The DS Group plans to open the first Laderach store in Delhi and hopes to open 5-7 more locations over the next two years.
FMCGĀ conglomerate,Ā Dharampal Satyapal GroupĀ (DS Group) will open the first exclusive brand outlet of Swiss chocolate brandĀ LaderachĀ in Delhi in July this year.
The boutique will be a premium store built as per the guidelines fromĀ LaderachĀ headquarters.
DS GroupĀ whichĀ houses brandsĀ such as Pulse, Rajnigandha Silver Pearls, Chingles, and Paas Paas, earlier this year partnered to launch the luxury chocolate brand Laderach in India. DS Group will be responsible for repackaging and distribution of the products, which will be imported from Switzerland.
āAccording to the reports, the per capita consumption of chocolates in India is too low as compared to the global standards. So, on similar lines chocolate consumption is expected to further grow in India,ā DS Groupās vice chairman,Ā Rajiv KumarĀ told ReTale on the move to enter the chocolate segment.
He highlighted that the luxury market in India is expected to grow even faster as the adoption of luxury is growing at a fast pace.
DS Group and Laderach plan to open about 5-7 stores over the next 2 years in key metro cities across the country. In addition to exclusive outlets, the company plans toĀ retailĀ the chocolate brand via shop-in-shops,Ā e-commerceĀ channels, and airport stores focusing on the premium audience in India.
The retailer is also tapping corporate, wedding, and event gifting categories for Laderach in India.
Without sharing any revenue targets, Kumar said, āOur focus is never primarily on the numbers. We will instead be focusing on brand building and distribution. The larger aim is to keep the exclusivity of the brand intact.ā
With Laderach, DS Group has expanded its premium offerings in the market. The companyās premium brands include Le Marche, LāOpera, Uncafe, and Les Petits.
Commenting on the strategy to retail a premium brand in a price-sensitive Indian market, Kumar said that price is not a challenge and the company wants to serve the best quality to its consumers.
Citing theĀ FMCGĀ giantās previous launches, he said, āWe were the first ones to move the 50 paisa candy market to Rs 1. Now everybody is selling at Rs 1. In a way, we cater to the premium segment.ā
At a larger level, Kumar believes that DS Group will be working on building or launching multiple categories to cater to every segment of the market, moving beyond the premium audience.