ITC to open boutiques for Fabelle luxury chocolate brand in Delhi, Kolkata

By the end of September this year, India will have its first branded chocolate boutique as the Kolkata-based cigarette to FMCG major, ITC Ltd, makers of the Fabelle luxury chocolate brand, has decided to finally come up with two such boutiques in Delhi and Kolkata, outside its hotel premises.

"Spaces have been identified and will be operational sometime next quarter. The identified spaces will be our own in the current phase to ensure quality and a befitting experience for the consumer", Hemant Malik, divisional chief executive of the foods business at ITC Ltd told Business Standard.

The company, had confined the Fabelle brand to boutiques located inside seven hotels that it owns but in September last year, ITC indicated that it was planning to take the luxury chocolate brand outside the hotels' premises. Since then, it has been scouting for appropriate space in luxury malls that would fit the brand's premium positioning, besides giving it a good visibility.

"Plans are on to expand the range of the product from ITC Hotels to premium modern trade outlets. We are also selecting malls and stores like the Wills Lifestyle for greater accessibility and visibility", added Malik.

Currently, Fabelle boutiques, inside the ITC hotels, are built over an area of 700-800 square feet.

As per the company, limiting the pilot launch of the Fabelle brand to select company-owned hotels was effectively leveraged and has helped the brand establish itself in the luxury-end of the market.

Although there are standalone chocolate boutiques like The Chocolate Heaven (Mumbai), Chocolatiers (New Delhi), The Chocolate Room (Bengaluru), Chocolate Atelier (Hyderabad) and several others, there is no established national brand or chain in this segment so far.

On the other hand, global majors like Lindt, Godiva, Guylian and several others have successfully tested this concept worldwide.

Apart from chocolates, the current Fabelle boutiques in the ITC hotels will also offer desserts and cocoa beverage.

As a brand initiative, the company also came up with the 'As you name it' campaign, whereby it is offering its customers to pick a cup of chocolate filing, garnish it with one's own liking and then name the creation after himself or herself.

Over the Sunbean brand of premium coffee, which the company also piloted in its hotels, it has now decided to launch some variants of this coffee in select retail format stores this July. The Sunbean brand will be directly competing with Davidoff, Nescafe Gold, Bru Exotica and other premium brands.