Bengaluru : Commenting on the results, Mr. Manish Tiwary, Chairman and Managing Director, Nestlé India, said: “I am pleased to share that the quarter saw a continuation of strong and broad-based growth across all product groups, with total sales reaching INR 6,782.2 crore, with a growth of 20.5%, that was driven by robust, double-digit volume growth. We continued to focus on efficiencies across our operations while significantly increasing investments behind our brands, with advertising and marketing spends up by 46%. EBITDA margin remained healthy at 23.8%. Profit After Tax for the quarter stood at INR 1,026.8 crore, up 36.3% over the corresponding quarter.
Rising inflation, particularly food inflation, is a reality. We remain focused on navigating these external challenges through continuous innovation and renovation, sustained investments behind our brands, and an intensified focus on productivity and operational efficiencies to mitigate commodity cost pressures. I would like to thank our teams for their extraordinary commitment, resilience, and unwavering focus on execution in this challenging environment.
At Nestlé India, food safety and quality are the foundation of consumer trust. I am proud of the unflinching commitment of our colleagues across our manufacturing units and would like to congratulate them for receiving the CII Food Safety & Quality Awards for our Sanand and Ponda factories and the Nestlé Global Quality Award for the Samalkha factory. These recognitions reaffirm our commitment to delivering safe, high-quality products to millions of consumers every day.
Confectionery product group recorded another strong quarter of volume led double-digit growth, driven by continued market share gains in KITKAT® and sustained momentum across MUNCH® and MILKYBAR®.
Powdered and Liquid Beverages product group delivered another quarter of strong, volume-led growth. This performance was driven by sustained household reach, enhanced affordability and continued premiumization across the coffee portfolio. Our continued investments behind the NESCAFÉ® brand, coupled with a dual focus on expanding category penetration and accelerating premiumization, continue to strengthen category relevance and reinforce our long-term growth ambitions.
NESPRESSO® continued its strong growth momentum in e-commerce and retail channels fuelled by continuing premiumization and building seasonal relevance in summer through iced coffee.
Prepared Dishes and Cooking Aids product group delivered strong growth. MAGGI® noodles continued to expand through rural penetration, while MAGGI® Masala-ae-Magic continued to focus on driving household penetration by unlocking regional top dish usage across the country.
Milk Products and Nutrition product group saw strong, broad-based growth with investments in brand building and portfolio optimisation.
Pet Food business delivered strong double-digit growth, supported by sharper consumer engagement on digital platforms and focused route to market. We continued to strengthen our presence in the cat food segment through science-based nutritional solutions across mainstream and premium offerings, through FELIX® Gravy Lover, PRO PLAN® Cat and FRISKIES® wet cat. Leveraging Nestlé’s research and innovation capabilities, we remain focused on delivering advanced nutrition tailored to the evolving needs of pets.
Nestlé Professional continued its strong momentum, delivering robust, double-digit, volume-led growth through premium offerings, customer-centric solutions and innovative applications catering to evolving needs of customers in the out-of-home space.
E-commerce also continued its strong trajectory, driven by sustained shopper engagement, portfolio breadth, and focused channel-specific execution. General Trade delivered robust, double-digit growth across town classes, led by strong momentum in rural markets. Continued expansion of rural distribution touchpoints enhanced our direct reach and strengthened market coverage.
Digitalization continues to strengthen execution across our business. Building on the success of NestMitra for retailers, we are now putting data-enabled digital tools directly into the hands of our sales teams, enabling faster decisions and sharper market execution. Our sales officer app equips hundreds of sales officers with near real-time market insights, helping them identify opportunities and improve engagement.
During a recent visit to Bathri, a village adopted under our Village Development Programme near our Tahliwal factory in Himachal Pradesh, I spent time with the Gram Pradhan. As we walked through the village, he shared stories of children staying in school, families paying greater attention to nutrition and hygiene, and farmers looking to the future with renewed confidence. This was a reminder that the true measure of impact lies in helping communities believe that a brighter future is within reach.
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