With 150 outlets across India, Ice cream chain Ibaco expands its presence further

Gallops, one of the recognised symbol of luxury dining in South Mumbai, unveils an exclusive dessert menu in collaboration with the celebrated Indu Ice Cream. 

Launched on 25th October 2024, this menu is going to be delighting customers till 15th November, 2024. 

Set within a scenic ambience, Gallops has been appealing to the palates of Mumbai audiences since almost four decades. Known for mastering the integration of tradition with modern cuisine, Gallops unveils a dessert feast in collaboration with Indu Ice Cream, yet again combining the essence of tradition with innovation.

“Gallops and Indu both love celebrating the culinary heritage of India, and we came together to create lovely festive flavours as a very special way to celebrate Diwali, to add a little more sweetness to everyone’s festive season,” said Yajush Malik, Partner and Chef at Gallops. 

With a focus on authentic and rich flavours, enhanced with modern techniques, this menu offers two sections, the Matka Ice Creams and Exclusive Desserts. The Matka Ice Creams seamlessly blend the flavors of ice cream with Indian sweets, with four offerings for guests to enjoy. Exclusively curated for Gallops and available at Gallops and Indu Ice Cream both, the Jalebi Cheesecake Ice Cream is a Gallops’ classic reimagined as matka ice cream. 
 
“The entire team at Indu ice cream is so excited to be collaborating with an iconic restaurant like Gallops! This Jalebi cheesecake ice cream with Rabri is the ultimate festive dessert. The vibrancy of flavours and textures makes it an experience like no other,” added Saloni Kukreja, Founder at Indu Ice Cream.

Giani's Ice Cream, a well-known name in the dessert industry since 1956, is gearing up for a significant expansion across India and internationally. The brand aims to double its current store count and venture into markets like the USA and Dubai in the coming years.

At the Restaurant India 2024 Awards (North India Edition), Anandpreet Singh, Managing Director of Giani's and The Waffle Company said, "Giani's started out in 1956 by my forefathers. We stand at 300 stores today. And we aim to double this number in the next few years and even go international. We are looking at USA or Dubai to begin with."

The journey of Giani's began in 1956 when Giani Gurcharan Singh migrated from Faislabad (Pakistan) to Delhi and opened the first outlet named 'Giani Di Hatti'. The outlet's Rabri Faluda became a favorite among Delhi residents.

The brand 'Giani’s Ice Cream' was established with just three flavors: Vanilla, Strawberry, and Butterscotch, by Amarjeet Singh and Paramjeet Singh. Over the years, Giani's has expanded to more than 18 Indian states, offering over 100 products. With this ambitious expansion plan, Giani's Ice Cream is set to strengthen its presence in the retail and hospitality sectors both in India and globally.

Graviss Foods Pvt Ltd has gears up to open its 1000th Baskin Robbins outlet in India and the SAARC region in 2024.

Prioritizing Tier 2 and 3 cities strategically and reinforcing its foothold in major urban hubs, this achievement signifies a crucial juncture in the company's expansion.

Baskin Robbins' dedication to innovation has resulted in a continuous stream of new product introductions over the last three years, including a variety of ice cream cakes and desserts.

The brand's commitment to job creation is evident, with nearly 4000 individuals directly and indirectly benefiting from its operations.

Additionally, Baskin Robbins has allocated Rs 100 crore towards establishing a new factory in India in 2022 to fulfill its demand requirements.

In recent years, the brand has expanded beyond traditional parlors and is now accessible in over 4,000 premium retail outlets across major cities as it prepares to celebrate its 30-year journey in India in 2024.

Operating across more than 900 stores spanning over 250 cities, the brand is utilizing its strong franchise network to fuel its expansion.

Various initiatives have been put in place to strengthen ties with the extensive franchise network in India and the SAARC region.

“As India strides towards becoming the world's third-largest economy by 2030, Baskin Robbins India recognizes the impact of the country's sustained growth and rising aspirations & affluence. With a commitment to providing high-quality ice creams & desserts in vibrant and convenient locations across the nation, we are happy to aim to reach a major milestone of 1000 stores spread over 270+ cities in the country making BR the largest Ice cream Parlor chain in India. We believe in the power of ice cream to contribute to the nation's Happiness, economic growth, and job creation.” said Vikram Seth, Managing Director, Graviss Foods Pvt Ltd.

Graviss Foods, the Indian licensee of Inspire Brands for Baskin Robbins, has celebrated three decades of operations in India.

It operates a manufacturing facility near Pune, serving both domestic and SAARC region markets.

In addition to traditional ice cream parlors, Baskin Robbins has expanded its presence to modern trade formats, prominent e-commerce platforms, and general trade outlets, as well as partnerships with hotels, restaurants, and QSR chains.

Tablez has launched two outlets of Cold Stone Creamery, the iconic American ice cream brand, in Hyderabad. These outlets are located at HSR Eden Building, Banjara Hills, and SP Road, Begumpet, respectively.

With the launch, Cold Stone Creamery ventures into Hyderabad. These new outlets are the 26th and 27th outlets of Cold Stone Creamery in India.

Tablez holds franchise rights for Cold Stone Creamery.

Adeeb Ahamed, Managing Director, Tablez, said, “Hyderabad is known for its rich gastronomic traditions, and we are glad to bring the popular American ice-cream brand to the city. Cold Stone’s range of ice-creams is made fresh and is expected to add flavour to the taste-buds of all age-segments.”

“The new stores strengthen our growing presence across the cities in South India. Hyderabad is developing at a rapid pace, and the discerning local crowd will definitely enjoy Cold Stone’s Ultimate Ice Cream Experience. We plan to launch 3 more stores in Hyderabad by May 2020,” he further added.

Ice cream market in India

In India, the ice cream industry is one of the fastest growing segments of the dairy or food processing industry. The country has a low per capita ice cream consumption of ice cream at 400 ml as compared with per capita consumption of ice cream of 22,000 ml in the United States and 3,000 ml in China.

The ice cream sector in India has great potential for growth with the improving cold chain infrastructure in the country coupled with increasing disposable income and the changing lifestyle.

In India, the ice cream industry generated revenue of over $1.5 billion in 2016 and is projected to generate revenue of approximately $3.4 billion by 2021.

Ice cream franchise

In modern times when franchising has become the best option to start a business, the ice-cream franchise provides a great opportunity to establish oneself as a capable entrepreneur and earn handsomely.

The organised ice-cream industry constitutes just 4-6% of the total industry, therefore, there is a large scope of growth in the coming years.

For those aspiring franchisees that feared that the diet conscious people would no longer care for this lip-smacking dessert, there is good news! With the growing popularity of ice-creams among health-conscious consumers, one can find an array of frozen desserts fitting various dietary regimes like reduced-fat, fat-free, low-carb, no sugar added or lactose-free ice creams. So, with this development, there is an increased need for more franchise owners in the ever-growing ice-cream franchise segment.

The growth in this sector can be envisaged by the ever-increasing players and their expansion pan India through the franchise route. The brands like Kwality Walls, Vadilals, Amul, Mini Melts, Baskin Robbins, Gelato Vinto, etc, are some national and international players that have prospered from one outlet to hundreds and thousands within a span of a few years, showing the popularity of franchising in this sector.

Carmen’s Best has launched its first international store in Singapore. The new store has been opened at Capitol Singapore.

The store provides fresh milk-based ice creams in flavours like milk chocolate, butter pecan, and Sicilian-sourced pistachio.

The premium Filipino ice cream chain is introducing a Singapore-exclusive cheese flavoured ice cream that contains chunks of cheese. 

Paco Magsaysay, Owner and Founder of Carmen’s Best, has stated a goal to become a Filipino-made, world-class ice-cream brand.

Carmen’s Best started as a dairy farm serving a growing number of stores and partners before unveiling its ice-cream products.

Ice cream market in India

In India, the ice cream industry is one of the fastest growing segments of the dairy or food processing industry. The country has a low per capita ice cream consumption of ice cream at 400 ml as compared with per capita consumption of ice cream of 22,000 ml in the United States and 3,000 ml in China.

The ice cream sector in India has great potential for growth with the improving cold chain infrastructure in the country coupled with increasing disposable income and the changing lifestyle.

In India, the ice cream industry generated revenue of over $1.5 billion in 2016 and is projected to generate revenue of approximately $3.4 billion by 2021.

Ice cream franchise

In modern times when franchising has become the best option to start a business, the ice-cream franchise provides a great opportunity to establish oneself as a capable entrepreneur and earn handsomely.

The organised ice-cream industry constitutes just 4-6% of the total industry, therefore, there is a large scope of growth in the coming years.

For those aspiring franchisees that feared that the diet conscious people would no longer care for this lip-smacking dessert, there is good news! With the growing popularity of ice-creams among health-conscious consumers, one can find an array of frozen desserts fitting various dietary regimes like reduced-fat, fat-free, low-carb, no sugar added or lactose-free ice creams. So, with this development, there is an increased need for more franchise owners in the ever-growing ice-cream franchise segment.

The growth in this sector can be envisaged by the ever-increasing players and their expansion pan India through the franchise route. The brands like Kwality Walls, Vadilals, Amul, Mini Melts, Baskin Robbins, Gelato Vinto, etc, are some national and international players that have prospered from one outlet to hundreds and thousands within a span of a few years, showing the popularity of franchising in this sector.

Ice Cream Lab is planning to have around 30-50 operational stores in India over the next 12-18 months.

The brand is globally known for its unique way of making made-to-order ice cream instantly. Ice Cream Lab is a liquid nitrogen-based molecular gastronomy concept that turns all-fresh natural ice cream base into ice cream instantly. 

Rashed Hareb, Partner, Ice Cream Lab, said, “We have made a 3-5 year expansion plan for India. Over the next 12-18 months, we are looking for 30-50 operational stores in India. Looking at the market viability in India, it is something very achievable. We have already signed four franchise partners and are in advanced stage with many more prospects.” 

First store launch in Hyderabad

Recently, Ice Cream Lab has opened its first franchise outlet in Hyderabad. The brand has aggressive plans to spread the franchise base to the top-10 cities.

The ice cream chain has also signed franchise agreements for locations including Bengaluru, West Bengal, and Punjab.

Hareb, Partner stated, “We are very pleased to open our first store in Hyderabad. The city is on a fast economic growth path with the influx of corporate houses and MNCs which are attracting large manpower and skilled resources. Establishing our first store in Hyderabad is our judicious move to get right brand awareness and to provide a robust start to our brand in India.”

Also Read: Live Ice Cream Rolls: A Business Idea That Travelled From Thailand To India

Different formats for Ice Cream Lab franchise

Currently, Ice Cream Lab is working on 3 distinct models in India. The first model is the grab-and-go food kiosk model, requiring the investment of Rs 32 lakh and an area of 100-150 sq ft. The band’s second model is an Ice Cream Lab café that requires an investment of Rs 50 lakh and an area of 400-500 sq ft and the third model is the large-format café model requiring an investment of Rs 70 lakh and an area of 800 sq ft.

“The initial investment includes the operating expenses for the first two months. While the operational expenses do not exceed 30-35% of the monthly revenues, all Ice Cream Lab franchise models offer a profit margin of 32%. In addition, we offer end-to-end logistics support to all our franchisees,” Hareb added.

Ice Cream Lab has already collaborated with a supplier for delivering quality-controlled milk as well as a vendor for offering machinery and equipments to all franchisees at competitive rates. It has further deployed an on-ground team that will supervise franchise operations, training and logistical support on a day-to-day basis. 

Also Read: Can Liquid Nitrogen Ice Cream Be The Coolest Biz Opportunity

Pabrai's Fresh & Naturelle Ice Cream is looking at expanding in tier I, II and III cities. The Pabrai Family has more than 30 years of experience in the Indian Ice Cream Manufacturing Industry.

Kunal Pabrai, Founder, Pabrai's Fresh & Naturelle Ice Cream, said, “We are exploring newer models, which will be joint ventures, and are planning to expand in tier I, II, III cities.”

The brand is in the business of making premium, 100% natural ice creams. The product is redefining the ice cream space in India. Pabrai's Fresh & Naturelle Ice Cream is supplying to the top end luxury chain of 5-star hotels, restaurants, and caterers across India.

Pabrai's Fresh & Naturelle Ice Cream is available in the cities including Kolkata, Ahmedabad, Bengaluru, Chennai, Coimbatore, Delhi, Dhanbad, Gurugram, Guwahati, Hyderabad, Jamshedpur, Mumbai, Mysore, Raipur, Siliguri and Vijayawada.

The company’s franchise offers great business opportunities to expand into growing markets and with multiple outlets. Its franchise provides independency with the benefits of a big business network.

Pabrai's Fresh & Naturelle Ice Cream Franchise fee for a standalone shop is Rs 6 lakh and for Franchise Plus (area franchise stockist) is Rs 2 lakh.

Baskin-Robbins, the world’s largest ice cream chain, will be adding new vegan ice cream flavors to its stores across America. The new vegan options are available in two flavors, including Chocolate Chip Cookie Dough and Chocolate Extreme.

The new ice creams of Baskin-Robbins are made from a blend of coconut oil and almond butter.

Jeanne Bolger, Director of Research and Development at Baskin-Robbins, said, “The Baskin-Robbins culinary team has been hard at work on our non-dairy flavors for over two years. It was important for us to take the time to get it right.”

“Both flavors are so smooth and indulgent, and the final product delivers the incredible quality that our customers have come to expect from any Baskin-Robbins ice cream. We’re very proud of the result,” he added.

Carol Austin, Vice President of Marketing for Baskin-Robbins, stated, “We’re excited to expand our ice cream portfolio into the vegan space and offer our guests increased options, especially with such high consumer demand for a product like this.”

The ice cream chain is part of the Dunkin’ Brands Group.

David Hoffmann, CEO of Dunkin’ Brands, said, “We absolutely believe this will move the sales needle for us. It’s a damn good product. We are a brand that democratizes trends.”

Seeking a larger market share that is gradually seeing local or family owned brands selling out to multinationals, Hindustan Unilever has announced to acquire Karnataka based ice-cream brand Adityaa from Vijaykant Dairy and Food Products Limited (VDFPL) for an undisclosed amount.

The maker of Kwality Walls ice-cream said it will also get the brand's front end distribution network across geographies and the acquisition is line with the company's strategic intent to strengthen its position in the category. "“Ice creams and frozen desserts is an exciting category and we see great potential for growth. We believe the acquisition will complement our existing portfolio of Kwality Wall’s,” said Sanjiv Mehta, Chairman at HUL.

Having established in Karnataka, Adityaa Milk has gradually expanded into Maharashtra, Goa and Kerala. Post the sell-out, VDFPL will continue to pursue its dairy business. HUL said VDFPL will manage the business until the transaction is completed, and will also continue to manufacture for them for an agreed period of time.

Last month, Hindustan Unilever combined its foods and refreshments business into one division in an effort to increase agility, in line with the global category structure of parent Unilever. In the Rs 12,000 crore ice-cream market, HUL is the second largest player after Amul with share of over 8% according to Euromonitor.

At present, a handful of national players with big marketing and distribution muscle such as Amul, Mother Dairy, Vadilal’s or HUL’s Walls even Havmore are jostling for retail space countrywide while smaller regional players who collectively still control half the market are clinging on to their different pockets of dominance.

Since HUL took over Kwality ice cream in phases after buying the trademark in 1994 or even after Malaysian PE firm Navis lapped up Nirula’s in 2006 for Rs 90 crore. However, the market is fast evolving. Many family owned brands including Vadilal and JSF Holdings that sells under the best selling Uncle John, Skei and Lazza are taking a hard look at their prospects in the backdrop of fast changing consumer habits and before facing any meltdown. Late November, Lotte Confectionary scooped up the Havmor – the country’s seventh largest ice cream brand -- for Rs 1020 crore in an all cash deal.

Two brands announced their India entry in 2015 seeing the potential market of the country, Nestle-owned premium ice cream brand Mövenpick and Arizona-based Cold Stone Creamery. The market is expected to grow at a value CAGR of 20% for next 5 years. In 2013, even Unilever’s brought its top grosser from Europe, the premium Magnum ice cream bars.