Brands
United Foodbrands turns down the heat with Rs 225 million quarterly loss
MUMBAI: The grills are still sizzling, but the books are cooling fast at United Foodbrands limited formerly known as Barbeque-Nation Hospitality. The restaurant chain reported a consolidated net loss of Rs 225.02 million for the quarter ended September 2025, nearly doubling its loss from Rs 114.76 million in the same period last year.
Revenue from operations stood steady at Rs 3,047.57 million, almost unchanged from Rs 3,056.95 million a year ago, as dine-in recovery plateaued and costs stayed high. Including other income of Rs 80.81 million, total income reached Rs 3,128.38 million, a marginal dip from Rs 3,099.72 million last year.
While the company managed to serve up a healthy EBITDA of Rs 458.16 million, down from Rs 498.61 million a year ago, the bottom line was scorched by heavy operating and finance costs. Expenses rose to Rs 2,670.22 million during the quarter, led by food and beverage costs of Rs 1,028.74 million, employee expenses of Rs 761.31 million, and other overheads of Rs 880.17 million.
Depreciation and amortisation shot up to Rs 482.76 million, reflecting ongoing expansion and maintenance of its outlets, while finance costs climbed to Rs 206.95 million, up 10 per cent year on year. Consequently, the company posted a pre-tax loss of Rs 231.55 million, compared with Rs 99.57 million in the same quarter last year.
After accounting for a deferred tax credit of Rs 6.85 million, the net loss stood at Rs 225.02 million. Total comprehensive loss for the quarter came in at Rs 245.58 million, including foreign exchange translation losses of Rs 20.39 million.
For the half year ended September 2025, United Foodbrands’ revenue reached Rs 6,017.38 million, down slightly from Rs 6,113.84 million a year earlier. The half-year loss before tax widened sharply to Rs 401.42 million, from Rs 154.50 million in the same period of 2024.
The company’s balance sheet showed total assets of Rs 13,620.26 million as of September 2025, up from Rs 13,140.53 million at the end of March. Equity stood at Rs 3,408.60 million, while total liabilities rose to Rs 10,211.66 million, reflecting higher lease obligations of Rs 7,079.50 million combined across current and non-current portions.
On the cash flow front, the company generated Rs 876.67 million from operations during the half year, but investing and financing outflows totalling Rs 879.12 million kept net cash nearly flat. Cash and cash equivalents closed at Rs 166.88 million, compared to Rs 169.33 million in March.
Despite the red ink, United Foodbrands continued its expansion strategy, adding new outlets while acquiring a subsidiary during the half year. But the company, still digesting higher costs and slower footfalls, may need to spice up its recipe for profitability before it can serve shareholders a tastier return.
With its grill glowing and margins thinning, United Foodbrands’ challenge now is to keep the flame alive without getting burned.
Brands
Delhivery chairman Deepak Kapoor, independent director Saugata Gupta quit board
Gurugram: Delhivery’s boardroom is being reset. Deepak Kapoor, chairman and independent director, has resigned with effect from April 1 as part of a planned board reconstitution, the logistics company said in an exchange filing. Saugata Gupta, managing director and chief executive of FMCG major Marico and an independent director on Delhivery’s board, has also stepped down.
Kapoor exits after an eight-year stint that included steering the company through its 2022 stock-market debut, a period that saw Delhivery transform from a venture-backed upstart into one of India’s most visible logistics platforms. Gupta, who joined the board in 2021, departs alongside him, marking a simultaneous clearing of two senior independent seats.
“Deepak and Saugata have been instrumental in our process of recognising the need for and enabling the reconstitution of the board of directors in line with our ambitious next phase of growth,” said Sahil Barua, managing director and chief executive, Delhivery. The statement frames the exits less as departures and more as deliberate succession, a boardroom shuffle timed to the company’s evolving scale and strategy.
The resignations arrive amid broader governance recalibration. In 2025, Delhivery appointed Emcure Pharmaceuticals whole-time director Namita Thapar, PB Fintech founder and chairman Yashish Dahiya, and IIM Bangalore faculty member Padmini Srinivasan as independent directors, signalling a tilt towards consumer, fintech and academic expertise at the board level.
Kapoor’s tenure spanned Delhivery’s most defining years, rapid network expansion, public listing and the push towards profitability in a bruising logistics market. Gupta’s presence brought FMCG and brand-scale perspective during a period when ecommerce volumes and last-mile delivery economics were being rewritten.
The twin exits, effective from the new financial year, underscore a familiar corporate rhythm: founders consolidate, veterans rotate out, and fresh voices are ushered in to script the next chapter. In India’s hyper-competitive logistics race, even the boardroom does not stand still.
Brands
Brnd.me enters Europe as haircare brands power global expansion
Bengaluru: Brnd.me, the global consumer brands company formerly known as Mensa Brands, has entered the European market following strong momentum across the Middle East, the United States and Canada.
The company has launched across the UK, Germany, France and Spain, with plans to expand into Italy, the Netherlands and Poland over the next year. The push is being led by its haircare and aromatherapy brands, Botanic Hearth and Majestic Pure, marking Brnd.me’s first structured expansion into Europe.
The European beauty market represents a total addressable opportunity of over $4 billion across haircare and aromatherapy, supported by high digital adoption and demand for accessible, performance-led products.
Brnd.me’s hair care and aromatherapy business currently operates at an annual run rate of around $6 million, with Botanic Hearth and Majestic Pure delivering roughly 10 per cent month-on-month growth, driven by expansion and rising repeat demand.
To support regional growth, the company has appointed a general manager based in Germany and is evaluating investments in warehousing and local team expansion.
Early traction has been strong. Within weeks of launch, Botanic Hearth’s rosemary hair oil ranked among the top five hair oils in Germany, signalling strong consumer pull in a competitive market.
Brnd.me founder and chief executive officer Ananth Narayanan, said Europe represents the next phase of the company’s international strategy. He added that the European business is expected to scale to a $10 million annual run rate by the end of 2026, with long-term ambitions to reach $60 million over the next six years.
The company’s Europe strategy centres on digital-first distribution, repeat demand and TikTok-led discovery, alongside direct-to-consumer expansion to strengthen brand equity and margins.
The move also aligns with growing EU–India trade engagement, supporting long-term sourcing and cross-border supply chains.
Brands
TechnoSport taps quick commerce with launch on Slikk’s 60-minute platform
NATIONAL: TechnoSport has launched on Slikk, the ultra-fast fashion app offering 60-minute delivery, as the activewear brand accelerates its push into quick commerce to capture Gen Z and young millennial shoppers.
The debut brings more than 150 high-performance styles to Slikk’s platform, with an average selling price of Rs 450, expanding TechnoSport’s reach across over 80 pin codes.
The partnership follows strong momentum for TechnoSport across Q-commerce channels, where the brand has recorded around 60 per cent volume growth over the past six months. The company expects quick commerce to contribute nearly 20 per cent of its revenue in the coming years as hyperlocal delivery gains scale.
Slikk, which recently raised $3.2 million in seed funding led by Lightspeed, has rapidly gained popularity among youth consumers seeking speed, trend relevance and impulse-led shopping experiences.
Activewear remains one of Slikk’s fastest-growing categories, driven by shoppers increasingly treating fitness-led fashion as an everyday essential. The platform has reported a 30-fold year-on-year increase in items sold, reflecting rising demand for performance wear that blends comfort with style.
TechnoSport chief executive officer Puspen Maity, said the collaboration would help the brand engage more closely with young consumers whose fashion choices are shaped by instant needs and lifestyle aspirations. He added that rapid delivery bridges the gap between intent and purchase, allowing shoppers to access activewear exactly when they want it.
-
iWorld3 months agoTips Music turns up the heat with Tamil party anthem Mayangiren
-
iWorld12 months agoBSNL rings in a revival with Rs 4,969 crore revenue
-
I&B Ministry3 months agoIndia steps up fight against digital piracy
-
MAM3 months agoHoABL soars high with dazzling Nagpur sebut
-
News Headline4 weeks agoPreeti Sahni set to join TV9 Network in senior leadership role
-
iWorld2 weeks agoJio shifts gears as 5G, homes and AI deals drive quarter momentum
-
News Broadcasting5 days agoPalki Sharma leaves Firstpost: Reports
-
iWorld3 days agoNetflix celebrates a decade in India with Shah Rukh Khan-narrated tribute film
