Perfetti to expand portfolio in India

Confectionery major Perfetti Van Melle India plans to launch a new candy to expand its portfolio soon.

The maker of Alpenliebe, Centre Fresh, Big Babool, Chupa Chups and Mentos, among other brands, has also introduced green apple flavour in Chupa Chups lollipop.

The company, which is celebrating its 25 years of presence in India, has more than 20% market share in the Indian confectionery market, which is upwards of Rs 10,000 crore.

Rajesh Ramakrishnan, Managing Director of Perfetti Van Melle India said their focus will be on innovation. "We will be focusing on innovation not just in terms of products but in the market as well," Ramakrishnan said.

The Indian confectionery market is extremely cluttered with many regional players. From 25 paise, 50 paise candy, brands are gradually moving to Re 1, Rs 5, Rs 10 and Rs 20, and Perfetti is also moving towards it.

"People are open to high price points," said Ramakrishnan. For confectionery brands, ecommerce is always a challenge considering the cost of transactions.

Perfetti has just taken baby steps in case of ecommerce. Its products are available in the marketplace like Amazon and Flipkart, and the company is looking at customising product offerings according to online requirements.

"Globally, online is a big market for all categories. It also depends on how well you are customing products. Online market for confectionery is evolving," he added.

The company sells in over 150 countries worldwide. "We have three manufacturing locations in the country. India is one among the top 3 markets for us and we are growing at double-digit here, whereas, the confectionery industry is growing at 10-12%," said Ramakrishnan.