Nestle India reported robust financial performance for the fiscal year ending March 31, 2026 (FY25-26), with revenue growing 14.9% year-on-year and EBITDA surging 72.0%. The results, presented during an analyst meet on August 4, 2026, underscored the company’s ability to drive volume-led growth while advancing its premiumization strategy across key categories like coffee, biscuits, and chocolates.

The filing was issued pursuant to Regulation 30 of the SEBI (Listing Obligations and Disclosure Requirements) Regulations, 2015. Nestle India also announced a structural change to its financial calendar, shifting from a January–December cycle to an April–March cycle. Consequently, FY23-24 covered a 15-month period from January 1, 2023, to March 31, 2024, ensuring comparability for future reporting periods.

Financial Performance Highlights

The company’s value creation journey reflected significant gains across multiple metrics. Advertising and sales promotion (A&SP) grew by 10.7%, supporting a 14.9% revenue increase. This top-line growth translated into substantial bottom-line improvement, with net cash flows from operating activities rising by 72.0%. Over the last year, total shareholder return stood at 15.2%.

Source: Internal data, as per best estimate; FY25-26 vs. FY24-25

Operational Expansion and Reach

Nestle India continues to deepen its market penetration, reaching two out of three households in India. The company’s distribution network now covers 6.2 million outlets, with significant gains in rural areas. Total village coverage has expanded to 45,300 villages, reinforcing its strategy to win rural consumers through deeper distribution networks. Since 2023, the company added over 500,000 retail outlets, achieving the highest-ever gain versus peers in outlet reach.

E-commerce channels are also gaining traction, with contribution doubling since 2021. This digital shift is complemented by a focus on premium consumers, leveraging emerging channels to launch new products and enhance brand salience.

What the Numbers Show

The divergence between revenue growth (14.9%) and EBITDA growth (72.0%) suggests a significant operational leverage effect or one-time efficiency gains. While volume growth is cited as a driver, the disproportionate rise in profitability indicates that cost efficiencies and premiumization are contributing more heavily to margins than pure volume expansion. The company noted savings of 2.6% of sales in 2025, compared to a 1.9% average between 2021-2024, highlighting improved operational discipline.

Brand Strength and Category Leadership

Nestle India’s portfolio remains dominant across key segments. Maggi celebrates 50 years in India, with 97% penetration in biscuits and salty snacks. Nescafé marked its 20th consecutive quarter of double-digit growth, capitalizing on India’s evolving coffee culture. KitKat has made India its largest global market, with 62.9% penetration in chocolates. The company is also unlocking new consumption cohorts, particularly in cold coffee consumption and out-of-home solutions, where it holds the second-largest market share in Zone AOA.

Strategic Focus Areas

Looking ahead, Nestle India is prioritizing cost efficiency, investment in brand building, and digital transformation. Capital expenditure has exceeded ₹64 billion since 2020, aligning with the ‘Make in India’ initiative. The company is leveraging AI to drive smarter execution in operations and sales, aiming to navigate potential short-term consumption slowdowns and geopolitical headwinds affecting supply continuity and cost inflation.

Nestlé India Limited held its 67th Annual General Meeting (AGM) on Friday, 3rd July 2026, through video conferencing/other audio-visual means (VC/OAVM) at its registered office at 100/101, World Trade Centre, Barakhamba Lane, New Delhi – 110 001 (deemed venue). The meeting was conducted from 10:30 hours to 13:29 hours IST, with Chairman and Managing Director Mr Manish Tiwary presiding over the AGM for the first time in that capacity. All four resolutions set out in the AGM Notice dated 21st April 2026 were duly passed with requisite majority.

Key Financial Highlights for FY 2025-26

In his address to shareholders, Mr Tiwary acknowledged that FY 2025-26 had been a challenging year for India's consumption economy, influenced by food inflation, evolving consumer behaviour, changing household consumption patterns, varying urban demand, dependence of rural demand on monsoons and farm incomes, and prevailing global uncertainties. Despite these headwinds, the Company reported its highest-ever domestic sales and delivered strong operational metrics for the year.

The Chairman also noted that the Company had consistently outperformed industry volume growth throughout the year and achieved its highest-ever operational cost savings during FY 2025-26 through productivity and technology-led initiatives.

Strategic Priorities and Business Updates

Mr Tiwary outlined four key priorities that guided the Company's strategic decision-making and resource allocation during the year:

• Consumer Centricity: Every decision guided by consumer insights across diverse markets, towns, and villages
• Penetration-Led Volume Growth: Approximately 5.2 lakh outlets added across urban, semi-urban, and rural markets since April 2023
• Reinvestment Behind Brands and Capacity: Highest-ever operational savings reinvested in brand building, advertising, digital engagement, and distribution expansion
• Accelerating Technology-Enabled Sales and Operations: Investments in touchless demand forecasting and technology-enabled replenishment systems

The Chairman highlighted that India had continued to be the largest market globally for MAGGI and had become the largest market globally for KITKAT during the year. He also referred to the growth of the Ready-to-Drink coffee portfolio, Nestlé Professional, the Out-of-Home business, and the Pet Foods business — which includes brands such as Felix, Pro Plan, Supercoat, and Friskies.

On capacity expansion, the Chairman informed members that the Company had invested in a new greenfield manufacturing facility in Odisha and had committed approximately ₹2,000 crore towards capital expenditure over the preceding two years to support future growth.

Sustainability and Value Chain Contributions

The Chairman apprised members of the Company's progress under its "Good for Planet" sustainability roadmap. Key achievements during the year included:

• Annualised energy savings of over 40,000 gigajoules
• Reduction in carbon emissions by approximately 1,200 tonnes
• Water savings of more than 135,000 cubic metres
• Seven manufacturing facilities operating under the Zero Liquid Discharge framework
• Increased use of alternative fuels and sustainable transportation solutions

Approximately 92% of the Company's sourcing was undertaken within India, and its value chain supported around 80,000 farmers, 4,700 suppliers, more than 10,000 distributors and redistributors, and approximately 5.3 million retail outlets.

Dividend Declaration and AGM Attendance

The Board of Directors, at its meeting held on 3rd July 2026, declared a Special Dividend 2026 of ₹2.00 per equity share of face value of ₹1.00 each out of the retained earnings of the Company, to be paid along with the Final Dividend 2025-26, subject to member approval. Members subsequently approved a Final Dividend of ₹5/- (Rupees five only) per equity share of Re. 1/- each for FY 2025-26 on the entire issued, subscribed, and paid-up equity share capital of 1,92,83,14,320 equity shares.

The AGM was attended by Nestlé S.A., holding 66,10,27,980 equity shares and represented by Mr Manish Tiwary; Maggi Enterprises Limited, holding 54,92,73,600 equity shares represented by Mr Pramod Kumar Rai; and 299 other members holding 3,58,792 equity shares.

AGM Resolutions and Voting Results

All four agenda items were passed with requisite majority through remote e-voting (conducted between 30th June 2026, 9:00 a.m. IST, and 2nd July 2026, 5:00 p.m. IST) and e-voting during the meeting. The voting results were declared and intimated to the stock exchanges on 3rd July 2026 at around 6:36 p.m. IST. A summary of the resolutions and total voting outcomes is presented below.

The special business (Agenda Item 4) pertained to the ratification of remuneration payable to M/s. Ramanath Iyer & Co., Cost Accountants (Firm Registration No.: 000019), as Cost Auditors of the Company for FY 2026-27, at ₹2,64,000/- (Rupees two lakhs sixty four thousand only), plus reimbursement of out-of-pocket expenses actually incurred and applicable taxes. Mr Abhinav Khosla, Partner, M/s SCV & Co. LLP, Chartered Accountants, served as the scrutinizer for the voting process. The proceedings were certified by Mr Pramod Kumar Rai, Company Secretary and Compliance Officer, and signed by Mr Manish Tiwary, Chairman and Managing Director, on 30th July 2026 from Gurugram.