Kanchan Achpal of SMOOR Chocolates on navigating the evolving food & beverage trends

In this episode of Insights by Punctuate Inc., Saloni Surti engages in an open conversation with Kanchan Achpal, Chief Marketing Officer, SMOOR Chocolates. Titled "Marketing Chocolates: Creating Sensory Appeal Through Communication", the episode explores an in-depth discussion on the evolving food and beverage landscape.

Surti kicks off the discussion by asking Achpal to reflect on the evolving landscape of consumer behaviour. While Achpal highlights the significant shifts in customer expectations over the years, she notes that while previously, consumers had limited awareness about the differences between basic cocoa butter chocolates and those made with vegetable fats, today, there is a growing interest in the percentage of cocoa and the origins of ingredients used in chocolates.

This increased consumer awareness has allowed brands to focus on educating their customers and meeting their evolving preferences, she adds in response to Surti's question.

Additionally, Achpal highlights the transformation in consumer tastes, emphasizing how requests for international chocolates have become increasingly common thereby allowing brands to innovate and expand its offerings.

As the conversation continues, Surti highlights the start of the festive season and how brands often design their marketing around eye-catching packaging and festive themes. Curious about SMOOR Chocolate's approach this year, she asks Achpal for details. Achpal shares that the focus is on jasmine-themed packaging, aiming to bring a sense of tranquility and calm to the celebrations.

 "We encourage our customers to celebrate everyday moments and milestones, she adds.

The conversation then shifts to engaging younger consumers, particularly Gen Z and millennials with Instagram being the key platform for connecting with this audience. The two discuss how crafting short, impactful content, teaming up with energetic, young brands, and leveraging user-generated content are all effective ways to reach and resonate with these groups.

As the conversation comes to its conclusion, they reflect on the balance of adapting marketing strategies while preserving brand identity. They discuss how SMOOR Chocolates has embraced digital transformation to enhance its online presence and e-commerce, catering to the impulse buying habits of younger consumers. Achpal also emphasizes the significance of their physical stores in cities like Delhi, Chennai, Bangalore, Mumbai, and Pune, which provide vital experiential marketing opportunities. She notes that in-store events and interactive activities play a crucial role in engaging customers and delivering a memorable brand experience.

You can watch the full episode here.