ITV

Tag: Kelvinator

  • Q1 FY26: Reliance Retail charges ahead with Rs 84,171 crore revenue blitz as profit surges 28 per cent

    Q1 FY26: Reliance Retail charges ahead with Rs 84,171 crore revenue blitz as profit surges 28 per cent

    MUMBAI: Reliance Retail has delivered a commanding first quarter performance, posting revenues of Rs 84,171 crore—an 11.3 per cent year-on-year surge—whilst profits catapulted 28.3 per cent to Rs 3,271 crore as the retail behemoth continued its relentless expansion across India’s consumer landscape.

    The company’s earnings before interest, taxes, depreciation and amortisation climbed 12.7 per cent to Rs 6,381 crore, with margins expanding 20 basis points to an industry-leading 8.7 per cent—cementing its position as India’s most profitable large-scale retailer.

    Reliance Retail’s physical footprint swelled with 388 new store openings during the quarter, taking the total count to 19,592 stores spanning 77.6 million square feet. The registered customer base hit 358 million, reinforcing the company’s claim as one of India’s most preferred retailers.

    The star performer was JioMart, which the company  described as “India’s fastest scaling digital grocery platform.” The hyperlocal delivery service registered explosive growth with daily orders surging 175 per cent year-on-year and 68 per cent quarter-on-quarter, now serving 4,290 pin codes through 2,200-plus stores across 1,000-plus cities.

    JioMart’s rapid-fire expansion included launching AJio Rush, a four-hour delivery service now live in six cities with 130,000-plus options. The initiative is delivering superior unit economics driven by higher average bill values and lower returns, according to the company.

    Fashion and lifestyle delivered robust growth, with emerging formats Gap, Azorte and Yousta registering 59 per cent year-on-year growth across 170 stores. Ajio’s new customer revenue share reached 18 per cent, up 150 basis points year-on-year, whilst average bill values jumped 17 per cent. The platform expanded its catalogue to 2.6 million options—44 per cent growth year-on-year.

    Consumer electronics faced headwinds from early monsoon onset impacting air conditioner sales, though average bill values surged 26 per cent with conversions up 200 basis points. The company bolstered its own-brand strategy by acquiring Kelvinator brand intellectual property for India.

    Grocery maintained its market leadership with broad-based growth across categories. Home and personal care grew 15 per cent year-on-year, as did fruits and vegetables, whilst packaged foods expanded 13 per cent. The Metro format delivered standout performance with home and personal care categories growing 25 per cent year-on-year.

    The quarter also saw strategic brand expansions including Shein crossing two million app downloads with 20,000 live options, whilst AJio Luxe grew its portfolio to 875 brands. Premium brands continued segment leadership with Hamleys expanding geographically and launching its Green Club sustainability programme.

    “Reliance Retail delivered resilient performance during this quarter driven by our relentless focus on operational excellence, geographical expansion and sharper product portfolio,” said executive director Isha M. Ambani “Our continued investments in cutting-edge technologies and differentiated product offerings have enabled us to serve our customers better and scale with agility.”

    The results underscore Reliance Retail’s dominance in India’s Rs 70 trillion retail market, with the company now processing 389 million transactions quarterly—a 16.5 per cent year-on-year increase—as it continues reshaping India’s retail landscape through aggressive digitisation and expansion.

  • Reliance Retail snaps up Kelvinator in bold consumer durables play

    Reliance Retail snaps up Kelvinator in bold consumer durables play

    MUMBAI: Reliance Retail has bagged Kelvinator in a deal that signals its aggressive push into India’s Rs 75,000 crore consumer durables market. The acquisition brings the century-old global refrigeration pioneer under the wing of one of India’s most voracious retailers.

     The details of the acquisition were not revealed at the time of writing, but Reliance Retail, had earlier signed a 10-year deal with Electrolux for brand licensing, manufacturing, marketing, and distributing the Kelvinator brand.  The latter’s consumer cooling products have  been absent from the Indian market for while now
    . 
    Kelvinator, a household name in the ’70s and ’80s, was once the epitome of Indian middle-class aspiration with its catchphrase, “The Coolest One.” Reliance now plans to reboot the brand’s nostalgia with cutting-edge appliances, promising mass access to global-quality tech at local prices.

    “Our mission has always been to serve the diverse needs of every Indian by making technology accessible, meaningful, and future-ready,” stated Reliance Retail Ventures executive director Isha M Ambani.”The acquisition of Kelvinator marks a pivotal moment, enabling us to significantly broaden our offering of trusted global innovations to Indian consumers. This is powerfully supported by our unmatched scale, comprehensive service capabilities, and market-leading distribution network.”

    The move aligns neatly with RRVL’s ambition of “democratising aspirational living.” With 19,000+ stores and 3 million merchants in its ecosystem, the company is now eyeing deep penetration of premium appliances into Indian homes.

    Reliance Retail reported Rs 3.3 lakh crore in turnover and Rs 25,053 crore in EBITDA in FY25, maintaining its perch among the world’s fastest-growing retailers, according to Deloitte.

    With Kelvinator’s legacy and Reliance’s distribution muscle, the group is betting big on middle India’s thirst for quality, affordability—and a bit of old-school cool.