Mumbai: Snacking has become a pivotal part of our daily lives, with consumers seeking convenient and indulgent options to satisfy their cravings at all hours. This trend has transformed the food industry, and beloved brands like Baskin Robbins are evolving to meet these changing preferences.
Known for its rich history of delighting ice cream lovers, Baskin Robbins has ventured beyond traditional ice cream offerings to introduce innovative snacking products that cater to modern consumers' needs. From bite-sized ice cream rocks to stickless doublet bars and funwich ice cream sandwiches, Baskin Robbins is redefining the snacking experience while maintaining its reputation for quality and delight.
Indiantelevision.com caught up with Graviss Foods Pvt Ltd, Baskin Robbins' CEO Mohit Khattar to talk about their latest brand campaign - “The Happiest Ice Cream in the World”, the brand's journey into the snacking industry, evolving ice cream market in India, consumer demands and much more…
Edited Excerpts:
On the inspiration behind Baskin Robbins venturing into the snacking industry and consumers’ responses so far
We have observed changes in the consumption patterns of consumers and today snacking is emerging as one of the biggest consumption drivers in the lives of consumers. The trend of snacking aims to expand the focus from ice creams as celebratory products to snacking and dessert options all-day long.
From mid-day snacking to early evening snacking or even late-night snacking, there are multiple day parts where consumers look for snacking alternatives. Innovation has always been the cornerstone of our business and we keep a close tab on changing consumer preferences. We understand the core need and adapt and evolve our products alongside them. Hence, our latest introductions are developed keeping the emerging trends in mind. We now offer bite-sized ice cream rocks, stickless doublet ice cream bars and even funwich ice cream sandwiches. So far, consumer response and feedback has been encouraging and positive.
On the current state of the ice cream market in India, including recent growth trends and shifts in consumer preferences
The Indian ice cream market currently is valued at over Rs 25,000 crore and has been performing well, growing at a rate of 15-17 per cent annually. Over the past few years, Baskin Robbins has outpaced the industry with an average CAGR of 30 per cent.
There have been some evident growth drivers. These include premiumisation, convenience and frequent snacking and the acceptance of ice creams as a category that goes beyond celebrations. Improved power situation, better cold chain infrastructure and even larger refrigerators at home are factors that are pushing the industry to grow faster.
We have seen that premiumisation is booming! Consumers crave better-quality indulgences, never tried before flavours and newness in formats. They appreciate taste and consumption experiences that give them something new to experience.
Another emerging trend is that of convenience. Consumers not only want products closer to their location but also want them delivered quickly. Hence our approach to not just products but also distribution is evolving quickly. This implies increased presence in more neighbourhoods through not just our exclusive parlours but also premium retail stores as well as a stronger push and presence on e-comm and aggregator platforms.
Additionally, to cater to the rise in frequent snacking – we are developing and introducing products that fit into different day parts and can satisfy customers.
Are you seeing any rise in consumer demand for healthier ice cream options
There has been some traction in the health-conscious segment lately, though it remains relatively small within the overall market landscape. Currently our D’lites range offers classic flavours like Strawberry and Bavarian chocolate - all without added sugar. While this range is currently limited, reflecting consumer preference, we remain vigilant in monitoring the market. We are committed to exploring opportunities to expand this range if and when the market demands.
On Baskin Robbins ensuring the highest standards of quality and safety in your packaging processes to prevent occurrences such as recent incidents where insects were found in ice cream products going viral on social media
At Baskin Robbins, we strive to maintain the highest quality in everything we do. Stringent process control, close monitoring and evaluation at various stages right from procurement of raw material to processing, production and storage helps to keep the integrity of the end products as intended.
Adoption of technology at various stages of the production process including fully automated machines, scanners and metal detectors help identify and segregate products with issues and maintain the sanctity of the process. Even in our parlours, we conduct monthly audits to keep our stores in good shape and ensure the integrity of products and services.
As brands that customers trust, the onus is on us to keep up the vigil and continuously invest behind not just new technology but also behind solid processes and sensitisation of personnel at all levels to ensure that customers get nothing but the best. As a much loved and responsible brand, we have always taken care to put in multi-stage checks to ensure that pristine quality reaches the end customer.
On Baskin Robbins managing and strategising during low sales periods or the dry season, apart from peak sales seasons and the specific strategies you have found most effective in both scenarios
To start off with I would like to say that ice cream holds timeless appeal, enjoyed by people of all ages year-round and so our strategy is a nuanced balance between maintaining year-round presence and strategically focusing efforts during peak seasons.
Throughout the year we launch engaging marketing campaigns that resonate with our audiences. We focus on strategic product partnerships with like-minded food brands, aligning with current trends and consumer interests to keep us relevant and appealing. We want to be where are consumers are at all times and hence you will also see us engaged with interesting events such as Vir Das’s show, concerts or pop ups. Additionally, we also invest in gathering consumer research and feedback to understand market needs and preferences, using these insights to refine offerings and prepare for successful new product launches.
The multifaceted approach ensures we are always exploring new and fun ways to engage with our target audience.
On the impact of your latest campaign, "The Happiest Ice Cream in the World" and the key elements of this campaign and its effectiveness in stimulating demand
Our consumers' voices are the heartbeat of our brand. We thrive on hearing from them, and we asked them how they felt about us. And we were thrilled that they had plenty to say!
From describing us as "sensational" to praising our "quality"; from recognising our products as "pure and premium" to associating them with "playfulness" and "fun," the feedback was overwhelmingly positive. Our ultimate favourite was that Baskin Robbins makes one "happy, happier, happiest!"
Bringing joy to consumers is at the core of our brand ethos and our latest campaign, “The Happiest Ice Cream In The World!” is a vibrant portrayal of spreading happiness.
The campaign comprises of a series of short captivating films that showcase consumers caught in bizarre situations, but dealing with it in a calm, cool, collected manner with their favourite Baskin Robbins in hand! The key takeaway being that through life’s ups and downs, the brand will be that one reliable, cheerful companion that makes consumers truly happy, irrespective of what happens around them.
And we must say that response and love we have received from the customers for the campaign has been nothing short of stellar both in terms of sales and awareness!
On the future plans and innovations that can be expected from Baskin Robbins in terms of business expansion and product development
Innovation is what drives us. We are committed to introducing unique and exciting flavours and formats that cater to the evolving tastes of our new age consumers. Our research and development team, guided by consumer feedback and insights, is focused on creating innovative products and formats for us, be it for the impulse category or dine-in parlour category. Over the last few years, we have built a sizable portfolio of products that appeal to today’s consumers and go beyond traditional ice cream offerings. This includes new age ice cream flavours like Lotus Biscoff, Brown Biscuit Boba and Blueberry ‘N White Chocolate and many others; a huge portfolio of exciting sundaes, ice cream cakes, ice cream sandwiches, bite -sized ice cream rocks, multi layered ‘stickless’ ice cream Doublet bars and many more such options that enable a consumer to savour the category in myriad ways and we shall continue to do the same going forward as well.
On our expansion plans, we currently operate 950 plus exclusive brand parlours across 280 plus cities in the country. We aim to hit the 1000 store mark later this year. Our current presence not just includes in all of the metro and tier one cities but also over 200 tier two and tier three cities as well. We will continue to grow into tier two and tier three cities going forward.
On the role that you see AI influencers playing in the future of digital marketing and brand promotion
We employ multiple levers in our marketing strategy and are always on the lookout for new and fun ways to engage with our consumers. This year, we partnered with an AI influencer for one of our summer product launches. Digital personalities with their substantial and engaged following allowed us to reach a different, tech-savvy audience base. We foresee AI continuing to be a part of our campaigns in various capacities, depending on consumer interests at any given point in time. While AI influencers offer unique opportunities, our approach remains flexible to adapt to evolving trends and preferences.
