Sweet success for chocolate

Premium dark chocolate is becoming increasingly popular, say chocolatiers

Last month, Health Minister Harsh Vardhan took to Twitter to suggest a range of foods including dark chocolate with 70 per cent cocoa content to boost immunity and beat stress. While the post received a lot of flak for having no scientific backing in the context of Covid, the merits of chocolate is one that has been illustrated several times. Cocoa contains flavanols, a type of plant nutrient, that can help reduce the risk of diabetes, improve blood flow and lower blood pressure. With the focus for most people shifting to better health during the pandemic, people have started viewing chocolate differently — it is no longer a mere sweet treat, but a snack with a host of health benefits.

Snack time treat

Vimal Sharma, founder of Smoor says that the chocolate industry is a Rs 3,000 crore market, in which luxury chocolates is growing exponentially. “It was clear, before the pandemic itself, that snacking of chocolate was going to the next evolution in the industry,” he says. With dark chocolate, as well as, infusion or herbal chocolates becoming popular, people began moving towards a bite-size approach. Consumption has doubled over the past year. “We have seen an increase of 100 to 150 per cent in consumption,” he says. They have also launched a herbal range of chocolates that seem to have piqued interest. “50 per cent of our existing customers are those who know our product. They are adding to the basket and experimenting,” he says.

Sustainable choices

Kocoatrait was started by L Nitin Chordia and Poonam Chordia in 2019 when they realised that there was a market for sustainable/ zero waste chocolate. They offer luxury chocolates that are zero waste, single-origin, organic and sustainable while contributing to the circular economy.

“The concept had many takers before the pandemic itself. The thing is, chocolate is something you take for granted because it falls in the ‘impulse buy’ category. But, now people are seeing differently,” says Nitin.

Their online sales shot up dramatically last lockdown. From receiving four to five orders daily, they began getting 30 to 35 orders a day. “With people moving out of metro cities to their home, not only has their spending power increased, but they have been consuming more information,” he says. This, he explains, has played a role in expanding their client base across the country.

As a bean-to-bar chocolate company (when the entire process of making chocolate, right from the bean, is carried out by the same chocolate maker), they make their products in smaller batches sans heavy machinery.

“Or clients fall into four categories. One, people trying to adopt an organic way of life; two, those wanting to follow zero-waste or minimalist lifestyle; third, vegans, and lastly, doctors and nutritionists who have realised that dark chocolate with cocoa of 70 per cent and above has health benefits,” he says. They avoid refined sugar and rely on ingredients like khandasari sugar, palm sugar, jaggery or dates.

They do not use any synthetic or artificial flavours. “As a result the flavours are subtle. But, the thing is, we want to teach people how to eat lesser chocolate. Like wine, you have to savour it,” he explains.

Customised gifts

Caroline Kumar, chocolatier started a home-based brand, Liquorice by Caroline last year. Self-taught, she began making chocolates for her own consumption, until she realised that people were interested in what she had to offer.

More and more people moving away from splurging on foreign brands, instead, choosing to buy high-quality Indian brands. “People are willing to pay a premium if your product is good,” she says.

Gifting chocolate continues to be a popular choice for many. “There is a peak during festival time. Last Diwali, was the busiest time. I had to stop taking orders after a point,” she says.

Over the past couple of months, she has also noticed an increase in demand for vegan products, as well as sugar-free chocolates. “I don’t have them on the menu, but I customise based on dietary restrictions,” she adds.