In a bid to maintain the chocolate’s exclusivity, Fabelle is launching Ruby Gianduja as a one-of-its-kind limited edition offering and has strategically timed the launch ahead of the Diwali festive season.

Homegrown luxury chocolate brand Fabelle from ITC Ltd., celebrated for creating unparalleled chocolate experiences in the country, Wednesday unveiled the country’s first ever Ruby Chocolate in the form of Fabelle’s Ruby Gianduja. Present at the event were Celebrity Chef Sarah Todd; Anuj Rustagi, Chief Operating Officer, Chocolate, Coffee and New Categories – Foods Division, ITC Ltd.; Chef Ruby Islam, Master Chocolatier at Fabelle and Dhruv Bhatia, Senior Sales Director, Corporate Accounts - Barry Callebaut India.

Barry Callebaut - a globally leading manufacturer of application chocolates and cocoa products, is the partner of ITC Ltd. to source the exotic Ruby chocolate used to prepare Fabelle’s Ruby Gianduja. Ruby chocolates, created about 80 years after the launch of White chocolates, are the fourth type of chocolate besides Dark and Milk chocolate. Ruby chocolate is made from the Ruby cocoa beans, which are predominantly found in Brazil, Ecuador and Ivory Coast. The beans exhibit an inherent flavour and natural ruby colour tone that is unlocked through a unique process, creating the exquisite Ruby chocolate. Ruby chocolates on the palate evoke unique berry fruity taste.

In a bid to maintain the chocolate’s exclusivity, Fabelle is launching Ruby Gianduja as a one-of-its-kind limited edition offering and has strategically timed the launch ahead of the Diwali festive season.

Gianduja is an Italian delicacy that dates back to the Napolean era. Fabelle’s Gianduja, its bestselling product range, is a recreation of this Italian delicacy crafted from rich milk chocolates infused with roasted Turkish hazelnuts. Given its popularity, Fabelle decided to launch Ruby Chocolate in the form Ruby Gianduja which is made from a delicate balance of Ruby Chocolate and Hazelnut paste. Fabelle's Ruby Gianduja is handcrafted in ITC's state-of-the-art manufacturing factory in Bengaluru and is individually wrapped in specially designed ruby-coloured tin boxes. The limited edition box of 12 cubes of Ruby Gianduja is priced at INR 1295.

Speaking about the launch of Fabelle and their Ruby Chocolates, Hemant Malik, Divisional Chief Executive – Foods, ITC Ltd., said “Fabelle was launched in India with the mission to redefine the chocolate segment in the country and I am extremely happy that the brand has already received unparalleled patronage from discerning customers. It is a proud moment for Fabelle Chocolates as we introduce the very first Ruby Chocolates to the Indian chocolate connoisseurs. It has been our continuous endeavour to provide unique chocolate experiences to the Indian consumers and today’s launch is a firm step in that direction.”

Sharing his thoughts on Fabelle’s latest creation, Ben De Schryver, President Asia Pacific, Barry Callebaut said, “Ruby chocolate is a big innovation in confectionery and we are very proud that ITC’s home-grown luxury chocolate brand Fabelle is the first in India to feature this exciting new chocolate. The fourth type of chocolate next to dark, milk and white chocolate, ruby chocolate is a breakthrough innovation developed by Barry Callebaut and is a result of years of R&D efforts.”

In conversation exclusively with BW Hotelier, Anuj Rustagi, Chief Operating Officer, Chocolate, Coffee and New Categories – Foods Division, ITC Ltd., said that chocolate as a product has gained good traction in popularity in India where it marks to be a whopping INR 9,000 cr. market, and India also is a part of the top 100 largest chocolate consuming countries globally. “We ideated of entering this segment as quality and premium segment is still widely unexplored and also a majority of the Indian audience wants to experience this segment,” added Rustagi.

“We didn’t just want to introduce the Indian audience to premium hand-made chocolates, but also wish to tell them the tale of the history of the chocolates and take them through the journey of the select creations of Fabelle, for which, we have Fabelle Boutiques which commenced with the ITC Gardenia and are now present in a total of 10 ITC Hotels spread pan-India. As of last year, we also opened in the Fabelle Boutiques in two malls and are looking forward to introducing the Boutique concept to three more properties in the following years,” said Rustagi about the unique USP of Fabelle Boutique.

Speaking about the texture, tasting notes and wine & spirits pairing of Ruby Gianduja, Celebrity Chef Sarah Todd told BW Hotelier that the ruby colour is something that is really attractive that one will always wish to try. On the palate, the chocolate exudes fruity notes which is ideal to be paired with wines. Speaking about her likings, Chef Todd said, she likes mixing her chocolate preparations with different types to nuts and their pastes, to add the nutty texture to it.

Ruby Islam, Master Chocolatier at Fabelle said that she prefers plain dark chocolates as her favourite pick for their natural scents and texture. According to her, the Ruby Gianduja pairs really well with the wines for it complements the fruity texture of the chocolate. “The ruby chocolate also pairs finely with whiskies and various white spirits which are low on the smoky aromas, hence allowing one to enjoy the rich flavours of both the chocolate as well as the spirit subsequently,” added Islam.

Both Chef Todd and Chef Islam hailed that India still finds a major gap in terms of education and exposure to chocolates which are often termed to be fattening and too sweet. Furthermore, they said that the Indian audience also needs to be introduced rightly to the premium chocolate segment to know more about the rich flavours of chocolate world over.