GCMMF all set to launch chocolates made from camel milk this diwali

Artisanal chocolate brand COLOCAL launches its flagship in Delhi at Dhan Mill, Chhattarpur.

COLOCAL is a bean-to-bar concept and features a chocolate factory along with casual café dining.

Conceptualized by power-couple Sheetal Saxena and Nishant Kumar Sinha, COLOCAL aims to redefine the chocolate indulgence experience in the capital.

The location, Dhan Mill at Chhatarpur, serves as the perfect backdrop with its charming, luxurious and niche vibe, dotted with couture fashion houses, cafes, high-end brands, creative studios and a lot more intriaguing outlets to explore.

“The launch of COLOCAL is a dream come true for us. When we started working on this project, everyone said it requires a skill set and formal knowledge to be able to understand it. However, we broke this barrier and learned that all we need is sheer passion and dedication to succeed at anything,” shared Sheetal Saxena, Co-Founder, COLOCAL whose all our team members are from a village, adopted and trained by them, they were unschooled before about the nitty-gritty and details.

The concept is based on strategically sourcing locally grown cacao and transforming it into the finest, skillfully blended chocolate available for all the chocoholics out there in every possible form.

The idea behind the brand is to introduce people to the craft chocolate world, where they get to taste the real chocolate with their varied notes, made out of premium quality Indian beans.

Italian confectionery major and premium chocolate maker, Ferrero Will invest additional Rs 500 crore to take its total investment to Rs 2,000 crore in India to further its production facility and distribution network, a senior company official said.

"India is an important market because the potential is very big. Today, it is relatively small but the idea is that India would grow many folds. The ambitions are big. The idea is to multiply our turnover of today and it would take some time," Ferrero India Managing Director Stefano Pelle.

The company is now planning to enter into tier II and III cities by doubling its distribution network over the next 2-3 years.

brands like Ferrero Rocher, Kinder, Tic Tac and Nutella operated by Ferrero is considering to get into the affordable segment in the sugar confectionery with value-based offerings and small SKUs (stock keeping units) in chocolate side.

Once, Ferrero has right kind of portfolio and have right through the market, then definitely India would be among its "three biggest priority market for us," Pelle added.

About the investment, Pelle said, "There are plans to increase it. Now we have invested already more than Rs 1,500 crore but we have plans to cross easily Rs 2,000 crore in some time to come. It could also be more depending opportunity in the market. Certainly, the group is very clear that India is a priority."

Moreover, the premium chocolate maker is also aiming the mass market by having some affordable products in its offerings.

On being asked about the strategy, Pelle said affordable "packaging would be a part of it".

Ferrero is also expanding its distribution network and plans to be available in top 100 cities soon. "One of the ambition which we have, is to double our distribution in next 2-3 years," Pelle added.

The company has a plant in Baramati catering partly to the domestic market and rest is for markets of South Asia, South East Asia and Middle East.

The Cadbury distributors in Gujarat have gone on a boycott against the Cadbury-maker Mondelez International. The Gujarat Mondelez-Cadbury Distributors Forum has not engaged in any business with Mondelez India Foods Private Limited since six days now over issues ranging from its opposition to expanding distribution network through alleged phantom outlets to GST evasion through these outlets.

As per the estimates, there are 52 distributors of Mondelez in the state doing business worth Rs 400 cr per annum. Trouble has been brewing up between the two since February when the distributors formed a group to begin what they call a non-cooperation movement against the company.

“To show its retail penetration, the company forced each one of us to open multiple outlets periodically and linked incentives to the same. Since beyond a point that was not possible, we were forced to open dummy outlets through a company helpline number. Currently, there are about 10,000 bogus or non-existing outlets in Gujarat alone and we want the company to close them,” a representative from the forum said.

Mondelez India spokesperson said, “These allegations are false and baseless. As an ethical company, we never conduct business in a non-compliant manner. Our relationship – like many in the FMCG industry – is with our distributor partners to whom we sell stock. We work on an auto replenishment mode and our revenue is based on what we sell to these distributors – who in turn sell stock to retailers. No GST benefit can accrue to the company from fake outlets as alleged, since our systems are only enabled to sell to our distributor partners who are GST registered. Any inflation of retail outlets has no positive benefit, directly or indirectly, for our business.”

With GST now in place, distributors concerned feel this vicious cycle will collapse and they may come under tax scrutiny. “Mondelez has been showing expansion at our cost – these are bogus outlets – and are evading GST. We have become risk-managers for the brand and it is time we put an end to the malpractices.”

Chocolate maker Mars Wrigley Confectionery has confirmed the appointment of former Indian cricket team Capitan MS Dhoni as brand ambassador of its famous chocolate, Snickers.

A statement issued by the company said, the chocolate's association with the former Indian cricket captain starts with a new 30 seconds television commercial.

Bollywood actors like Rekha and Sonam Kapoor had previously endorsed the brand.

Mars Wrigley Confectionery Marketing Director Yogesh Tewari said, "The brand is loved across the world for its cool quotient and there is no one who personifies this better than our very own captain cool."

Dhoni said, "This association comes to me as a natural fit as nothing can satiate the angry hunger as well as Snickers does."

Mondelez said Indian business will be crucial to building its global ecommerce sales as the maker of Cadbury and Oreo strives for $1 billion in online sales by 2020.

Ganesh Kashyap, head e-comm, AMEA at Mondelez International said “As a company, we have taken a big bet to build a billion dollar business online in snacking by 2020. A third of that would come from Asian, the Middle Eastern and African regions and India will really be a key market for us. By 2020, online business will get to about 5% of our overall sales in India from less than 1% now. But the company also expects additional revenues to come from newer platforms it launched its own portal in India, marking its entry into the ecommerce business, especially to cash in on the premium gifting market. “We don't expect to be a retailer, but in gifting, there’s a real opportunity for personalisation of gifts. We as a company want to push the frontier in the space”.

Until now, the country’s largest confectioner has been selling its products online through marketplaces such as Big Basket and Amazon. Since last year, it has been deepening its relationship with them by having product customisation and promotions, exclusive to online. For instance, it set up a virtual chocolate store on Amazon India, launched Bournvita biscuits, Cadbury Fuse, Marvellous Creations and Silk Oreo first on various online portals before rolling them out at traditional retail stores.

The digital push comes at a time when health-conscious consumers are cutting back on discretionary spend, forcing chocolate and confectionery makers in India to post near-decade-low growth in sales last fiscal. Mondelez saw sales rise by about 6% in the year to March 2017, better than a year ago but far from the double-digit growth it had posted in most of the past decade.

Mondelez said e-commerce is showing signs of leapfrogging modern trade. In 2016, the company’s e-commerce net revenue grew more than 35% globally. China remains one of its biggest growth drivers with online sales already accounting for 10% of the country’s overall revenue.

Hershey, US based chocolate confectionary firm investing USD 50 million in India over the next five years to increase its operation in India.

Parveen Jakate, Hershey India Chairman and Managing Director said “We anticipate an investment of about USD 50 million during the next five years as we focus on growing and expanding our presence in India. India is one of our key International focus markets and we are investing to build this important business. We are excited about the future of our great brands and products in India. Our investments over the next several years will help us to further build upon our positive momentum.

Hershey had entered India through a joint venture with Godrej Group in 2008, but dissolved it four years later, buying out the entire stake. India is among the four key markets for the company globally outside North America.

Hershey India's product portfolio includes brands like Hershey's Syrups, Hershey's Milk Booster, Hershey's Spreads, Hershey's Milk Shakes, Sofit, Jolly Rancher, Brookside Chocolates, Jumpin, Nutrine and Smart Cook.

Hershey Company Chief Financial Officer Patricia Little said “Constant currency net sales in India increased 16 per cent and slightly exceeded our plan. Growth in the brands we are investing behind continues to be solid. Our transition of the India portfolio is enabling a higher margin business, and we are on track to expand gross margins here by 1,000 basis points in 2017. This is enabling adjustments in the local marketplace that should result in a sustainable operating model”.

Pennsylvania-headquartered firm, which recently announced its third quarter global earnings, had said that India has emerged as the fastest growing market, clocking a net sales growth of 16 per cent.

One of the leading chocolate manufacturers The Hershey Company has announced its quarter3 global earnings and revenue.

According to a statement by the company, Hershey India has recorded a strong double digit constant currency net sales growth. Among its global earnings, the constant currency net sales for Brazil in the third quarter increased by 3.3 per cent, while for Mexico net sales increased by 10 per cent. India has registered the highest net sales growth of 16 per cent, exceeding plan.

Outside of North America, India is one of only four focus markets for The Hershey Company (Other focus markets China, Brazil and Mexico).

Michele Buck, President and Chief Executive Officer, The Hershey Company said, “We're making measured investments in our core markets of Mexico, Brazil and India, where we're seeing solid marketplace gains. Combined constant currency net sales growth in these markets was 8 per cent, and we're improving on operating income trends at the same time. I'm pleased with our progress in this segment.”

Hershey India has multi category portfolio that includes Hershey milk shake, Hershey sofit, Milk booster etc.

Patricia A. Little, CFO, the Hershey Co, said, “Constant currency net sales in India increased 16 per cent and slightly exceeded our plan. Growth in the brands we're investing behind continues to be solid. Our transition of the India portfolio is enabling a higher margin business, and we are on track to expand gross margins here by 1,000 basis points in 2017. This is enabling adjustments in the local marketplace that should result in a sustainable operating model”.

Mondelez India,  today announced entry into direct online sales for its range of products as part of efforts to tap into the gifting segment.

Mondelez India said in a statement that “The website wwwis an additional channel for consumers to directly connect with the brand. The new site will allow the company, part of Mondelez International, to build an opportunity in the corporate gifting segment, especially during festive gifting, Mondelez India said in a statement”.

Mondelez India e-commerce Lead Abhishek Ahluwalia said: "We have identified a massive opportunity in the corporate gifting space that we aim to leverage through this platform."

The company will provide free shipping for any bulk order above Rs 299.

Besides, the company, which has a strong gifting portfolio, will enhance such experience through discounts, multiple location delivery and free shipping, along with customisation and bulk orders.

Ahluwalia also added "We are focusing our investments strategically on associations that help us develop best in class sales and distribution proficiencies with strong go-to-market capabilities.”

Mondelez India has powerful brands in its portfolio, which includes Dairy Milk, Cadbury Dairy Milk Silk, Cadbury Celebrations, Cadbury Bournville, Cadbury 5 Star, Cadbury Perk, Cadbury Gems and Cadbury Glow.

For chocolate lovers and enthusiast alike, the fun has just begun as a chocolate brand ‘Tohfa’ has launched its niche products to the Indian market including premium chocolates (such as those by Ferrero Rocher) and other imported products.

In order to mark its entry in the Indian market, Maiden Group recently organized a gala night at Warehouse Café in Gurgaon and revealed all the products of its flagship ‘Tohfa’ brand.

The CEO & Founder of Maiden Group Kapil Goyal expressed delight towards the launch of his dream project. He said, “Definitely an indigenous way of gifting will be a disruption in the market and India being a land of festival and celebrations, market is surely not a challenge. Looking at the current gifting industry, I think there is a lot of scope to improvise on quality and operational fronts. Yes we are new but we understand the Indian market better than most of our competitors. A thorough work that our back end research team has done shows a bright future in terms of both market and branding. We also have a strong network amongst FMCG, distribution network across India and the ground work started months before the launch date.”