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“Consumers have evolved, so have their preferences for desserts”
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Monday, 19 June, 2023, 08 : 00 AM [IST]
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 Frozen desserts category generates the highest levels of sales and profits during the summer, which is peak season for ice cream brands. In light of this, businesses have enhanced their supply and distribution networks to keep up with the escalating demand. Mohit Khattar, CEO at Graviss Foods Pvt.Ltd., Baskin Robbins, shares his insights on frozen desserts, sustainability, challenges of the industry, new trends, future prospects and more, in an email interview with Kimberley Almeida. Excerpts:
Bakery and dessert inspired indulgent flavours like birthday cake, cheese cake, are increasing in popularity. Elaborate.
Over the years, with exposure to multiple new cuisines and trends from around the world, consumers have evolved and so have their preferences for desserts. There have been multiple introductions in the dessert category in India in general. We have seen desserts from basic patisserie to brownies to cheesecake to tiramisu gain popularity. In fact some of these changes couldn’t have been imagined say a few decades ago. Today’s consumer wishes to explore what’s new and what’s trending – both in terms of new taste and flavour profiles as well as new format concepts.
At Baskin Robbins (BR), we have seen our very own ice cream cakes gain immense popularity and customer love over the years. It works because it combines the celebratory appeal of a cake with a much loved dessert like ice creams and literally offers consumers the best of both worlds. Similarly our Cheesecake Sundaes – with a baked American Cheesecake at its core and embellished with choicest ice creams, drool worthy sauces and toppings have become instant favourites amongst consumers. From a time when we were offering just ice cream scoops to now when we offer a lot more like brownies, lava cakes, cheesecakes, even Gulab Jamuns and waffles apart from ice creams – a lot seems to have changed. Of course, innovation and keeping the customers’ evolving taste buds is at the very core of this initiative from us.
Tell us about the R&D that goes into your products?
There is continuous year round effort to find, develop and perfect new flavours, add new ingredients for inclusions and develop accompaniments that can add value to the overall product sensory experience. Our overall R&D programme is fairly structured. This programme includes new product conceptualisation, scratch recipe development and multiple iterative changes that help us perfect the final product. Many times despite long hours and incredible effort, products don’t see light of day. But the ones that do are the ones that are likely to succeed.
What is the company’s long term plan for sustainability?
Our plans on sustainability operate at multiple levels. This encompasses efforts at our plant to reduce usage and recycle water; to treat effluents before discharge and to reduce and minimise the usage of plastics in general not just at the plant level but also at our outlets.
What are the key factors that would differentiate your brand from the existing brands in the market?
There are several key differentiators. To begin with unlike many brands we are a 100% dairy based ice cream brand. All our products are made with cow’s milk and cream. In fact all the ingredients that we use are premium so that customers get only the best.Unlike several other brands, BR operates in multiple channels like parlours as well as GT, MT and so on as well as in institutions and food service accounts.Most other brands operate in 1 or 2 channels.
BR has been synonymous with 31 flavours – one for everyday of the month! We have stuck to this promise for the last many decades and continue to offer the same promise even today. Several ice cream brands maintain around 15-20 flavours in their stores. Within the array of flavours that we offer, our range of 14 chocolate based flavours is perhaps the widest amongst the entire industry and also the most loved.The range of desserts and accompaniments offered by BR remains pretty much unmatched.
What are the challenges faced by the company in this space?
Challenges are multiple. These range from rising input costs to relatively low staff engagement levels at our parlours and the need to continuously train frontline store staff to interact with consumers.
What are the company’s plans on future collaborations?
In the past we have associated with brands that have echoed the same philosophy as ours. This includes brands like Hershey’s, Oreo, Kitkat and Lotus Biscoff all of whom we have collaborated with to develop winning products. We are currently exploring further collaborations with several partners to be able to continue to push the envelope.
Do you plan on launching new products in light of the changing trends in the industry?
Yes, we do have an exciting line-up of products in completely new formats.
Tell us about the difference in sales with regards to take-home ice cream and impulse buy ice creams.
Typically take home ice cream packs contribute about 40% to the ice cream market whereas single serves (like ice cream cups, cones, sticks) contribute the balance 60%. These numbers are similar for us as well. From an offline versus online perspective – we have seen delivery sales rise to about a third of our overall business.
Give us your thoughts on the future prospects of low calorie and keto ice cream options in India.
In general, these concepts are fairly niche right now but can be expected to grow. India is such a vast country where all segments of consumers exist. There is one that believes that indulgence must not be compromised and the other that makes decisions based on their health concerns. There is ample scope and opportunity for both segments to co-exist and thrive.
Do you see an uptick in manufacturing and supplying of dairy free/vegan ice cream, why?
Absolutely! Vegan and dairy free products in general reflect the conscious choice made by consumers to opt for dairy free choices due to multiple reasons. Ice creams as a category is no exception to that.Given that consumers remain at the centre of what we do, Baskin Robbins introduced plant based (dairy free) versions of some of its popular ice cream flavours about a year and a half ago. Currently we offer dairy free versions of our Classic Vanilla and Missisippi Mud (chocolate) flavours. In general, the demand still remains niche.
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