Irresistible Heaven Drops!

If one surveys today in the corporate gifting market it is clearly seen that the traditional Indian mithais have been ruled out by the delicious mouthwatering chocolates whose demand is said to grow more in the coming years.

Gifting is a simple concept, associated with giving warmth and relationship building. However it gets a few categories attached to it once the word 'corporate' is added to it. Corporate gifting can take place within the company, between clients and suppliers, amongst business associates, between manufacturers and dealers etc. Usually the person gifting picks up a common gift for all and so has to carefully decide on what gift to choose which is appreciated by all. Chocolates and gifts are the part of everyone's life and are appreciated by all, so why not combine the two? It might just turn out to be the perfect gift for the festive season.

Once upon a time every giant corporation sent traditional Indian Mithai for festivals like Diwali. Now they are likely to be giving out chocolates, especially to top-level customers and others. People are now increasingly choosing chocolates over traditional Indian sweets as gifts due to the longer shelf life of the former. Scrumptious chocolates wrapped neatly in colorful foil and paper are indeed a delight to receive. Chocolates tantalize the taste buds, look gorgeous and smell heavenly. They are great mood elevators. They are known to mesmerize and it is said that nobody can escape from chocolate temptation.

Select the right kind for the right mood

The word 'chocolate' comes from the Aztec word 'xocolatl' which means 'bitter water'. Chocolate is made from the seeds of the tropical tree, Theobroma cacao. Theobroma is the Greek term for 'food of the gods'. It is everyone's favorite. A large part of chocolate's fascination lies in its taste. Delicious chocolate full of rich concoction satisfies the most intense craving. Chocolates today are offered in variety of types like the Bitter chocolate, which are made from finely ground and roasted beans made with chocolate liquor. Professionals for gifting purpose, other popular one seen is Coverture chocolate, which are cocoa butter rich chocolates of the highest quality, mainly use it. Another mouth watering delight used commonly for gifting is Dark chocolates, these are chocolates containing atleast 15% chocolate liquor and less than 12% milk solids. The second types of it is the darkest of eating chocolate with the highest percentage of chocolate liquor that contains extra cocoa butter to make it melt easily. Dark chocolate with flavors like rum-raisin, cashew, butterscotch and cinnamon are being supplied to corporate and individuals in bulk orders. Then there are milk chocolates, which contains at least 12% milk solids and not less than 10% liquor. Last but not the least White chocolate, which is a blend of cocoa butter, milk, sugar and flavor, there are no chocolate solids other than cocoa butter present in it.

For those who are health conscious there is also a special range of sugar-free and diet chocolates. Also for the section that eats only home made chocolate, the classic chocolates are available for approximately Rs.1500/- per kg, while the deluxe range is for Rs.2,500/- per kg. Similarly delicious decorative chocolates can also go upto a range of Rs.3500/- per kg. There is no standard rate for it and depends upon individual choice. These expensive ranges are usually bought by corporate or individuals who want to make a special statement.

Pack it with the Indian taste

With chocolates gaining increasing popularity as gift options in India, chocolate boutiques are finding an increasing number of curious customers who are pampering their taste-buds to apricot and peach chocolate, strawberry chocolate or better still wild berry in cognac flavored chocolate. New flavors seen in the market as per Indian preference and taste are Wild Berry and Date & Honey Truffles apart from the Pan Supari and Nalin Gur chocolates. Decorated chocolates are hand-crafted and trimmed and available in a wide variety of milk, dark or white chocolates with flavors like hazelnut, cashew nuts, almonds, pistachios, walnuts and rice crispy amongst several others. Moreover the truffles and chocolates are handcrafted to create authentic tastes and interesting shapes and sizes.

As festive time is to celebrate and make merry and no celebrations can be complete without chocolates, with the festive season like Christmas and New year approaching there are 1,000 varieties of designs & shapes in chocolates manufactured to help buyer choose the best among the best. The range exceeds from good luck charms, Xmas figurines & animals to nearly 50-1000 kinds of other shapes and size. These are also available in attractive gift packaging to suit any particular occasion.

These packing are mostly seen of specially designed wrappings and assortments in festive colors like shimmering gold, pure whites, glistening reds and olive greens. The wrappings are embellished with special Christmas motifs like Santa, stars, bells, stockings and Xmas trees and tied with beautiful satin ribbons to give it a festive touch. Then these chocolates are also arranged and presented in a variety of exquisite gift boxes, trays, designer porcelain or crystal items to add a touch of elegance.

During prime festive period most of the chocolate boutiques offer attractive discounts to their regular clients, In fact, a few international brands have set base in India to cater to the Indian clientele especially for a festival like Diwali, Christmas, New Year etc. Patchi, the premium chocolate brand from Lebanon that set base in India has introduced their new range of chocolates specially made for the festive season. The chocolates are beautifully wrapped in various shades of festive colors like shimmering gold, metallic silver, purple, greens & reds. The wrappings are then embellished with festive decorations like Ganeshas, Om's, Diyas and Swastiks to add a traditional Indian touch. Also Brins Candy Foods Pvt.Ltd. under their brand Pure Sin Chocolates have come out with attractive chocolate boxes in liquor and without liquor drowned in different flavors specially designed for corporate which fit right in their budget and are bound to leave a good impression. Mars Restaurants Pvt.Ltd. too under it's famous brand Birdy's with a very upgraded clientele list this time during the festive seasons plans to come out with it's most astounding chocolate collection in different shapes, flavors and sizes. Some of the other popular Indian brands that make and supply these delicious devils are Fantasia, Choco Swiss, and the chocolate boutique to name a few.
Along with these specialized chocolate manufacturers the regular popular brands such as Cadbury India, Amul India, Kwality Foods etc also continue with their share of business in the blooming market, even they are known to make customized packaged with attractive packaging during these celebrating times.

A treat for all

These sinful treats have definitely gained popularity over years and one can always pamper their loved ones, clients or business associates on their birthdays, festive seasons, during weddings etc by sending across tantalizing and irresistible chocolates to symbolize your embedded affection and respect. These are now affordable by one and all and with the rise in disposable incomes, people do not mind spending on designer chocolates. Also with the import duties on ingredients like chocolate slabs, cocoa butter and hazelnuts slashing down from nearly 120 per cent to 30 per cent, the chocolate market has been on a growth path. This growth is also helping homemade chocolate brands proliferate. Now these chocolate bars can also be inscribed with the name of the recipient or with your company logo or can be made itself in the shape of a logo, which is ideal for promotions during exhibitions or important events. These tasty bites are indeed a person's ecstasy and with it's growing popularity it is sure to stand out with flying colors which is adored by one and all i.e. from small school going children to big corporate decision makers.