Brands

“We have seen that premiumisation is booming!”: Baskin Robbins’ Mohit Khattar

Published

2 years ago

July 15, 2024

Mumbai: Snacking has become a pivotal part of our daily lives, with consumers seeking convenient and indulgent options to satisfy their cravings at all hours. This trend has transformed the food industry, and beloved brands like Baskin Robbins are evolving to meet these changing preferences.

Known for its rich history of delighting ice cream lovers, Baskin Robbins has ventured beyond traditional ice cream offerings to introduce innovative snacking products that cater to modern consumers’ needs. From bite-sized ice cream rocks to stickless doublet bars and funwich ice cream sandwiches, Baskin Robbins is redefining the snacking experience while maintaining its reputation for quality and delight.

Indiantelevision.com caught up with Graviss Foods Pvt Ltd, Baskin Robbins’ CEO Mohit Khattar to talk about their latest brand campaign – “The Happiest Ice Cream in the World”, the brand’s journey into the snacking industry, evolving ice cream market in India, consumer demands and much more…

Edited Excerpts:

On the inspiration behind Baskin Robbins venturing into the snacking industry and consumers’ responses so far

We have observed changes in the consumption patterns of consumers and today snacking is emerging as one of the biggest consumption drivers in the lives of consumers. The trend of snacking aims to expand the focus from ice creams as celebratory products to snacking and dessert options all-day long.

From mid-day snacking to early evening snacking or even late-night snacking, there are multiple day parts where consumers look for snacking alternatives. Innovation has always been the cornerstone of our business and we keep a close tab on changing consumer preferences. We understand the core need and adapt and evolve our products alongside them. Hence, our latest introductions are developed keeping the emerging trends in mind. We now offer bite-sized ice cream rocks, stickless doublet ice cream bars and even funwich ice cream sandwiches. So far, consumer response and feedback has been encouraging and positive.

On the current state of the ice cream market in India, including recent growth trends and shifts in consumer preferences

The Indian ice cream market currently is valued at over Rs 25,000 crore and has been performing well, growing at a rate of 15-17 per cent annually. Over the past few years, Baskin Robbins has outpaced the industry with an average CAGR of 30 per cent.

There have been some evident growth drivers. These include premiumisation, convenience and frequent snacking and the acceptance of ice creams as a category that goes beyond celebrations. Improved power situation, better cold chain infrastructure and even larger refrigerators at home are factors that are pushing the industry to grow faster.

We have seen that premiumisation is booming! Consumers crave better-quality indulgences, never tried before flavours and newness in formats. They appreciate taste and consumption experiences that give them something new to experience.

Another emerging trend is that of convenience. Consumers not only want products closer to their location but also want them delivered quickly. Hence our approach to not just products but also distribution is evolving quickly. This implies increased presence in more neighbourhoods through not just our exclusive parlours but also premium retail stores as well as a stronger push and presence on e-comm and aggregator platforms.

Additionally, to cater to the rise in frequent snacking – we are developing and introducing products that fit into different day parts and can satisfy customers.

Are you seeing any rise in consumer demand for healthier ice cream options

There has been some traction in the health-conscious segment lately, though it remains relatively small within the overall market landscape. Currently our D’lites range offers classic flavours like Strawberry and Bavarian chocolate – all without added sugar. While this range is currently limited, reflecting consumer preference, we remain vigilant in monitoring the market. We are committed to exploring opportunities to expand this range if and when the market demands.

On Baskin Robbins ensuring the highest standards of quality and safety in your packaging processes to prevent occurrences such as recent incidents where insects were found in ice cream products going viral on social media

At Baskin Robbins, we strive to maintain the highest quality in everything we do. Stringent process control, close monitoring and evaluation at various stages right from procurement of raw material to processing, production and storage helps to keep the integrity of the end products as intended.

Adoption of technology at various stages of the production process including fully automated machines, scanners and metal detectors help identify and segregate products with issues and maintain the sanctity of the process. Even in our parlours, we conduct monthly audits to keep our stores in good shape and ensure the integrity of products and services.

As brands that customers trust, the onus is on us to keep up the vigil and continuously invest behind not just new technology but also behind solid processes and sensitisation of personnel at all levels to ensure that customers get nothing but the best. As a much loved and responsible brand, we have always taken care to put in multi-stage checks to ensure that pristine quality reaches the end customer.

On Baskin Robbins managing and strategising during low sales periods or the dry season, apart from peak sales seasons and the specific strategies you have found most effective in both scenarios

To start off with I would like to say that ice cream holds timeless appeal, enjoyed by people of all ages year-round and so our strategy is a nuanced balance between maintaining year-round presence and strategically focusing efforts during peak seasons.

Throughout the year we launch engaging marketing campaigns that resonate with our audiences. We focus on strategic product partnerships with like-minded food brands, aligning with current trends and consumer interests to keep us relevant and appealing. We want to be where are consumers are at all times and hence you will also see us engaged with interesting events such as Vir Das’s show, concerts or pop ups. Additionally, we also invest in gathering consumer research and feedback to understand market needs and preferences, using these insights to refine offerings and prepare for successful new product launches.

The multifaceted approach ensures we are always exploring new and fun ways to engage with our target audience.

On the impact of your latest campaign, “The Happiest Ice Cream in the World” and the key elements of this campaign and its effectiveness in stimulating demand

Our consumers’ voices are the heartbeat of our brand. We thrive on hearing from them, and we asked them how they felt about us. And we were thrilled that they had plenty to say!

From describing us as “sensational” to praising our “quality”; from recognising our products as “pure and premium” to associating them with “playfulness” and “fun,” the feedback was overwhelmingly positive. Our ultimate favourite was that Baskin Robbins makes one “happy, happier, happiest!”

Bringing joy to consumers is at the core of our brand ethos and our latest campaign, “The Happiest Ice Cream In The World!” is a vibrant portrayal of spreading happiness.

The campaign comprises of a series of short captivating films that showcase consumers caught in bizarre situations, but dealing with it in a calm, cool, collected manner with their favourite Baskin Robbins in hand! The key takeaway being that through life’s ups and downs, the brand will be that one reliable, cheerful companion that makes consumers truly happy, irrespective of what happens around them.

And we must say that response and love we have received from the customers for the campaign has been nothing short of stellar both in terms of sales and awareness!

On the future plans and innovations that can be expected from Baskin Robbins in terms of business expansion and product development

Innovation is what drives us. We are committed to introducing unique and exciting flavours and formats that cater to the evolving tastes of our new age consumers. Our research and development team, guided by consumer feedback and insights, is focused on creating innovative products and formats for us, be it for the impulse category or dine-in parlour category. Over the last few years, we have built a sizable portfolio of products that appeal to today’s consumers and go beyond traditional ice cream offerings. This includes new age ice cream flavours like Lotus Biscoff, Brown Biscuit Boba and Blueberry ‘N White Chocolate and many others; a huge portfolio of exciting sundaes, ice cream cakes, ice cream sandwiches, bite -sized ice cream rocks, multi layered ‘stickless’ ice cream Doublet bars and many more such options that enable a consumer to savour the category in myriad ways and we shall continue to do the same going forward as well.

On our expansion plans, we currently operate 950 plus exclusive brand parlours across 280 plus cities in the country. We aim to hit the 1000 store mark later this year. Our current presence not just includes in all of the metro and tier one cities but also over 200 tier two and tier three cities as well. We will continue to grow into tier two and tier three cities going forward.

On the role that you see AI influencers playing in the future of digital marketing and brand promotion

We employ multiple levers in our marketing strategy and are always on the lookout for new and fun ways to engage with our consumers. This year, we partnered with an AI influencer for one of our summer product launches. Digital personalities with their substantial and engaged following allowed us to reach a different, tech-savvy audience base. We foresee AI continuing to be a part of our campaigns in various capacities, depending on consumer interests at any given point in time. While AI influencers offer unique opportunities, our approach remains flexible to adapt to evolving trends and preferences.

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Netflix India names Rekha Rane director of films and series marketing

Streaming giant bets on a seasoned marketer who helped build Amazon and Netflix into household names

Published

2 weeks ago

February 9, 2026

indiantelevision.com Team

MUMBAI: Netflix has put a proven brand builder at the helm of its films and series marketing in India, naming Rekha Rane as director in a move that signals sharper focus on audience growth and cultural cut-through in one of its most hotly contested markets.

Rane steps into the role after seven years at Netflix, where she has quietly shaped how the platform sells stories to India. Her latest promotion, effective February 2026, crowns a run that spans brand, slate and product marketing across originals, licensed content and new verticals such as games.

A strategic marketing and communications professional with roughly 15 years’ experience, Rane has spent much of her career building technology-led consumer businesses and new categories, notably e-commerce and subscription video on demand. She was part of the early push that introduced Amazon.in, Prime Video and Netflix to Indian homes, then helped turn them into everyday brands.

At Netflix, she most recently served as head of brand and slate marketing for India from March 2024 to February 2026, leading teams across media and marketing for global and local content portfolios. Before that, as manager for original films and series marketing, she led IP creation and go-to-market strategy for titles including Guns and Gulaabs, Kaala Paani, The Railway Men* and The Great Indian Kapil Show, spanning both binge and weekly-release formats.

Her earlier Netflix roles covered product discovery and promotion in India and integrated campaign strategy to drive conversations around the content slate, product awareness and brand-equity metrics.

Before Netflix, Rane logged more than three years at Amazon in brand marketing roles in Bengaluru. There she handled national and regional campaigns for Amazon.in, worked on customer assistance programmes in growth geographies and contributed to the go-to-market strategy for the launch of Prime Video India.

Her career began well away from streaming. At Reliance Brands in Mumbai, she worked on retail marketing for Diesel and Superdry. A stint at Leo Burnett saw her work on primary research for P&G Tide, mapping Indian shoppers’ paths to purchase. Earlier still, at Orange in the United Kingdom, she rose from sales assistant to store manager, running a team and owning monthly P&L for a retail outlet.

The arc is telling. As global streamers fight for attention in a crowded Indian market, executives who understand both mass retail behaviour and digital habit-building are prized. Rane’s career sits at that intersection.

For Netflix, the bet is simple: in a market spoilt for choice, sharp marketing can still tilt the screen. And with Rane now leading the charge, the streamer is signalling it wants not just viewers, but fandom.

Brands

Orient Beverages pops the fizz with steady Q3 gains and rising profits

Kolkata-based beverage maker reports stronger revenues and profits for December quarter.

Published

2 weeks ago

February 9, 2026

indiantelevision.com Team

MUMBAI: A fizzy quarter with a steady aftertaste that’s how Orient Beverages Limited, the company that manufactures and distributes packaged drinking water under the brand name Bisleri closed the December 2025 period, as the Kolkata-based drinks maker reported improved revenues and a healthy rise in profits, signalling operational stability in a competitive beverage market.

For the quarter ended December 31, 2025, Orient Beverages posted standalone revenue from operations of Rs 39.98 crore, up from Rs 36.42 crore in the previous quarter and Rs 33.53 crore in the same quarter last year. Total income for the quarter stood at Rs 42.24 crore, reflecting consistent demand and stable pricing across its beverage portfolio.

Profit before tax for the quarter came in at Rs 3.47 crore, a sharp improvement from Rs 1.31 crore in the September quarter and Rs 0.39 crore a year ago. After accounting for tax expenses of Rs 0.79 crore, the company reported a net profit of Rs 2.68 crore, nearly three times the Rs 0.99 crore recorded in the preceding quarter.

On a nine-month basis, the momentum remained intact. Revenue from operations for the period ended December 31, 2025 rose to Rs 117.66 crore, compared with Rs 106.95 crore in the corresponding period last year. Net profit for the nine months climbed to Rs 5.51 crore, more than double the Rs 2.18 crore reported in the same period of the previous financial year.

The consolidated numbers told a similar story. For the December quarter, consolidated revenue from operations stood at Rs 45.06 crore, while profit after tax came in at Rs 2.06 crore. For the nine-month period, consolidated revenue touched Rs 133.57 crore, with net profit of Rs 4.49 crore, underscoring the group’s improving profitability trajectory.

Operating expenses remained largely controlled, with cost of materials, employee benefits and other expenses broadly aligned with revenue growth. The company continued to operate within a single reportable segment beverages simplifying its cost structure and reporting framework.

The unaudited financial results were reviewed by the Audit Committee and approved by the Board of Directors at its meeting held on 7 February 2026. Statutory auditors carried out a limited review and reported no material misstatements in the results.

In a market where margins are often squeezed by input costs and competition, Orient Beverages’ latest numbers suggest the company has found a reliable rhythm not explosive, but steady enough to keep the fizz alive.

Brands

BCCL profit jumps 53 per cent in FY25 as tax bill shrinks

Revenue rises 4.3 per cent to Rs 10,209.33 crore while deferred tax gain lifts bottom line sharply

Published

2 weeks ago

February 9, 2026

indiantelevision.com Team

NEW DELHI: Bennett, Coleman and Company (BCCL) has posted a sparkling set of financial results for the year ended 31 March 2025, proving that there is still plenty of ink and gold left in the ledger.

Revenue from operations climbed a steady 4.3 per cent, reaching Rs 10,209.33 crore compared to Rs 9,786.44 crore the previous year. When you sprinkle in other income, which rose 8.9 per cent to Rs 949.36 crore, the total income for the media behemoth hit a healthy Rs 11,158.69 crore.

While the income grew at a modest pace, the bottom line tells a far more dramatic story. The real headline is the 53 per cent surge in annual profit. How did they pull off such a feat? While Profit Before Tax (PBT) saw a gentle nudge upward of 2.7 per cent to Rs 1,610.00 crore, it was a vanishing act by the taxman that really did the trick.

Total tax expenses plummeted by 32.4 per cent, dropping from Rs 468.76 crore down to Rs 316.97 crore. This was largely thanks to a swing in deferred tax, moving from an expense of Rs 156.02 crore in FY24 to a benefit of Rs 39.44 crore this year.

Total income rose from Rs 10,658.55 crore in FY24 to Rs 11,158.69 crore in FY25, marking a 4.7 per cent increase. Total expenses grew at a slower pace, up 3.0 per cent from Rs 9,306.06 crore to Rs 9,581.45 crore. Profit before tax inched up 2.7 per cent, moving from Rs 1,567.02 crore to Rs 1,610.00 crore. However, the standout figure was net profit, which jumped sharply by 53.0 per cent, climbing from Rs 1,042.03 crore in FY24 to Rs 1,594.73 crore in FY25.

Despite the rising costs of doing business across the globe, BCCL kept a tight grip on the purse strings. Total expenses rose by just 3.0 per cent to Rs 9,581.45 crore. By keeping costs lower than the rate of income growth, the company ensured that the final figure, a net profit of Rs 1,594.73 crore, was nothing short of a front-page sensation.

In a world of shifting digital tides, it seems the BCCL ship is not just steady, but sailing into significantly wealthier waters.