Shezan International has returned to the black in its 2025 financial year, converting a deep loss the year before into a solid profit on the back of better margins, lower finance costs and a modest uplift in sales. The Lahore-based food and beverage company – best known for juices, sauces and pantry staples – also signalled fresh momentum in exports and an improving distribution push in key diaspora markets, even as it remains cautious about excise taxes at home.
The headline numbers tell a story of operational repair. Net sales rose to Rs9,183 million in FY25 from Rs8,155 million a year earlier, an increase of 13%. That rise, while hardly spectacular in a year of high food inflation, was enough to leverage a bigger improvement further down the profit and loss statement. Gross profit climbed to Rs2,252 million from Rs1,610 million, lifting the gross margin to 25% from 20% as the product mix and input discipline improved. The company swung from a FY24 loss after tax of Rs463 million to a FY25 profit after tax of Rs163 million. The content in this publication is expensive to produce. But unlike other journalistic outfits, business publications have to cover the very organizations that directly give them advertisements. Hence, this large source of revenue, which is the lifeblood of other media houses, is severely compromised on account of Profit’s no-compromise policy when it comes to our reporting. No wonder, Profit has lost multiple ad deals, worth tens of millions of rupees, due to stories that held big businesses to account. Hence, for our work to continue unfettered, it must be supported by discerning readers who know the value of quality business journalism, not just for the economy but for the society as a whole.To read the full article, subscribe and support independent business journalism in Pakistan
