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Beauty and fashion platform Nykaa's parent firm FSN E-Commerce on Friday announced the fourth quarter result for the fiscal year 2025. The company's consolidated profit witnessed a 193% (approx) rise to Rs 20 crore in the quarter ended in March 2025. In FY24, Nykaa registered a profit of Rs 7 crore in the same period. 

In the full fiscal 2025, Nykaa's profit jumped to Rs 72.07 crore compared to Rs 39.74 crore in the year-ago period--an increase of 81.3%--driven by increase in gross merchandise value of Nykaa-owned brands, rise in margins of premium brands and higher ad-income.

The e-commerce platform has also increased its marketing and advertisement expenses by 31% to Rs 244 crore in the March quarter FY25. In the previous fiscal, the company's adex was Rs 186 crore.

The beauty vertical ad spend stood at Rs 157 crore while fashion vertical of Rs 84 crore in Q4FY25.

The marketing expenses of the company accounted for 29.4% of the net sales volume (NSV).

The e-retailer's revenue from operations also witnessed a significant jump in Q4FY25. As per the quarterly filings, Nykaa's Q4FY25 revenue stood at Rs 2,061.76 crore compared to Rs 1,667.l98 crore in Q4FY24.

<a href="https://www.storyboard18.com/brand-marketing/lifestyle-giants-nykaa-myntra-revamp-ad-strategy-print-ads-soar-tv-spends-plunge-in-2024-66887.htm">Lifestyle giants Nykaa, Myntra revamp ad strategy; TV ads spend down</a>

The revenue from the beauty vertical jumped to Rs 1,894.76 crore in the March quarter FY25--a 24.6% increase year-on-year (1,520.21 crore). The company launched a wide range of global beauty brands, partnering with brands such as Yves Saint Laurent, NARS, Kerastase, Eucerin, GHD, Armani Beauty, Supergoop, and Nexxus, amongst others. 

The beauty brands owned by Nykaa generated Gross Merchandise Value (GMV) of Rs 1,700 crore in FY25, with Dot & Key recording a GMV of more than Rs 900 crore alone. Nykaa expanded its stake in the D2C skincare brand from 51% to 90% in FY25.

On the other hand, beauty brand Kay Beauty, co-created by Nykaa and celebrity Katrina Kaif, achieved a GMV of over Rs 240 crore.

<a href="https://www.storyboard18.com/brand-makers/nykaas-beauty-vertical-registers-robust-growth-in-q4-fy25-61607.htm">Nykaa’s beauty vertical registers robust growth in Q4 FY25</a>

The overall Beauty vertical business saw a cumulative customer base grow to more than 34 million--up 28% YoY, the company's filing added.

The fashion segment also saw a 10.7% growth in revenue in the same period at Rs 161 crore in Q4 FY25. For the full year, revenue growth was 19% YoY, aided by higher marketing and service income. The Fashion vertical's revenue surged to Rs 674.69 crore in FY25 compared to Rs 568.30 crore.

Nykaa's adex climbs up by 31% to Rs 244 crore in Q4FY25

In an unprecedented move, hospitality startup founder Ritesh Agarwal has sought suggestions from people to rename the company's parent firm Oravel Stays. 

Oyo, which started over a decade ago, is bracing for something bigger, Agarwal said. He added, "it needs a name".

According to a report by PTI news agency, the selected brand name may end up being the name of the premium hotels app that Oyo has been working to launch in the near future.

In a social media post Agarwal wrote, "OYO started over a decade ago with a simple idea of upgrading quality living space across and driving standardization. Since then, we’ve grown from a single room in India to a network of travel, living, work, and hospitality solutions across 35+ countries. Today, over 100 million people interact with our 15+ brands — from holiday homes in Europe to studios in the US, from wedding venues to hospitality tech. But now, we’re building something bigger — and it needs a name".

<blockquote class="twitter-tweet">How often does a global company ask the world to name it? That’s exactly what we’re doing. OYO started over a decade ago with a simple idea of upgrading quality living space across and drive standardisation. Since then, we’ve grown from a single room in India to a network of… <a href="https://t.co/qFAU3WsZ3G">pic.twitter.com/qFAU3WsZ3G</a>&mdash; Ritesh Agarwal (@riteshagar) <a href="https://twitter.com/riteshagar/status/1927975908197159195?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">May 29, 2025</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>

Agarwal underscored that Oyo will be renaming the corporate brand as it is not just limited to a hotel chain or a consumer product. "We want the name to come from the community that helped build it," he emphasized.

The entrepreneur has invited suggestions from brand thinkers, creatives, entrepreneurs, and curious minds.

Agarwal outlined the requirements for the new brand name, which include-- 'one-word corporate name', 'Global in feel, not tied to one culture or language,', 'Tech-forward, sharp, but also human and memorable,' 'Preferably with a .com domain available,' 'Could be a real word or something totally new,' and 'name that can grow beyond hospitality'.

Agarwal will award Rs 3,00,000 to the individual whose suggestion for Oyo's new name is selected and implemented.

According to Agarwal, "It’s a rare opportunity to shape the identity of a company that’s quietly redefining how people experience spaces — and doing it on a global scale".

Oyo's rebranding: Founder Ritesh Agarwal seeks suggestions for new name

Leena Tiwari, the low-profile chairperson of Mumbai-based drugmaker USV, has made a splash in the country's real estate circles with the purchase of two sea-facing duplex apartments in Worli, Mumbai, for an eye-watering Rs 639 crore, as per The Economic Times report. The deal now stands as the most expensive residential property transaction in India.

Spanning a carpet area of 22,572 sq. ft and located across the 32nd to 35th floors of a 40-storey ultra-luxury Naman Xana development tower overlooking the Arabian Sea, the deal clocks in at over Rs 2.83 lakh per sq ft.

Also Read: <a href="https://www.storyboard18.com/brand-makers/mumbais-worli-property-prices-zoom-30-registers-over-rs-4000-cr-of-ultra-luxury-deals-59135.htm">Mumbai's Worli property prices zoom 30%, registers over Rs 4,000 cr of ultra-luxury deals</a>

Tewari also shelled out Rs 63.9 crore towards stamp duty and GST, taking the total spend to nearly Rs 703 crore.

While medicine brands lik Glycomet, Ecosprin, and Roseday - sold by USV - are household names for diabetes and cardiac patients in India, Tewari herself has stayed away from the limelight. 

Known for her discreet and methodical approach, she rarely courts public attention despite being one of India's richest women. Forbes pegs her net worth at $3.9 billion.

The transaction has stunned property market observers and financial circles alike, not just for its scale but for the sheer surprise of it. 

Tewari, who is said to be a close friend of Nita Ambani, has never been associated with extravagant public purchases until now. Her husband Prashant Tewari, Managing Director at USV, also keeps a similarly low profile.

Also Read: <a href="https://www.storyboard18.com/brand-makers/virat-kohlis-grand-property-portfolio-inside-the-cricketers-real-estate-empire-65685.htm">Virat Kohli’s grand property portfolio: Inside the cricketer’s real estate empire</a>

USV, a family-run pharmaceutical business, has quietly carved out a formidable position in India’s competitive drug market. The company has steered clear of private equity and IPO routes, maintaining tight ownership and strategic control. In FY24, it reported revenues of Rs 4,840 crore, per data from Tracxn.

USV’s top-performing brand, Glycomet, is the second-largest selling product in the Indian pharma market, clocking Rs 806 crore in sales—just behind GSK’s Augmentin. Ecosprin remains a go-to blood thinner, while Roseday is widely prescribed for cholesterol management.

Still, challenges lie ahead. Glycomet faces growing competition from newer diabetes treatments. USV is eyeing growth in India’s insulin market and is exploring the development of generics for semaglutide, the active ingredient in the global weight-loss blockbusters Ozempic and Wegovy.

Also Read: <a href="https://www.storyboard18.com/special-coverage/indias-hnis-allocate-32-percent-of-wealth-to-real-estate-8-percent-ultra-hnis-invest-in-crypto-anarock-report-51045.htm">India's HNIs allocate 32 percent of wealth to real estate, 8 percent ultra-HNIs invest in crypto: Anarock report</a>

Leena Tewari: The reclusive pharma billionaire who purchased a Rs 639 crore duplex in Mumbai

Public sector lender Bank of Baroda has slashed its advertising and publicity expenditures by 20.2% in fiscal year 2025. The company's adex declined to Rs 350 crore in FY25 compared to Rs 439 crore in the year-ago period. 

In recent years, India's banking, financial services, and insurance sector (BFSI) has been robustly spending on advertisements across digital, TV, and print. Amid the boom in digital marketing boom, public lenders are splurging capital on ads on social media platforms, quick commerce and e-commerce platforms to improve their brand equity and bolster their position in the market. 

A TAM Adex report revealed that the BFSI sector's ad impressions observed an increase of 74% during the first half of 2024 compared to H12022.

<a href="https://www.storyboard18.com/brand-marketing/sbi-embraces-ai-to-enhance-digital-marketing-attract-next-gen-customers-67507.htm">SBI embraces AI to enhance digital marketing, attract next-gen customers</a>

Bank of Baroda's annual report revealed that the public lender executed a multifaceted marketing and branding strategy that spanned multiple channels and touchpoints in FY25. The state-owned bank executed over 30 digital campaigns spanning sports, financial literacy, fraud awareness, and cyber security during the year.

"We embarked on an extensive multi-channel advertising campaign that included Television, Radio, Print, and Cinema with a cumulative reach of approx. 200 crore," according to the bank's annual report. 

<a href="https://www.storyboard18.com/brand-makers/bajaj-autos-profit-drops-by-10-in-q4fy25-revenue-jumps-to-rs-12646-crore-67946.htm">Bajaj Auto's profit drops by 10% in Q4FY25, revenue jumps to Rs 12,646 crore</a>

For the FY26 outlook, the bank said it will continue to enhance digital capabilities to expand reach and engagement with customers. 

In terms of financials, BoB registered a 10% rise in net profit in FY25 year-on-year. The net profit rose to Rs 19,581 crore up from Rs 17,789 crore 17788,78,46 in the previous financial year. The bank’s net interest income (NII) grew by 2.1% to Rs 45,659 crore, and non-interest income climbed by 14.8% to Rs 16,647 crore. BoB registered an operating profit of Rs 32,435 crore- an increase of 4.7% during the year.

Bank of Baroda slashes adex by 20% to Rs 350 crore in FY25

A group of activist Tesla shareholders has issued a sharp rebuke to CEO Elon Musk, urging him to dedicate at least 40 hours per week to the electric vehicle company, warning that his divided focus - particularly his involvement with the Trump administration - has undermined Tesla's performance and public standing, according to media reports.

In a letter sent Wednesday to Tesla board chair Robyn Denholm, the coalition expressed growing frustration with the company, according to a report by The Washington Post.

Also Read: <a href="https://www.storyboard18.com/digital/trump-to-host-musks-farewell-presser-at-white-house-hell-always-be-with-us-68016.htm">Trump to host Musk’s farewell presser at White House: ‘He’ll always be with us’</a>

The group, led by the labour-backed SOC Investment Group and including several small investors, controls just under 8 million Tesla shares - a small portion of the company's 3.2 billion outstanding shares.

"The current crisis at Tesla puts into sharp focus the long-term problems at the company stemming from the CEO’s absence," the shareholders wrote, the report added. 

The letter cited a 71% drop in profits and a 13% decline in sales in Tesla's most recent quarter as evidence of Musk's distraction, particularly his work with the controversial U.S. Department of Governmental Enterprise (DOGE) Service, which has dominated his schedule over the past year.

The investors accused the board of failing to act in the best interests of shareholders, pointing to deteriorating financials, human rights controversies, and the erosion of Tesla’s global image. Since peaking in December 2024, Tesla’s stock has fallen roughly 24%, though it has slightly rebounded as Musk hinted at stepping back from his federal commitments.

Also Read: <a href="https://www.storyboard18.com/brand-makers/elon-musk-steps-down-from-trump-administration-after-criticising-big-beautiful-bill-67827.htm">Elon Musk steps down from Trump administration after criticising 'Big Beautiful Bill'</a>

Beyond calling for Musk’s increased presence, the letter urged the board to develop both short- and long-term leadership succession plans and push for governance reform. It recommended appointing at least one new independent director with no ties to current board members and limiting external obligations among directors, the report added.

The letter also referenced the recent ruling by a Delaware judge that invalidated Musk’s $56 billion pay package, citing insufficient board independence. That decision prompted Musk to start relocating Tesla’s legal headquarters from Delaware to Texas

While The Wall Street Journal reported this month that Tesla’s board had quietly begun a CEO search, Denholm dismissed the speculation on X, stating, “The Board is highly confident in [Musk’s] ability to continue executing on the exciting growth plan ahead.”

Still, the letter marks a continuation of shareholder unrest. Several of its signatories had previously opposed ratifying Musk’s 2018 compensation package, citing concerns over his multitude of ventures, the report added.

Also Read: <a href="https://www.storyboard18.com/how-it-works/nvidia-cites-china-export-restrictions-for-8-bn-revenue-impact-67802.htm">Nvidia cites China export restrictions for $8 bn revenue impact</a>

Tesla backers demand full-time CEO commitment from Musk again amid slumping sales and political distractions

It’s a sweltering summer, and the only thing that comes to mind - apart from mangoes - is Magnum! Owned by Unilever, Magnum has, for years, been the go-to ice cream companion when the sun shines too brightly or when the mehness of the day gets to us.

Relishing a sweet stick that oozes chocolate, coupled with almond or caramel, Magnum has never ceased to surprise and continues to spread its sweetness to this day.

But when snow caps the city and chill winds blow across, would Magnum still be considered? This question worried the brand, which then rolled out the 'Find Your Summer' campaign - encouraging people to find their sunny spot and enjoy a bite of Magnum once again.

What is ‘Find Your Summer' all about?

Unilever’s Magnum saw a significant drop in sales with the onset of winter. Determined to extend its appeal beyond seasons, the brand set out to help people discover their own patch of sunshine.

Created by LOLA MullenLowe, the campaign is visually rich - shot entirely in black and white - with the camera capturing the elusive British sun spotlighting people enjoying their Magnum. These moments were featured across newspapers, billboards, and magazines throughout the United Kingdom.

<iframe width="560" height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/uH1PXkG8qD8?si=VW06eYwZk8XnRY6v" title="YouTube video player" frameborder="0" allow="accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share" referrerpolicy="strict-origin-when-cross-origin" allowfullscreen></iframe>

What made the campaign stand out was its innovative use of digital billboards, which displayed a live timeline indicating when the sun would shine in each city - making it the perfect time to indulge in a Magnum.

This was achieved through real-time data. What truly boosted the campaign’s effectiveness - and drove a remarkable 66.3% increase in sales - was the use of geo-targeted notifications, which nudged consumers near participating stores.

This led to people grabbing their beloved Magnum - often at a discount - from the nearest outlet.

Read More: <a href="https://www.storyboard18.com/advertising/global-ads-spotlight-pop-tarts-and-the-first-edible-mascot-67751.htm">Global Ads Spotlight: Pop Tarts and The First Edible Mascot!</a>

Global Ads Spotlight: When Magnum melted winter with 'Find Your Summer' campaign

Apollo Tyres has announced the formation of a Global Marketing Division within its commercial organisation, effective May 1, 2025, as part of broader structural reforms aimed at boosting operational efficiency and enhancing customer experience.

The newly created division will be led by Udyan Ghai, who has been promoted to Group Head, Marketing. Ghai will report directly to Chief Commercial Officer Benoit Rivallant and will be based in London, a move designed to maintain independence from regional sales teams and support closer collaboration with global brand partners.

Ghai, a company veteran who joined Apollo in 2006 as Associate Manager of Marketing in Gurugram, has held key roles across India, the UK, and the US, managing diverse product categories and marketing initiatives. He will continue to oversee US regional marketing responsibilities alongside his new global role.

Four Key Pillars of the New Global Marketing Structure
The new division will be structured around four core groups:

Product Strategy Group: Responsible for product vision, roadmap creation, pricing strategy, and competitive analysis.

Brand Strategy Group: Will develop unified B2B and B2C brand strategies, manage global campaigns and sponsorships, and oversee brand assets.

Marketing Insight and Analytics Group: Tasked with monitoring consumer trends, segmenting audiences, and tracking digital performance.

Marketing Business Partners: Will work with regional commercial leaders on trade marketing, pricing, and local marketing communications.

The global team will oversee product strategy, brand development, digital marketing including AI and social media, consumer insights, competitive benchmarking, and regional business partnering.

No Change in Corporate Communications
Corporate Communications, including Corporate PR and Internal Communications, will continue to report to Yograj Varma and remain unaffected by the restructure.

Apollo Tyres confirmed that all current marketing staff will be realigned within the new framework. Further team-specific announcements will be issued by Rivallant and Ghai.

The announcement, jointly signed by Vice Chairman & Managing Director Neeraj Kanwar and Chief Commercial Officer Benoit Rivallant, reinforces Apollo’s commitment to internal talent development and long-term career growth.

<a href="https://www.storyboard18.com/advertising/metas-policy-shift-could-spark-30-surge-in-rmg-ad-spending-in-india-67950.htm">Read More: Meta’s policy shift could spark 30% surge in RMG ad spending in India</a>

Apollo Tyres reshapes global marketing, elevates Udyan Ghai to lead new centralised team

Union Minister for Consumer Affairs, Food and Public Distribution and New & Renewable Energy, Pralhad Joshi, presided over the 9th meeting of the Governing Council of the Bureau of Indian Standards (BIS) in New Delhi. As the ex-officio President of the Council, the Minister reviewed BIS’s key achievements and laid out a forward-looking agenda to deepen India’s quality infrastructure and regulatory framework.

Joshi lauded BIS’s expansion of mandatory hallmarking to 371 districts, calling it a major step towards consumer protection and quality assurance. He directed BIS to cover more districts in the coming year, emphasizing greater outreach and awareness among industries and stakeholders about BIS’s initiatives.

Highlighting the growing importance of standardization, the Minister noted that BIS has developed 23,798 Indian Standards across sectors and played a pivotal role in supporting government departments to scale up Quality Control Orders (QCOs), from just 14 in 2014 to 191 today, covering 774 products and two horizontal QCOs. “BIS is not just a regulator; it should act as a facilitator,” Joshi said. He acknowledged that over 2.5 lakh samples were tested in 2024-25 and emphasized the need for zero tolerance towards malpractice.

To support emerging sectors, Joshi approved proposals worth Rs 78 crore to boost testing capacity for aerospace components, solar PV modules, organic food and high-voltage equipment. He also called for greater engagement with MSMEs to ensure their compliance readiness and better integration into the standards ecosystem.

Ministers from Andhra Pradesh, Uttarakhand, Bihar, Gujarat and Assam attended the meeting, along with senior officials including Secretary of the Department of Consumer Affairs, Nidhi Khare.

Read More: <a href="https://www.storyboard18.com/how-it-works/government-cracks-down-on-illegal-sale-of-radio-equipment-on-e-commerce-platforms-67784.htm">Government cracks down on illegal sale of radio equipment on e-commerce platforms</a>

BIS in the meeting announced that India will host the 89th edition of the International Electrotechnical Commission (IEC) General Meeting in New Delhi from September 8–19, 2025. The event is expected to draw over 1,500 participants from more than 150 countries, featuring management sessions, technical committee meetings, workshops, and exhibitions.

The Governing Council reviewed the Laboratory Modernization Plan for 2025–26, focusing on infrastructure upgrades, automation, digitization, and the creation of advanced testing facilities for critical product categories—solidifying India’s ambition to become a global hub for quality and standardization.

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BIS to tighten standards, improve testing; approves Rs 78 cr boost for testing infrastructure

In the hypercharged quick commerce (q-comm) sector, grocery delivery isn’t the only thing arriving in under 10 minutes. Lately, so are accusations, shade-laced social media posts, and strategic callouts, often straight from the founders’ personal handles.

The spark? A recent public post by Zepto co-founder Aadit Palicha that, without naming names, rebutted claims circulating on social media about price manipulation and brand favoritism. It was seen as a direct response to rival whisper campaigns. In doing so, Palicha not only aired internal platform metrics but reignited a pattern of founder-led reputation management that’s fast becoming the norm in India’s consumer-tech battleground.

But this is not just about Zepto. It’s about the moment quick commerce finds itself in: commoditized, low-margin, and too crowded to grow peacefully. And like the Cola Wars of the past, today’s q-comm brand battles are heating up—only now they’re messier, faster, and playing out in public.

Visibility > Value?

Rahul Mathur, founder-turned-VC, argues that what’s playing out isn’t just competition, it’s a visibility war. “The Zepto, Blinkit, InstaMart minutes, and any future quick commerce player are providing a commodity service,” he explains. “If you take Bezos’s mental model of price, convenience and selection, there’s little differentiation unless you get into niche, high-margin categories. But those don’t drive daily transactions. So, if I keep hearing about the Zepto founder, I might just open the Zepto app.”

In a space where price points are nearly identical and fulfillment speeds barely vary, brand recall especially driven by founder presence becomes a weapon.

Read More:<a href="https://www.storyboard18.com/how-it-works/from-free-tomatoes-to-hidden-fees-a-sneak-peek-into-the-world-of-q-commerce-manipulation-49806.htm" rel="noopener" target="_blank">From free tomatoes to hidden fees: A sneak peek into the world of q-commerce manipulation</a>

Ashish Kaul, a professor of marketing, sees a more systemic issue. “We’re seeing a pattern of reckless behavior, often fueled by a culture that glorifies aggression. Start-ups thrive on hyper-competition, but the focus has shifted from consumer benefit to investor attention. That’s when it turns bitter.”

He points out that in this case, there was a clear aggressor and a respondent. Zepto, he believes, walked a tightrope well: “Staying silent could’ve distorted facts. But responding too harshly would’ve escalated things. Their statement was factual, respectful and allowed investors to verify claims themselves.”

A Collapse of Decorum?

Ankur Bisen, Senior Partner and Head - Consumer, Food & Retail, Technopak Advisors, contextualizes the spat within a longer arc. “If you rewind to the 80s and 90s, when India’s FMCG or auto sectors were growing, there was no public bickering. There was a decorum. What we’re seeing today is a collapse of that value system in the Indian startup ecosystem.”

He calls it particularly damaging given the aspirational status of startup founders among India’s youth. “When founders behave recklessly in public, it sets a poor benchmark. This isn’t an isolated case, it’s a continuation of the toxic dynamics we saw in edtech, Paytm, and BharatPe.”

Bisen also challenges the underlying promise of quick commerce itself. “It’s an oversold idea. Most demand comes from four to five city clusters. It doesn’t scale well into Tier 2 or rural India due to high fulfillment costs. If this market were truly growing robustly, everyone would be doing well. The fact that we’re seeing mudslinging shows players are now eating into each other’s limited market share.”

The Zepto Factor

Satish Meena, founder at Datum Intelligence echoes that analysis. “Customer acquisition has slowed. After the initial high-growth phase, it’s now about poaching from each other. Zepto is particularly in the spotlight, they’re newer and still building operations, so they’re easier to criticize.”

He also points out that Palicha’s communication style isn’t new. “Some founders follow the Elon Musk model, direct, personal, public. Others, like Flipkart’s Kalyan Krishnamurthy, keep quiet and let the company speak. Aadit belongs to the first camp, and I expect he’ll continue.”

But unlike traditional brand wars, q-commerce platforms are intermediaries, not product owners. That complicates things. “Platforms are judged on scalability, fairness, and how they treat brands,” Meena says. “This makes the game far messier. Blinkit, Zepto, BigBasket, Amazon, Flipkart, and JioMart are all in or circling. It’s going to get bloodier.”

What Happens Next

As customer growth plateaus and margins remain thin, q-commerce platforms will keep trying to differentiate in the most aggressive ways possible, whether that’s app nudges, exclusivity deals or carefully timed founder statements. But the question remains: in a business built on trust and convenience, can smear tactics ever deliver lasting brand value?

Or are we watching the startup equivalent of a food fight—messy, viral, and a little juvenile?

Read More:<a href="https://www.storyboard18.com/how-it-works/the-accessibility-gap-why-the-biggest-apps-still-exclude-millions-64997.htm" rel="noopener" target="_blank">The Accessibility Gap: Why the biggest apps still exclude millions</a>

Inside quick commerce brand wars: Smear tactics, platform fights and founder feuds

The Coca-Cola Company expects more of its brands in India to cross the billion-dollar revenue mark, a signal of the beverage giant’s deepening commitment to one of its fastest-growing markets.

<a href="https://www.storyboard18.com/brand-marketing/limca-strengthens-coca-colas-non-cola-portfolio-as-it-crosses-rs-2800-crore-mark-67773.htm">Read more: Limca strengthens Coca-Cola’s non-cola portfolio as it crosses Rs 2,800 crore mark</a>

Henrique Braun, Executive Vice President and Chief Operating Officer of Coca-Cola, said Thursday that the company’s Indian portfolio has already produced three billion-dollar brands, Thums Up, Maaza and Sprite, and more are likely to follow.

“We have today 30 billion-dollar brands globally—15 that we built organically and 15 that we acquired and developed,” Braun said, as per a PTI report. “India’s vibrance makes it a fertile ground for further growth.”

“I have no doubt that we will have another one coming in the future because we believe in the vibrance of the country and the industry,” Braun added.

India ranks as Coca-Cola’s fifth-largest market by volume. While the country is still considered a developing market for beverages, Braun views that status as an opportunity. “We are building what we believe are the right foundations for long-term, sustainable growth,” he said.

A Legacy Recharged

Among Coca-Cola’s standout performers in India is Limca, the company’s five-decade-old lemon-lime beverage, which has emerged as one of the fastest-growing brands in its portfolio. According to a PTI report, Limca crossed the ₹2,800 crore revenue mark in 2024, a milestone that reflects its evolving relevance in a competitive market.

Once viewed primarily as a nostalgic favorite, the heritage brand has been revitalized by Coca-Cola’s push into rural markets, expanding modern trade channels, and a sharpened focus on the hydration category. The company said Limca is now clocking strong double-digit growth in key northern states such as Delhi, Punjab, and Haryana, with gains across both traditional kirana outlets and modern retail formats.

First launched in 1971 and brought under Coca-Cola’s ownership in 1993 through the acquisition of Parle’s soft drink portfolio, Limca’s resurgence marks a broader shift in how legacy brands are being positioned for growth in dynamic consumer markets like India.

Coca-Cola currently owns seven of the top ten brands in India’s beverage sector and intends to continue investing in brand development. While demand has shown short-term fluctuations, Braun described the long-term trend as resilient.

“It’s never a straight line, but year over year, we continue to see strength in demand,” he said.

As for the potential introduction of more global brands into the Indian market, Braun said timing is critical. “It depends on the sequencing and the stage of market development,” he noted.

India also presents unique challenges. Carbonated beverages face one of the highest tax burdens globally, with a Goods and Services Tax (GST) of 28 percent and an additional 12 percent cess.

When asked whether the government should reconsider these taxes to spur growth in the sector, Braun remained diplomatic. “In 139 years, we’ve learned to work within local frameworks,” he said. “We focus on what we can control.”

BRAND MARKETING