Haroli/Una, April 24 (Rajveer Chopra): The Board of Directors of Nestlé India today approved the financial results (standalone and consolidated) for the fourth quarter and the financial year ended March 31, 2026. The details of the standalone results are presented below: Commenting on the standalone results, Mr. Suresh Narayanan, Chairman and Managing Director of Nestlé India, stated, “I am pleased to share that in this quarter, Nestlé India recorded high double-digit growth and achieved its highest-ever domestic sales, standing at ?6,445 crore. This performance was driven by double-digit volume growth—supported by an increase of over 50% in advertising spend—while simultaneously maintaining a healthy EBITDA margin of 26.3%.
During the quarter, total sales and domestic sales registered a growth of 23.4% and 23.1%, respectively. Encouragingly, all product groups contributed to this performance. As we continue to serve consumers amidst challenging external conditions, I express my heartfelt gratitude to our team colleagues for their unwavering support and shared sense of purpose. Our focus on expanding penetration and premium products—coupled with the disciplined utilization of resources and robust execution—has played a pivotal role in driving this growth. During the financial year ending March 31, 2026, we remained focused on fundamentals and executed with strength, resulting in the achievement of double-digit, volume-led growth and a robust increase in market share. Over the past five years, our flagship brand, Maggi Noodles, has consistently maintained its market leadership position, while KitKat and Nescafé have witnessed rapid growth in their market share.
We made significant progress in our structural cost-efficiency initiatives, achieving our highest-ever operational cost savings; this enabled greater reinvestment in our brands and accelerated the adoption of digital and technology-led capabilities across sales and operations. We maintained strict discipline regarding profitability and cash generation, while prudently continuing our capacity upgrades and expansions to meet growing consumer and customer demand and to support future growth. Technology was leveraged to eliminate costs that...” ...did not add value for consumers and customers. These structural cost savings provided additional resources to bolster brand investment, increase advertising, drive consumer-centric initiatives, and strengthen market penetration and distribution.
The Confectionery product group recorded high double-digit growth in both value and volume, supported by strong transactional growth across our key brands. Expanded distribution, enhanced product freshness facilitated by the Visi-cooler program, and several innovations helped sustain this momentum. The Powdered and Liquid Beverages product group recorded yet another year of high double-digit growth, driven by increasing coffee penetration, rapid premiumization, and the category's growing relevance across various consumer segments. Strong brand equity and expanded reach underpinned this performance. The Prepared Dishes and Cooking Aids product group recorded robust volume-led growth, accelerated by active engagement from urban consumers and the expansion of rural reach, resulting in gains in both market share and penetration.
The Milk Products and Nutrition product group demonstrated resilience, recording steady growth. Keeping consumer needs in mind, we further strengthened the reach and value proposition of our portfolio by introducing new and larger pack sizes. The Pet Food business recorded high double-digit growth, driven by a strong innovation pipeline that boosted penetration and trials, expanded distribution, and an increased focus on fostering deeper bonds between pets and their owners. Continuing its growth journey, Nespresso opened its second boutique in India—located in Gurugram—which has received an encouraging response from coffee enthusiasts. I am pleased to report that all our business channels recorded strong double-digit growth.
Nestlé Professional (Out-of-Home) recorded consistent, penetration-led, and volume-driven growth, thereby further solidifying its position as one of Nestlé India’s fastest-growing businesses.
We continued to implement our omni-channel strategy in alignment with the evolving retail ecosystem... ...outlined a strategy encompassing the expansion of e-commerce and quick commerce, the strengthening of modern trade and chain pharmacies, and the sustained growth of general trade within semi-urban and rural markets. Our priorities remained focused on enhancing execution consistency through improved in-stock availability, reduced lead times, optimized channel-specific assortments and pack roles, close collaboration with partners, and technology-enabled replenishment.
In rural markets, we strengthened our route-to-market and accelerated the expansion of our reach through a focused approach centered on infrastructure, product portfolio, technology, visibility, consumer communication, and people. This integrated approach ensured a robust expansion in total reach across various regions, resulting in the highest growth in reach compared to industry peers—driven primarily by rural markets. Our presence was extended to approximately 216,000 villages, and we further reinforced our focus on enhancing the effectiveness of coverage and the quality of execution, rather than merely increasing the number of outlets. Looking ahead, we will concentrate on four key priorities: (1) Consumer Centricity, (2) Penetration-led Volume Growth, (3) Reinvestment in Brands and Capabilities, and (4) Accelerating Technology-enabled Sales and Operations.