The India business saw our key brands and products posting category-leading growths with market share gains across 90% of our product portfolio. The India FMCG business ended the second quarter with volume growth of 3%.

Consolidated net profit for the quarter marked a 5.1% jump to Rs 515.1-crore, up from Rs 490.1-crore a year earlier. Our net profit without the exceptional legal costs increased by 14.1%. Ad spending for the quarter marked a 42.6% growth in the consolidated business and 40.3% in the standalone business. Consolidated operating profit posted a 10% growth during the quarter.

“We have delivered steady revenue and double-digit operating profit growth with improvement in gross margins led by moderating inflation. We believe we are on the right path with our strategic playbook. We remain focused on managing our business with agility, leveraging our strong distribution footprint while enhancing our margins, quarter after quarter,” Mohit Malhotra, chief executive officer, Dubar India, said.

He added, “We have witnessed a marked sequential improvement in urban demand, led by new-age channels. While rural growth still lags urban demand, the gap has been reduced. We are increasingly optimistic about the future as we are seeing green shoots of recovery in rural sentiments. We will continue to invest behind our brands, distribution infrastructure and innovation to deliver volume-led profitable growth.”

Dabur’s International business continued its strong growth momentum with a 23.6% jump in Constant Currency terms in the second quarter. During the quarter, the MENA business grew by 18.4%; Egypt by 35% and the Turkey business by 78%.

Dabur’s Digestive business, riding on the steady performance of its flagship brand Hajmola, grew by 18.1%, while the home care business reported a 15.1% growth. The Ayurvedic OTC and ethical business grew by 8.1%. Our flagship toothpaste franchise Dabur Red ended the quarter with a high single-digit growth with continued market share gains. While the unseasonal rains in our key North Indian markets impacted the beverage business during the quarter, the food business ended with a 40.4% surge. The recently acquired Badshah brand reported a 16.4% growth during the quarter.