzarella cheese made from buffalo milk, which is sold at a hefty premium around the world. Mozzarella cheese is one of the products identified by the government for support under its Rs 10,900 crore production-linked incentive scheme (PLI), to give a massive push to food processing exports as well as to build Indian food brands.
60-65 per cent of the FMCG industry's overall sales come from urban areas; 35-40 per cent from rural areas.
Even if our weight yo-yos, our overall health will keep getting better.
In the 2021 QS rankings announced in London on Wednesday, IIT Bombay continues to be the best-ranked Indian institute at 172, a 20-slot dip from the 2020 ranking.
The social media usage is primarily driven by the rising number of active Internet users
Online travel firm MakeMyTrip's top executives Deep kalra and Rajesh Magow have decided to draw 'zero salary' from April 2020, while the rest of its leadership team will take a reduction of around 50 per cent in their compensation amid the covid-19 outbreak. Group Executive Chairman Deep Kalra and its group CEO Rajesh Magow have decided to take 'zero salary' from April 2020 as the company plans to undertake multiple "tough measures" to keep overall expenses at a minimum amid the covid-19 outbreak.
'That it is happening in the second half of the year, during the festive season, will only encourage many to step up advertising.'
'A lot of people who quit felt they have been in the organisation for way too long and needed a better or challenging career role to advance in their careers.'
Curriculum manager Tanvi Khemani explains how these courses and skills can help you achieve your immediate and long term career goals.
Piaggio is all set to take on its rivals as it starts production in Baramati, Maharashtra
Bang on Target has launched an online platform for small and medium entrepreneurs that offer cost-effective publicity and brand building solutions.
Hewlett Packard will invest $100 million in Asia-Pacific to boost its brand building and create retail infrastructure in imaging and printing market during the next one year while India is likely to get about 15 per cent of the allocation.
'He just has to keep performing, and mustn't let this go to his head.'
How can brands reach consumers who travel on multiple roads of discovery? This will be the challenge of the future, says brand guru Ambi Parameswaran.
The small Zoozoos have turned into big celebrities.
What explains India's love affair with SUVs? They are not exactly "value for money" -- the watchword for brands across segments -- nor always practical. Is it for the badge value? Or the butch imagery associated with SUVs? Maybe both, says Alokananda Chakraborty.
History of electronics indicates that no company, nor any nation for that matter, has been able to cement pole position and maintain it through several cycles. he death of its iconic promoter, Lee Kun-hee, raises questions over how long the chaebol can maintain its gigantic footprint in the global electronics industry, says Devangshu Datta.
'Our clients need business. For business you need workers and so we decided to help'
Today, Vachani's public-listed company, Dixon Technologies, has gone beyond manufacturing just television sets. Armed with private equity funding from Motilal Oswal eight years ago, it has transformed itself into a Rs 4,400 crore electronic manufacturing services major, which now straddles lighting products, home appliances, feature phones, LED bulbs, amongst others. A two-part series looks at how two home-grown manufacturers are leveraging the govt's production-linked incentive scheme.
Under political fire and ecologists' ire, the group hires Suhel Seth, who will work closely with the promoters and the social media, corporate communications and external public relations team.
While Walmart's 50:50 joint venture with Bharti Enterprises -- Bharti Walmart, is talking to the Punjab government to maintain and modernise slaughter houses in the state, French retailer Carrefour has adopted a municipal school located near its wholesale store at Seelampur in Delhi.
Cricket doesn't need development. In football there are two elements - one is the game and the other is the philanthropy element. Cricket is a purely commercial decision.
