Harsh Baheti’s journey into the world of luxurious goodies didn’t start at a high-end confectionery or a prestigious enterprise faculty. As a substitute, it was pushed by his deep love for chocolate and a want to create one thing really extraordinary.
Rising up in Pune, he was at all times drawn to beautiful flavours and memorable experiences. However, Harsh by no means imagined that his ardour would lead him to Dubai, the place he would co-found Cocoa Melts, a model that has develop into synonymous with luxurious goodies within the area.
When his journey took Harsh to Dubai, a metropolis that celebrates indulgence and appreciates premium goodies, he met Nooruddeen Moolakkadth, a famend chocolatier with a formidable background, together with heading Le Chocolat by Emirates Airways. Their assembly marked the start of one thing extraordinary.
From an thought to a chocolate empire
Regardless of coming from completely different worlds, Harsh and Nooruddeen shared a typical imaginative and prescient—crafting goodies that went past simply style. They believed that true luxurious was about high quality, craftsmanship, and storytelling. In 2015, they determined to show their imaginative and prescient into actuality by founding Cocoa Melts, decided to introduce goodies that had been extra than simply confections—they had been experiences.
The 2 weren’t simply out to make goodies; they had been curating indulgence. Nooruddeen’s intensive experience in chocolate-making, mixed with Harsh’s enterprise acumen, made them the right crew.
Dubai is house to among the world’s best chocolate manufacturers, however Cocoa Melts carved out its area of interest by mixing international influences with native preferences. They perfected the artwork of crafting goodies enriched with premium nuts: their signature Barquillo goodies grew to become an on the spot hit, extensively celebrated for his or her distinctive texture and wealthy style.
A style of royalty
Constructing a luxurious model in Dubai was no simple feat. The market was already saturated with globally famend chocolate manufacturers, making it difficult for a brand new entrant to ascertain itself.
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One of many largest hurdles was informing clients about what set Cocoa Melts aside. “In a rustic the place international chocolate manufacturers dominate, convincing clients to embrace a brand new identify took time,” Harsh remembers. “However as soon as they tasted the distinction, there was no turning again. Phrase-of-mouth grew to become our strongest advertising instrument.”
Earlier than totally investing within the enterprise, Harsh and Nooruddeen performed small-scale trials in India. The response was overwhelmingly optimistic. Inspired by the preliminary success, they formally launched Cocoa Melts in 2020, increasing throughout India and different worldwide markets. The Diwali season performed an important function of their progress. “The very first time we launched our model in India, we bought greater than 5,000 goodies in only one month throughout Diwali,” Harsh mentioned. “After that, demand skyrocketed throughout the market.”
One in all Cocoa Melts’ most fun improvements has been Kunafa Malakiya, a tribute to Dubai’s wealthy culinary heritage that mixes the crisp layers of Kunafa, the velvety richness of Belgian chocolate, and the nutty opulence of premium American pistachios. Designed particularly for the Indian market, Kunafa Malakiya presents an expensive chunk, they are saying.
Harsh and Nooruddeen proceed to push the boundaries of chocolate-making, guaranteeing their merchandise provide one thing past the bizarre. “The perfect-selling chocolate of our model is the Kunafa,” Harsh says. “It’s a Turkish candy, and we use the Kunafa after roasting it, mixing it with melted chocolate to create our Kunafa Bar. This particular chocolate has gained recognition worldwide inside only a yr, making us pleased with the best way we serve our clients.”
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The 2 have formidable plans for the long run, together with increasing into new international markets and introducing extra revolutionary flavours that seamlessly mix custom with fashionable tastes. “We’ve got three predominant forms of goodies—Milk Chocolate, White Chocolate, and Darkish Chocolate—with over 200 varieties in complete,” Harsh provides. “Once we first began in 2016, our goodies had been priced between Rs 3,000 to Rs. 3,500 per kg. Even immediately, we now have stored the identical pricing to take care of our clients’ belief in our high quality.”
“The healthiest selection we provide is our Dates Chocolate,” says Harsh. “Not like mass-market goodies that comprise unhealthy components, our goodies are crafted with a concentrate on each style and well being.”
Cocoa Melts has expanded its attain considerably, with merchandise now being exported to Saudi Arabia, India, Qatar, Singapore, Iraq, the UK, Russia, and plenty of different international locations. The model’s dedication to high quality and health-conscious components has helped it stand out in a aggressive international market.
“Folks all over the world don’t really know what actual chocolate is,” says Harsh. “They devour goodies with out understanding the standard, components, or potential well being dangers. I see myself as a bridge between high quality and customers, serving to them perceive and admire what true chocolate must be.”
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The numbers replicate Cocoa Melts’ great progress. “In our first yr, 2016, we had an annual turnover of Rs 3.6 crore to Rs 4.2 crore. In the present day, our annual income has grown to Rs 70-80 crore,” says Harsh.
