Copyright thehindubusinessline
Beverage major Varun Beverages Ltd (VBL), PepsiCo’s largest franchise bottler outside the US, reported a 17 per cent year-on-year rise in standalone net profit for the quarter ended September 2025 at ₹577.4 crore. The company posted a profit of ₹492.3 crore in the corresponding period last year. Its revenue from operations remained flat on y-o-y basis at ₹3,063.9 crore during the quarter under review as against ₹3,086.8 crore in the year-ago period. On a consolidated basis, the EBITDA remained flat at ₹1,147.4 crore while EBITDA margins declined slightly by 53 bps to 23.4 per cent in Q3 CY2025 compared to 24.0 per cent in Q3 CY2024. According to the company’s statement, its consolidated sales volume grew by 2.4 per cent to 273.8 million cases in the quarter under review from 267.5 million cases in Q3 CY2024, despite heavy rainfall continuing across India throughout the quarter. Domestic volumes were almost flat, while international volumes grew by 9 per cent, led by South Africa. The board has approved the incorporation of a wholly owned subsidiary in Kenya to carry on the business of manufacturing, distributing, and selling beverages. “While the extended monsoon season impacted consumption trends in India, we remain confident in the significant long-term potential of the domestic beverage industry. With low per capita consumption and rising penetration in semi-urban and rural markets, the opportunity for growth continues to be immense,” Ravi Jaipuria, Chairman, Varun Beverages, said. Jaipuria emphasised that the company is diversifying its product offerings and added that certain African subsidiaries shall test-market beer in their territories through a distribution agreement with Carlsberg Breweries A/S for its Carlsberg brand. Snacks facility in Morocco has ramped up to full-scale operations, and the upcoming Zimbabwe plant is progressing towards commissioning, marking continued progress in diversifying our portfolio beyond beverages, he added. Shares of VBL traded 7 per cent higher at ₹485.90 at 12.38 pm, hitting an intraday high of ₹491.35 against the previous close of ₹454.15. Published on October 29, 2025
